HBO's Game of Thrones - - Part 16

[Doctor Jones]

That's how I felt. The show did a solid job, but there's only so much you can do. The only person I've ever seen, ever, who comes close to how the Mountain is described (in terms of physical capabilities) was Shaq in his prime. That man was huge, very strong, and surprisingly fast. But people like that don't come around much. Nobody had seen anyone like Shaq before....ever, so yeah.

Honestly though, what I think would have been a better choice, in terms of giving us a more spectacular fight from the Mountain angle, would be to have gotten a smaller actor who could move quicker and use camera tricks to make him appear larger. Not that the guy they got was bad, he really did a very good job, but having an actor that could move even quicker and then use old fashioned movie magic to make him appear bigger would have given them more choreography options.

Honestly, that was probably thought over but television is filmed at a much greater pace than film and they may not have had as much time to pull off those tricks. Shooting that definitely slows things down.

But I'm calling late 2015 or 2016 publication for the next book.

 

[P Supreme]

someone mentioned "DEADWOOD" movies was that ever a possibility cause
that season 3 cliffhanger was HUGE COCK TEASE

 

[The Incredible Hulk]

The problem is that Martin keeps changing the goal-posts. First it was three books, then it was five, and currently it's seven. And there's recent speculation that it might be eight. I get the sense from listening to Martin that even HE doesn't have it all planned out. He may think that he knows where it's going, but then change his mind.

He can still have his end game in mind and do that. The impression I got from the interview was that as he grew with certain characters he was able to expand more on them and tie in the story in other ways he maybe he hadn't considered at first. GRRM's biggest issue is he just isn't very quick about it.

 

[Victarion]

He can still have his end game in mind and do that. The impression I got from the interview was that as he grew with certain characters he was able to expand more on them and tie in the story in other ways he maybe he hadn't considered at first. GRRM's biggest issue is he just isn't very quick about it.

I think he does have the endgame in mind. Big spoilers for A Dance with Dragons:

Spoiler

The third book of the original three was originally called A Dance with Dragons. The Dance in Book Five's title likely refers to the coming conflict between Danaerys Targaren and (f?)Aegon Targaryen (Blackfyre?). So perhaps the same can be said of the original book three.

I saw an old interview with George from 2000, where he talked a lot about World War I and the Vietnam War. He mentioned that in WWI there was a question of whether toppling whatever empire was worth it, while in Vietnam it was a case of "what the hell are we doing/who the hell are we fighting?" I see the first 3 as WWI, with the last 4 being comparable to the Vietnam War.

 

[scatterax]

The problem is that Martin keeps changing the goal-posts. First it was three books, then it was five, and currently it's seven. And there's recent speculation that it might be eight. I get the sense from listening to Martin that even HE doesn't have it all planned out. He may think that he knows where it's going, but then change his mind.

I've heard there may be 8 seasons based on 7 books, but I've never heard there may be 8 books. This is just speculation?

Edit, the way I see it playing out: season 1=book 1. S2=b2. S3&4=b3. S5= the first half of b4&5, s6 finishes both books. S7=b6 and s8=b7.

Certain characters may have their stories told ahead of order, or with filler like this season, but that's how I see the structure of this show finishing out.

 

[Victarion]

I've heard there may be 8 seasons based on 7 books, but I've never heard there may be 8 books. This is just speculation?

His publisher told him "7 books for 7 kingdoms." Later GRRM said there were actually more or less 8 kingdoms...

 

[Loki882]

BTW, that was some great acting by Sophie Turner, well done. And I had to laugh when she came down in her "Darth Sansa" outfit. A little on the nose, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

 

[scatterax]

His publisher told him "7 books for 7 kingdoms." Later GRRM said there were actually more or less 8 kingdoms...

That doesn't sound like him asking his publisher for an 8th to me. It just sounds like he's correcting them on his lore. I'm assuming the pseudo kingdom he's talking about is the white walker's.

 

[Teelie]

BTW, that was some great acting by Sophie Turner, well done. And I had to laugh when she came down in her "Darth Sansa" outfit. A little on the nose, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

I liked it but I also laughed at it. It was a great scene how she twisted the truth with a lie and sold it to them. Almost everything she said was technically true except for the actual kiss and death occured.

I haven't kept up with the thread too much but I really think we need that forum for it. If only so I don't have to step around the spoiler bombs that keep getting dropped.

 

[Ramsay Snow]

Looks like an audition tape has leaked for Season 5.

 

[flickchick85]

Indeed. And I remember that actress from Lost. I wouldn't be against her playing a [blackout]Sand Snake, but...she doesn't seem right for that Sand Snake, imo.[/blackout]

 

[kvz5]

It took me a while to remember who she played on Lost. Shame on me.

 

[Breogan]

Video That ‘Fixes’ the Game of Thrones Fight

[YT]r8oOi6JOXEQ[/YT]

Step #4 LOL!

And I really needed that cheesy as hell step #7, thank you whoever made it. It's the end I will carry with me alwayst:

No idea what #8 is?

 

[Maximus One]

North
Vale
Dorne
Reach
Westerlands
Iron Islands
Storm lands
Crown lands


Basically 8 kingdoms. Do the Crown lands count as a their own Kingdom or what? Or are they not because they are ruled over directly by the throne in King's Landing?

 

[DJ_KiDDvIcIOUs]

Watch The Mountain from Game of Thrones Deadlift Almost 1,000 Pounds

[YT]AKZEk4NG1-o[/YT]

Before he was the third actor to play Ser Gregor Clegane—"The Mountain That Rides"—on Game of Thrones, Hafþór "Thor" Júlíus Björnsson was already making heads explode with his performances in strongman competitions.

Björnsson, the second-strongest man alive, stands 6'9" tall and can bench press 500 pounds, squat 770 pounds and "raw" deadlift 925 pounds. In this video from the 2014 Arnold Strongman Classic, he handles an insane 994 pounds in the hummer-tire deadlift.

After placing second in this year's World's Strongest Man competition—losing by just half a point—Thor was tapped for the Mountain's most important scene despite never having acted before. He doesn't play football, either, but that didn't stop the Indianapolis Colts from considering drafting him.

Guy is a straight beast, I really believe he could smash a man's head like he did in the show

 

[Ramsay Snow]

Promo Pics for Episode 9

http://winteriscoming.net/2014/06/04/pictures-game-thrones-season-4-episode-9-watchers-wall/

 

[Infinity9999x]

Honestly, that was probably thought over but television is filmed at a much greater pace than film and they may not have had as much time to pull off those tricks. Shooting that definitely slows things down.

But I'm calling late 2015 or 2016 publication for the next book.

Good point. I read in an interview that they filmed the fight over 3 days. It most likely would have added a few days to that if they got a smaller actor and had to mess with all the camera trickery.

And to be honest, the guy they got did a pretty darn good job. The man is obviously a physical specimen. And he really does move well for how big he is. It's like other posters have said, it's hard to match up life to what you imagine in your head. But I do wish they could have found someone a bit faster, just to really press home how beast-like the Mountain is. Because you can fake someone's strength on screen, as long as they look strong, it doesn't matter if they really could crush a head or not (even though this guy probably could). It's a lot harder to fake speed. Honestly though, I wasn't disappointed by what we got.

And George is going to have to get his next book out before late 2015 if he doesn't want the show to have to start making their own way. Or at least let the producers read it before he publishes it, because they'd probably be close to done with filming for season 6 by late 2015 wouldn't they?

 

[rayc1971]

The dreaded high school photo strikes again!

its mcgyver!

 

[Iceman]

Oberyn

What an awesome character. Made a hell of a lot out of only a few appearances in a single season, and not as one of the main characters.

 

[Iceman]

Good point. I read in an interview that they filmed the fight over 3 days. It most likely would have added a few days to that if they got a smaller actor and had to mess with all the camera trickery.

And to be honest, the guy they got did a pretty darn good job. The man is obviously a physical specimen. And he really does move well for how big he is. It's like other posters have said, it's hard to match up life to what you imagine in your head. But I do wish they could have found someone a bit faster, just to really press home how beast-like the Mountain is. Because you can fake someone's strength on screen, as long as they look strong, it doesn't matter if they really could crush a head or not (even though this guy probably could). It's a lot harder to fake speed. Honestly though, I wasn't disappointed by what we got.

And George is going to have to get his next book out before late 2015 if he doesn't want the show to have to start making their own way. Or at least let the producers read it before he publishes it, because they'd probably be close to done with filming for season 6 by late 2015 wouldn't they?

I don't have much of a problem with the guy they used, although like you said, speed is harder to fake. I really expected them to make The Mountain do better in the main portion of the fight though. On the other hand Oberyn looked far better than most of the other legendary fighters we've seen so far.

 

[Infinity9999x]

I don't have much of a problem with the guy they used, although like you said, speed is harder to fake. I really expected them to make The Mountain do better in the main portion of the fight though. On the other hand Oberyn looked far better than most of the other legendary fighters we've seen so far.

I thought he'd do a bit better too. Though, to be fair, he didn't do great against Oberyn in the book either.

And honestly, the choreography in Thrones hasn't been amazing. It hasn't been bad by any means, but sometimes it's a bit underwhelming. To be fair though, there haven't been a lot of times to really show it off. Jamie and Ned's fight was pretty quick, we saw the Hound do some stuff in the Battle of Blackwater but not a ton, and we still haven't seen Barristan fight yet. Though, to be honest, I'm a bit worried about that one. I like the actor who's playing Barristan, but he doesn't look to be in the best shape. He's got a bit of a pot-belly. Not the look you'd expect for a swordsman who's still one of the best in Seven Kingdoms, despite his age.

The choreography of the Mountain/Viper fight was pretty darn good. And when you remember that this is still TV, it's really good.

 

[Boom]

Him missing all those teeth made it look even more disturbing.

 

[Iceman]

I thought he'd do a bit better too. Though, to be fair, he didn't do great against Oberyn in the book either.

And honestly, the choreography in Thrones hasn't been amazing. It hasn't been bad by any means, but sometimes it's a bit underwhelming. To be fair though, there haven't been a lot of times to really show it off. Jamie and Ned's fight was pretty quick, we saw the Hound do some stuff in the Battle of Blackwater but not a ton, and we still haven't seen Barristan fight yet. Though, to be honest, I'm a bit worried about that one. I like the actor who's playing Barristan, but he doesn't look to be in the best shape. He's got a bit of a pot-belly. Not the look you'd expect for a swordsman who's still one of the best in Seven Kingdoms, despite his age.

The choreography of the Mountain/Viper fight was pretty darn good. And when you remember that this is still TV, it's really good.

I would have liked for TV viewers to get the feeling that The Mountain really is the most fearsome warrior out there and that Oberyn for all his skill really was taking on the impossible task. And I would have loved a fight to the death between The Mountain and The Hound, seemed like they were building to that early on. The Ned Jaime fight was fine although I would have liked them to show off a few more skills from JL and Ned stepping up but struggling a little to match them. Drogo was given a great scene against his own man where they showed exactly how fast and agile a big man can be. Agreed on Barristan, given his awesome reputation.

And agreed on the choreography here at least. Oberyn was made to look like Spider-man, really great skills and would have been good to see him separately take on a fast guy with real sword skills like JL for the difference in styles. But with a massive hulking guy with inhuman strength like The Mountain I think you gain more by showing some degree of speed/agility or unexpected swordsmanship or skilled moves rather than just one off unlinked all-or-nothing power strokes as that great strength has been prior established and can easily be re-established early in the combat without focusing just on that. If Oberyn had been of clear mind he could have dodged him all day and even a normal man could run away from a slow big guy in a suit of armour that weighs 10,000 kg. He had actually looked reasonably agile without the armour in earlier scenes, maybe he should have fought without it (it's not like he knows fear). I just would have liked him to get more glancing blows or come a lot closer every time before Oberyn got him on the ground and not given him so much chance to be cocky (although that was awesome lol).

 

[JJJ's Ulcer]

How some people would have preferred the last episode ended.

[YT]r8oOi6JOXEQ#t=74[/YT]


Fan re-cut to make it happier.

 

[godisawesome]

I think the Mountain's actor was definitely quick enough; there's plenty of shots where he swings the sword plenty fast enough and the kick and spear cut were both at least edited to show his bull rush briefly connecting. The issue in my opinion was that they had the actor use the longsword with one hand throughout most of the fight without giving him anything to do with his other hand. It made the swings and slashes awkward half the time, while the other half were good, and he did just fine whenever they had him use both hands. And the episode before he used both hands more often.

Do you think they started choreography with a shield before ditching it? Or did they just want the one handed look for the sake of coolness?