Pulp Film Recommendations

[Steve Long]

So, pulp buffs, what films have you run across, either period or modern, that you think are worth watching for pulp gaming purposes?

To save you some time, here's the PH draft filmography as of 04/01/2005:



FILMOGRAPHY

The movie industry was in one of its heydays in the pulp era, giving GMs and players plenty of period films they can watch to get a feel for things (though many of those old movies aren’t available on VHS or DVD, or are rare). Rather than try to list all of them, this Filmography lists a few classics, concentrating instead on modern films and television shows depicting pulp adventures that the author particularly enjoys or thinks would be helpful for gamers to watch.

Casablanca (technically a little after the pulp era, but too good to pass up!)
Citizen Kane
Doc Savage (ridiculously cheesy, but lots of fun!)
Hindenburg
The Indiana Jones movies and the Young Indiana Jones Chronicles TV show
It Happened One Night
King Kong
The Maltese Falcon
Only Angels Have Wings
The Phantom
The Rocketeer
The Shadow
Zeppelin!


Note that, as usual, I'm mostly restricting myself to movies that I enjoy and/or think are worthwhile. I can't, and don't want to, produce an exhaustive filmography of the genre, and won't recommend films I don't think are worth watching -- which is why Sky Captain And The World Of Tomorrow isn't on the list.

[Lord Liaden]

It can be difficult to find nowadays, but if you can dig it up I recommend a classic 1930's film serial, Daredevils of the Red Circle, featuring a trio of circus acrobats drawn into the schemes of a mysterious mastermind villain. Good period archetypes (Romantic Hero/Leader, Strongman, Agile Little Guy, Mastermind), great cliffhangers, well-done mystery angle, surprisingly strong writing and acting. The fisticuffs and stunts are very well handled, and some of the more spectacular visual effects became staples that were reused in later serials.

EDIT: a Google Search turned up a lot of website entries, plus the fact that the whole 12-episode serial is available on Amazon, 2 VHS tapes for $19.95 US.

[specks]

May I recommend the Superman Fleischer Cartoons <a href="http://www.thesupermanmovie.com/Fleischer.html">here</a>

and the good old cliffhanger serials from the 30s and 40s <a href="http://www.imagesjournal.com/issue04/infocus.htm">here</a>

Just my $ .02

[shadowcat1313]

are we going to include any of the serials like Flash Gordon?

there are some wonderful radio shows from the era too that arent mentioned as of yet, and a lot of those are available from various sources

[Tim]

SKy Captain wasn't bad. I think it is worth a rent and watch.

[Starwolf]

The Mummy and sequal with Branden Frasier
Around the World in 80 Days with Jackie Chan
National Treasure
Second Hand Lions (in the flash back sequences)
Big Jake with John Wayne

[Vanguard00]

Well, I hate to include it, but "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" had some good pulp fiction elements in it.

Similarly, cheesy though they may be, Richard Chamberlain's 'Allan Quartermain' movies ("King Soloman's Mines", "Lost City of Gold") are popcorn-tossin' fun.

"The Mummy" movies with Brenden Frasier (well, at least the first one).

Heck, even "Tomb Raider".

Anyone remember "Zone Troopers"?

"Road To Perdition" has some good pulp/noir elements in it (and it's a good movie anyway...go rent it!)

"Buckaroo Banzai" could easily be adapted to a pulp-era game (and it's a good movie...go rent it!)

"Romancing the Stone", of course.

I'm just riffin' here but that's what I came up with initially.

[Vanguard00]

Big Jake with John Wayne

Um...not a hack, mind you, but how'd this wind up in your list?

[Starwolf]

Um...not a hack, mind you, but how'd this wind up in your list?

There are great sequences in the movie where one of Jakes sons comes riding up on an ealry motorcycle, and is armed with an automatic pistol, a spring loaded holster, and a bolt action rifle with a pretty modern looking scope. This would probably be at the very beginning of the pulp Genre...

Ok here's another one that had some very early pulp elements....

The Adventures of Briscoe County Junior...

[Vanguard00]

There are great sequences in the movie where one of Jakes sons comes riding up on an ealry motorcycle, and is armed with an automatic pistol, a spring loaded holster, and a bolt action rifle with a pretty modern looking scope. This would probably be at the very beginning of the pulp Genre...

Aah...I thought that might be where you were goin'. That mule goin' crazy was a good scene

[Sketchpad]

If you can find them, I recommend the TV Series "Bring 'Em Back Alive!" and "Tales of the Gold Monkey" from the '80s ... also, the cartoon "Tailspin" ... As far as movies, I'd like to add "To Cast a Deadly Spell" to that list as well

[AliceTheOwl]

If you can find them, I recommend the TV Series "Bring 'Em Back Alive!" and "Tales of the Gold Monkey" from the '80s ... also, the cartoon "Tailspin" ... As far as movies, I'd like to add "To Cast a Deadly Spell" to that list as well

If you include "Tailspin," you can't leave out Miyazaki's Porco Rosso.

The similarities are too good to ignore.

[Super Squirrel]

Both The Goonies and North by Northwest have a certain feel of pulp to them. I wouldn't call either of them true Pulp though.

[Super Squirrel]

Lupin III is pulp.

[Curufea]

Disney's "Atlantis"

For that matter, you could also include "20,000 leagues under the sea"