Moving Pictures

Vaguely related to Stu's post, last time around we got advised by Iain to watch "Frailty" because it shares similar themes to Hunter.

So anyway, I thought I'd put up a few other films that I think have a "Hunter" feel - and ask if anyone else has any recommendations for me to put on our Lovefilm list !

"Dead Man's Shoes" - A British revenge movie set in the midlands. I love the fact that the "bad guys" are decidedly small-time. The characters all feel very flawed and very human, and Paddy Considine's protagonist could easily be an Avenger.

"Children of Men" - An apocalyptic film in a slightly different vain. Again, all the characters feel very flawed, there aren't any "super heroes" involved at all. Clive Owen's character really brings across the idea of a normal guy thrown in the middle of events much bigger than himself.

28 Days Later
If the zombie attack scene in Jim's parents' house doesn't leave you feeling physically sick, you've been Hunting too long. Poor Mark.

I'd agree with "Dead Man's Shoes". It's even got a ghost in it! So, rather than the main character being an avenger he could just as easily be a rather warped Redeemer...

"28 Days Later" is a brilliant choice too. If you want a perfect example of a wayward Hunter check out Christopher Eccleston's character. That's what happens when your Vision virtue goes awry...

If you can get past the fact that each and every character is a crack shot with a firearm the remake of "Dawn of the Dead" is a good example of normal people being suddenly (and gorily) faced with the supernatural. The interplay between the characters and how this influences their decisions could very easily be the bickerings of a group of imbued.

"Falling Down" is good for inspiration on how to play a high virtue (aka insane!) Hunter. You've got a lead character who simply wants to attain his goal and lashes out at a society that doesn't conform to his own worldview. His disbelief at the end when facing down the police ("I'm the bad guy?!?") could easily be uttered by a driven hunter being made to pay for his actions by the authorities.

"The Mist" has a wonderful ending and doesn't really have anything to do with Hunter, but the opening "monster attack" could very well be an imbuing and the lead character's reponses afterwards - shock and disbelief - are very, very human.

"Ghostbusters" - no, only kidding. Although it is an all time classic with one of the best scripts ever. Besides, the main characters most certainly would not be imbued - did you see how quickly they ran away from that ghost? Bloody Bystanders...

Zombies don't run... they shamble... no running!!!

Zombies are SCARIER when they run...

Only if you can't run...

Zombies don't run... but not every rot is a zombie.

May I suggest, if you have access to alot of imported films from the US, some other very Hunter-related fun to watch stories?

Millenium: A series produced by Fox back in the mid-nineties, Frank Black is a former FI Profiler who is forced to confront many horrific and monstrous crime scenes during the course of working as a Consultant for an organization called the Millenium Group. It's got elements of the supernatural as well as secret societies and a very skewed philosophy on cosmology. The visions Frank gets are a great example of the Patron background in action. Many of the main characters from the cast could be seen as strong Hunter creeds. Overall, a very well-done series with lots of gothic and horrific overtones.

The Order: A film starring Heath Ledger and Peter Weller that delves into the workings of a secretive order within the ranks of the Catholic Church who hunt ghosts and demons. The story mainly centers around the machinations of a true monster, as well as a human one. It could easily represent the path of damnation that many Hunters are forced to face in pursuit of the "justice" of the Hunt.

The General's Daughter: Alot of people have no love for John Travolta as an actor, and this movie has absolutely no supernatural overtones whatsoever, but I still highly recommend it. It shows very strong examples of what the pressures of experiencing with something truly horrific can do to a human being (in the form of a gang rape). It gives a number of examples of good psychological views on how a sense of duty and righteousness can bring a man to sacrifice his other values or even betray his own society for the sake of "doing the right thing", as a number of characters in the story are confronted by this very concept.

Assault on Precinct 13(2003): Again, no supernatural in this, but each of the characters involved could easily represent the various creeds. The Sergeant, played by Ethan Hawke is a burned out Judge just waiting to redeem himself. The Gangster played by Laurence Fishborne just screams Wayward, as he's quite savvy but completely innured to violence in order to accomplish his mission/goals. John Leguisamo may be a crackhead in this film, but that's a perfect over-the-top Avenger right there. And the antagonist, although "just" a corrupt cop, could be a good example of how to portray another Wayward or Visionary, or even a Judge who goes too far to accomplish the Mission.

Swordfish: Another film with no supernaturals and also starring John Travolta, along with Hugh Jackman as the 'hero'. Travolta's character is a Wayward, pure and simple. Complete dedication to the mission and absolutely no set of scruples or morals. Jackman, on the other hand, is a great Defender. He will go to any length for his child, including risking going back to prison or risking his own life to defy someone as powerful as Travolta's character Gabriel. Good examples of what can happen to a normal Joe who rises to the occasion and manages pressure well, without becoming too "super hero" or contrived.

I love these threads.

I would suggest the TV series Supernatural. It reminded me of hunter from the first episode. Especially the first season, now its kind of gone all Demon the Fallen on me, but still very good.

And don't hate me, but I did not like 28 days later. I don't know, something about it annoyed the hell out of me. I'd go with Shaun of the Dead. Much better movie.

I've been watching a TV series on BBC 3 called "Being Human," which is pretty cool. It doesn't feature anyone that could be described "Hunterish", but rather a bunch of supernaturals trying to fit in.

The most recent episode featured a ghost helping trying to move on, and in doing so help another ghost move on - which smacked of the kind of thing a merciful character might do.