So, there's a movie where Kiefer Sutherland plays Raistlin...??!?

[JasonPratt]

Yep.

Nope, I'm not kidding.

There's a Dragonlance movie, adapting the first book Dragons of Autumn Twilight pretty faithfully. ...and adding a hot green dragon chick who looks like a succubus when in human form. An addition which is not actually terrible!

Granted the movie is... um... variable. Goofy CGI mixed with partly competent hand drawn 2D art, although sometimes it seems based on the original black-and-white chapter heading sketches from the series, which I appreciated. Raistlin looks VERY MUCH on model (although his hourglass eyes are simplified, but still effective) -- and from Sutherland's "I am already here," well he's on the dang ball from go. Tika Waylan's actress doesn't sound invested, but the animators have fun Gainaxing her. ;) Fizban is rather a disappointment, although pretty well written. Michael Rosenbaun (the DCAU's Flash, and Smallville's Lex Luthor) as Tanis acquits well (although often sounding way too much like the Flash for Tanis' character), as does whoever is playing Sturm. Phil Lamarr (the John Stewart Green Lantern for the DCAU among other things) puts his heart into the somewhat brief-spoken role of Riverwind, and often... sounds a lot like Michael Dorn for some reason?? (I honestly thought that was Worf in the role! Only Lamarr is credited.) But Lucy Lawless (Xena) doesn't quite connect well as Goldmoon despite making some effort. Rino Romano (who served admirably as "The Batman" in DC's second modern animated Batman series) is kinda just there reading lines for Caramon; veteran voice actor Fred Tataciore does a somewhat better job as Flint. Tasslehoff, the other major fan favorite after Raistlin, generally does a good job, having been handed to Jason Marsden (Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer among other things).

I'd link to it, but I'm not sure how legal it is to watch for free. Let us just say that it can be found.

The video is cheap at Amazon here http://amazon.com/Dragonlance-Dragons-Twilight-Lucy-Lawless/dp/B000Y7U996. Tracy Hickman provides a guest review shortly after the (naturally straight to video) release in 2007, revealing that he's in the movie as a cameo several times! -- but he's critical of the animation efforts (which aren't much better than the 80s D&D cartoon, and sometimes worse) and of the production decision to put the whole first book into the movie (rather than only the first half). But he credits the screenwriter (who agreed with Hickman's objections) with the skill to succeed as feasibly as possible in getting the whole book into 90 minutes; and I have to agree. In fact the first 20 minutes don't move overly fast! -- and given how much had to be crammed in, that pacing took some skill (as backhanded as the compliment sounds).

[bayonetbrant]

it's free on YouTube

[yt]https://youtu.be/0reHLHGyQnM[/yt]

the rest of the cast is no slouch either, but it looks like an extended version of the 1980s Saturday morning D&D cartoon

[JasonPratt]

Well, as noted, I'm not sure how legal it is to watch for free. ;)

[bayonetbrant]

Youtube hasn't taken it down yet, so whoever owns the copyright is probably too embarrassed to admit it.

If it was going to get DCMA'ed, it would've happened in the last 3 years.

[mirth]

Holy crappy CG, Batman!

[JasonPratt]

It's... problematic.

Also, the screenwriter decided to drop a major spoiler from the rest of the series toward the end. (If I say it's about Fizban, any fan should know what I mean. ;) The writer does a pretty clever job salting winks in that direction throughout the movie; I was surprised he went the distance tho.)