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Thread: Carnivale

  1. #1
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    Carnivale

    Any fans of this show on here?
    I'm absolutely love this show. It was so dark and unique compared to most other series. Too bad it only lasted for two seasons. People have compared it to "Twin Peaks." The look, feel, and setting was truly special and fans have fought for years to bring it back... unsuccessfully. Dan Knauf, the creator of "Carnivale," is taking the reigns of a new "Dracula" show as well as working with Mr. Trent Reznor himself on the "Year Zero" mini-series. If there's anyone that can bring "Year Zero" to life with true detail and unique characters you respond to and care about, it's Mr. Dan Knauf. He also created the Blackbxx format of filming. A multi-camera experience, kinda like "Paranormal Activity," but you have control of all the cameras for a 48 hour period of time to sift through and discover the story as it progresses from your own choice of viewing.

    CARNIVĀLE

    The two seasons of Carnivāle take place in the Depression-era Dust Bowl between 1934 and 1935, and consist of two main plotlines that slowly converge. The first involves a young man with strange healing powers named Ben Hawkins (Nick Stahl), who joins a traveling carnival when it passes near his home in Milfay, Oklahoma. Soon thereafter, Ben begins having surreal dreams and visions, which set him on the trail of a man named Henry Scudder, a drifter who crossed paths with the carnival many years before, and who apparently possessed unusual abilities similar to Ben's own.

    The second plotline revolves around a Father Coughlin-esque Methodist preacher, Brother Justin Crowe (Clancy Brown), who lives with his sister Iris in California. He shares Ben's prophetic dreams and slowly discovers the extent of his own unearthly powers, which include bending human beings to his will and making their sins and greatest evils manifest as terrifying visions. Certain that he is doing God's work, Brother Justin fully devotes himself to his religious duties, not realizing that his ultimate nemesis Ben Hawkins and the carnival are inexorably drawing closer.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnivāle

    Opening Sequence


    Samson's Opening Speech (Season 1)


    Samson's Opening Speech (Season 2)


    Season 1 Trailer


    Facebook group:
    https://www.facebook.com/Carnivale

    In the last few months, the FB group as seen a rise in like 30,000 people since it was finally debuted properly overseas. Dan Knauf was offered to finish the story as a one time movie, but turned it down because the show was suppose to last a total of 6 seasons that spanned 15 years. He didn't want to do anything that may compromise the story in rushing what would be a 12 year span of story all into a single movie. Another rumor was that if the movie was successful, it could see a return. But then HBO pulled out and nothing happened. Then Marvel offered to continue the series as a graphic novel, since Knauf has worked on some "Iron Man" comics, but HBO would not give up the rights for them to continue it. The open ending left fans a little crazy try to know what happened with some key plots. But Dan Knauf was nice enough to come on a fan site trying to get the show back on and gave us three plot tidbits to satisfy some of our questions left unanswered. Also, the final scene of the series is actually shown in the two seasons that aired. I can't help and say how much I love this show. The only other show that I love this much is "Game Of Thrones" right now. And like "Game Of Thrones," all the characters are in depth and engaging... the good guys and the bad guys. Which is what made the show even more powerful. Brother Justin's journey into darkness, you're with him all the way... and you feel so sorry at the same time for him.
    Last edited by neorev; 03-23-2017 at 10:37 PM.

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    Fucking LOVED both seasons. When I heard about Knauf's 'dracula' series I got a full boner.

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    For people who aleady watched the show, these are some good reads to get even more details...

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mythology_of_Carnivāle

    http://jsheppardcarnivale.webs.com/avataralightdark.htm

    And here is the PDF pitch document that Dan Knauf gave to HBO to get an idea of what the show is all about. Lots of great character insights and history that didn't get fully developed during the two seasons. Lots of interesting facts and the prelude to the show...

    http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.harvard...h_document.pdf

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    ^^^Only read if you already saw the show or if you wanna get completely spoiled before watching the show :P

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    i thought it was originally supposed to be a total of 7 seasons, but i could be wrong.

    i've watched through season one 3 or 4 times and season two 2 or 3 times, now. i never get sick of this show, but i'm always left ACHING for more. if i remember correctly, it was the show's exorbitant budget that did it in prematurely.

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    Quote Originally Posted by neorev View Post


    For people who aleady watched the show, these are some good reads to get even more details...

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mythology_of_Carnivāle

    http://jsheppardcarnivale.webs.com/avataralightdark.htm

    And here is the PDF pitch document that Dan Knauf gave to HBO to get an idea of what the show is all about. Lots of great character insights and history that didn't get fully developed during the two seasons. Lots of interesting facts and the prelude to the show...

    http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.harvard...h_document.pdf
    well...there goes my whole morning.

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    Yeah, it's budget was pretty immense. And from what Dan Knauf said, the next seasons would have been bigger and wider spread. But a show like Game Of Thrones costs much more than Carnivale ever did. Plus it had one of the biggest openings with viewer numbers for all of HBO's series. It's opening sequence was listed at #1 for the top 60 coolest TV opening credits of all time...

    http://www.pajiba.com/guides/the-60-...f-all-time.php

    Wish HBO wised up and brought it back. I think it would be even more popular now, especially since how it relates with the current times.
    I still see people discovering this show for the first time even to this day and getting into it only to find out it was cut short.

    Plus at the time of its premiere, TV hasn't been as interactive and social as it is. I think Carnivale would do better in this new environment with people going online to discuss shows. Especially since it is a show that actually deserves to be discussed and unravel its mysteries. At the time when the show was on, Comic Con wasn't so popular as it is now. When Dan Knauf approached HBO about having a panel on it, HBO didn't have a clue what he was talking about. This was said during an interview with him. He wants to expand the show's outreach, but HBO at the time wasn't prepared or well versed in things like Comic Con. Now shows like Always Sunny In Philadelphia have Comic Con panels. Proper advertisement and social/online interaction kinda hindered the show from spreading to a wider audience.

    It literally only recently was just made available over in the UK on one of their on demand channels and I saw a surge in people liking the Carnivale FB page only to find out it was canceled. These are people who have no clue that this is an older show. So it kinda shows the poor advertising on HBO's behalf.

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    They should start replaying it alongside Game Of Thrones and see if they can get those fans into the show.
    I would love a Sunday night with both shows on... that would be epic. Crazy fantasy/mythological Sunday night on HBO.
    Dan Knauf still believes he will get to finish the story in some form one day. And with his recent meetings with HBO, I'm guessing for Year Zero, he said that the execs were like "we still get crap til this day for canceling that show."

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    I totally loved this show. Might just dig those dvd's up and watch it again. Thanks for the reminder!

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    Me and my girl just rewatched the series. Finished it a couple of nights ago. We live on Long Island and lost our internet and cable for several days due to the storm. So we figured why not watch it all over again. I must have rewatched this series in full at least several times. My girl only saw it a couple of times. But at least we have a great two seasons. And when it all finally comes somewhat together, its just awesome. The battle! And every character is great. Definitely read that pitch document, there are some revealing plot details hidden within. Stuff we didn't get to yet. Plus I gotta hunt down the site of one of the productiin designers again. They had designs for Brother Justin's temple and office inside depicting artistic renditions of people suffering in hell on its walls. Plus Dan Knauf recently sold the insides of his studio in California for an auction with lots of signed scripts with all the revisions, hand drawn production art, photos, and other Carnivale merch and props. Wish I had the cash to buy the lot.

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    here's the site for the auction... but i think it has ended. wish i could get my hands on those scripts and production art
    apparently they wanted Management to have his lower jaw missing
    http://www.theauctionarium.com/aucti....php?id=191942

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    oh, and here's that production designer's page...
    http://www.berntcapra.com/carnivale/carnivale.htm

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    Samson's opening speech (Season 2)

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    Great show, although I felt the second half of the second season was rushed, but I can't really hold that against them too much considering how HBO generally pulls plugs.

    Sadly it just falls in line with another HBO show that needs a Blu-Ray release but can't seem to get it... cough The Wire cough

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    I own both seasons on DVD and love the art and whole design.
    Kinda looks like a book. I always liked that, especially how Dan Knauf explained how the show would be 6 seasons... 2 seasons per book.
    The first two seasons are considered one book and only spanned a couple of years, with the whole show spanning about 15 years.
    He said that the third season would have introduced completely new characters to the story as well. And it would begin like a new book starting off.
    Some people complained that the show was too slow and I think that's why the second season picked up speed.
    Then again the second season is suppose to be like the last half of a book where things pick up speed.
    The speed of the show did not bother me one bit. Honestly I felt the build up let you really let you into all of the characters and made it more engaging.
    So when things came together or the shit hit the fan, it really paid off and kept you glued toward the end.
    But I would gladly rebuy this series on Blu-Ray. Beautiful yet dark show.... the black blizzard.
    Ben's vision during the first episode of season 2 of the bomb... fucking awesome!
    Last edited by neorev; 11-09-2012 at 03:39 PM.

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    My opinion, maybe an unpopular one, was that Carnivale presented an incredibly rich universe, a unique vision and oodles of oft-promised potential, but narratively meandered around in a quagmire of dead ends and deader pacing, only picking up any kind of momentum towards the end of each season. Ultimately, there was enough there to keep me watching through to the end, but I did spend a great deal of it (including afterwards...) suspecting I may have been wasting my time.

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    I hear ya Vertigo. Maybe for me, I just enjoyed every single character so much that it didn't really bother me when the story went off on tangents that not necessarily focused on the whole main good vs evil arch. I think what made the series pick up towards the end of each season where you feel more engaged was the fact that you spent the first half really getting into the character's lives... both those who serve to the main story and those who serve different sub story offshoots. I felt the layout of the show is very close to Game Of Thrones, especially the multi-character arch. And where you even sympathize with the bad guys. The pitch document gives you in depth background for each character and some incite to where it was possibly going to go... especially Lodz. Dan Knauf was luckily nice enough to come on to a forum and give fans a few tidbits to at least calm the nerves of those heated by the cancellation. I avoid posting them here due to spoliers and don't wanna ruin it for anyone that has not seen the show.

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    Warning!
    Spoilers:Jonesy lives and goes on with Libby to play baseball again... the Carnivale is disbanded but must come back together... Lodz apparently returns in some way if you look at the pitch document, it says he died in the 40's... Ben is alive and takes a sorta Management position... Brother Justin is alive, but has the blade still inside his chest, which is a ticking time bomb near his heart.... next two seasons would have focused on Sofie and her becoming the Omega... third season would have began with Justin giving a sermon with Sofie watching from the side with a child next... who's child? that's what the season would have gotten into... /End Spoilers.

    Hopefully I did that right and didn't just fuck someone watching the show for the first time :P
    Apologies in advance... LOOK AWAY!
    Last edited by neorev; 11-09-2012 at 10:27 PM.

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    HBO needs another substantial heavy hitter like Game of Thrones. There's always room for it if they could market it right and people would watch it.

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    I really do think, even after all the years, that "Carnivale" could come back bigger than ever...
    even something like "Brought back by demand" would be enough to perk people's interest I think.
    and with the way how HBO is so interactive now with their series and online community, it would have a better shot.
    we're living in interesting times and I think "Carnivale" would resonate with a wider audience better today than when it originally came out.
    tell HBO to let 'em borrow some set era pieces from "Boardwalk Empire" lol.

    I would literally bust a nut if this show ever came back.

    Haven't heard much from Dan Knauf about "Year Zero," don't think he is allowed to talk about it just yet.
    Plus now he is taking the reigns for a new "Dracula" series, which I believe is for NBC.

    Hell, I'll take the rest of the story as a series of books if it was possible. But HBO won't give him the rights so he can continue it.
    Fans suggested putting together a Kickstarter to raise the money for him to secure the rights. But knowing HBO, that's gotta be some big bucks.

    When the show was first canceled, for months HBO was slammed with angry letters and tarot cards being sent to their offices and Knauf confirmed that HBO still gets shit til this very day about it. So come on HBO, fucking bring it back.

    It's literally like you were in the middle of very interesting book and finally when things were picking up and coming together, someone came over and ripped it from your hands and threw it into a fire.
    Last edited by neorev; 11-09-2012 at 11:23 PM.

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