HBO’s horror show 30 Coins explores evil with the style of an RPG (according to the director himself)

[MOB]

 

"30 Coins is structured like a tabletop role-playing game, with subplots following each other in a narrative that eventually reveals their close connections. The director said so himself, expressly citing the Call of Cthulhu campaigns The Masks of Nyarlathotep and Tatters of the King."—Polygon.

 

'30 Coins' creator and director, the Spanish filmmaker Álex de la Iglesia, is a long-time fan of the Call of Cthulhu tabletop RPG.

 

Edited February 16, 2021 by MOB

[klecser]

*sigh* Ok, with this and Lovecraft Country it may be time to sign up for another streaming service....

[kross]

I was particularly amused when, in episode 6, Holy War, about 16 minutes in they very briefly used a very famous Yellow Sign in the background of a couple of scenes. Yes I did jump up and shout. Yes I did record it and rewatch it several times to verify.

I enjoyed the heck out of this show but felt it went off the rails a bit in the last couple of episodes (notably including what looked to be a very key figure from CoC lore). Up to then it was very creepy and very reminiscent of a good CoC game.

[PichulRixth]

The first episode creeped me out quite a bit.  It was nice to be scared after being disappointed by most horror these days.  I don’t have much experience with horror RPGs, but lots to like here.  

[TwiceBorn]

Thanks for bringing this show to our attention, Rick... I just watched the first 4 episodes and am truly impressed! 

[Ejlertson]

On 2/16/2021 at 4:44 PM, klecser said:

*sigh* Ok, with this and Lovecraft Country it may be time to sign up for another streaming service....

Trust me, the show is worth the cost.

Then afterwards Chernobyl is also worth watching

[Ahti]

Álex de la Iglesia pioneered The Call of Cthulhu in Spain, a player before there was a Spanish translation, founder of a role-playing club ("Los pelotas") in the eighties, and even wrote several adventures. In fact, in the next few weeks, "The macabre joke" will be published in Spain (taking advantage of the success of the series), which is announced as a kind of prequel for  "Masks of Nyarlathotep":
http://www.edgeent.com/juegos/articulo/la_llamada_de_cthulhu/la_broma_macabra

Many of his films are clearly influenced by the adventures of CoC, especially by his completely mad endings (although he is often criticized, perhaps not without reason, that he does not know how to finish his plots well). Some of them are very close to the campaigns of the game "Witching & Bitching" (2013, originally "The witches of Zugarramurdi"), especially a Spanish classic from the 90s, "The Day of the Beast" (1995) (three unlikely researchers, an illusionist-television showman, a conservative catholic priest and a histrionic heavy, seek to save the world from an apocalyptic prophecy while losing a lot of sanity), all of them with a very extreme and peculiar sense of humor. They may not be very great movies (some are better than others, I love very much "The day of the beast"), but if there is a director adored by spanish role players, especially by CoC fans, it is Álex de la Iglesia.

[MandilarasM]

On 2/16/2021 at 7:48 PM, kross said:

I was particularly amused when, in episode 6, Holy War, about 16 minutes in they very briefly used a very famous Yellow Sign in the background of a couple of scenes. Yes I did jump up and shout. Yes I did record it and rewatch it several times to verify.

Oh yes that sign also made an appearance in episode 4, on a blackboard among other occult symbols, during the flashback scene at the seminary in Rome.

[MOB]

3 hours ago, MandilarasM said:

Oh yes that sign also made an appearance in episode 4, on a blackboard among other occult symbols, during the flashback scene at the seminary in Rome.

Here it is:

[commandercrud]

Watched a few episodes. This show is great.

[stadi]

Season 2 is coming: https://deadline.com/2022/06/paul-giamatti-30-coins-season-2-cast-1235050749/ (The article contains spoilers for season 1)

I really enjoyed the first season, this is great news.

Edited June 24, 2022 by stadi
spoiler warning in the article

[Darius West]

On 2/16/2021 at 11:07 PM, MOB said:

'30 Coins' creator and director, the Spanish filmmaker Álex de la Iglesia, is a long-time fan of the Call of Cthulhu tabletop RPG.

I saw this back in 2020 soon after its first release.   As to CoC influence, it literally has 

Spoiler

frikkin' Nyarlathotep's classic tentacle face manifestation going CGI apeshit in a museum which holds the spear of destiny.

in it.  Kinda pulp, but fun.  I'm pleased another series is on its way, and live in hope it will be as good as the first.

[Vellcrow]

30 Coins is a great series!  Lovecraft Country...not so much.

[TwiceBorn]

On 7/17/2022 at 6:51 PM, Vellcrow said:

30 Coins is a great series!  Lovecraft Country...not so much.

Agreed. I just finished watching season 1 of Chapelwaite and thought that was even better than the already great 30 Coins as far as "screen adaptations" of the CoC RPG go. Season 2 on the way for that series as well. 

[g33k]

On 7/17/2022 at 5:51 PM, Vellcrow said:

30 Coins is a great series!  Lovecraft Country...not so much.

Huh.
91% & 88% (respectively) on Rotten Tomatoes does give the edge to 30C... but only a slight edge, & LC also appears to have a lot of popularity (anything above 75% is considered quite good).

 

 

[Vellcrow]

7 hours ago, g33k said:

Huh.
91% & 88% (respectively) on Rotten Tomatoes does give the edge to 30C... but only a slight edge, & LC also appears to have a lot of popularity (anything above 75% is considered quite good).

 

 

I felt LC was preaching to me (or at me)...constantly.  While 30C was pure fun entertainment created by a true CoC fan.

[g33k]

5 hours ago, Vellcrow said:

I felt LC was preaching to me (or at me)...constantly.  While 30C was pure fun entertainment created by a true CoC fan.

Your own experience is always your own, of course; not someone else's!
Just because other people like a thing (or dislike it) is not necessarily relevant to whether YOU like it (or dislike it) alongside them.

Edited July 26, 2022 by g33k