Eye of the Beholder: The Art of Dungeons & Dragonsby Sheena McNeilReviews may contain information that could be considered 'spoilers'. Readers should proceed at their own risk. Studio
Credits Grade: 8 The press release I received said this is: "The definitive documentary chronicling the history, legends, and inspirations behind, and the building of, the realms and characters behind the game is out May 14th via The Nacelle Company on iTunes, Google, Xbox, Vimeo, Amazon, Vudu, Comcast, Cox, Spectrum, and more."The documentary is about an hour-and-a-half long. It's a must-see for fans of the game, but for those who aren't, it's still worth a watch, especially since you can watch in on one of the above-listed systems. I haven't played (more from a lack of time than a lack of interest), but I've got a few books for the art, which I always enjoy looking at. I did end up watching it in two pieces, partially because it starts a little slow, but more because I often multitask while watching something, and I really wanted to pay attention to the visuals, to follow exactly what they were discussing. What I really love about this documentary is two-fold. First, it provides a history of D&D itself, as well as the evolution of the art, so we get a good feel for it from its origins to now. I learned so much about what went into making the game. Watching this, it's easy to understand how D&D became a pop-culture phenomenon that continues to this day. I love seeing the simplicity of the original art, as well as the how and when it shifted to full-color oil paintings. Second, it features more than 40 interviews with some of the major content creators (Larry Elmore, Jeff Easly, Clyde Caldwell, Brom, Tony DiTerlizzi, Todd Lockwood, Erol Otus, Margaret Weis, etc.), as well as players and fans. The interviews give it a personal touch, complete with funny anecdotes, but also give us face-time with the people that were and are involved in creating the mythos. To hear their perspectives in words rather than just art is insightful and interesting. Every interviewer is used multiple times throughout, as they weigh in on their own parts but also those of others that came before and after. This also includes discussing how D&D influenced all fantasy art as we currently know it, and how they continually try to make it diverse, relatable, and unique. Written: March 14, 2019
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