The inspiration for the character of Conan the Barbarian came from the books by Robert E Howard, the barbarian was also known as Conan the Cimmerian, as this was where he hailed from in the original books published in the 1930's. The stories were originally published in the pulp magazine ' Weird Tales '. As a literary character Conan has stature, many are the stories where tall, long haired barbarians are portrayed with there hulking muscles and barbaric ways, and the link to Conan is a strong one. With the release of Conan in 1982 finally there was a film that could do justice to the books, roughly half a century after Conan saw print the film was about to be unleashed.
Although a good film in its own right, the connections with the original stories are quite loose, only a few characters get a strong mention. The film was written by the unlikely pairing of Oliver Stone and John Milius and the script draws material from a number of stories by Howard while creating some of its own ideas to blend in. Over the course of his life Howard wrote a great deal on the adventures of Conan, with it eventually seeing life as a comic and a cartoon believe it or not! After his suicide many of his works were released posthumously, and it seemed like Conan would live on for ever in the minds of the public. With the role Schwarzanegger came to play being realised in the film, could it be realised as a successful adaptation? Could the writers pull off a good mix between the Original books and the needs of the movie? Could Arnold actually fit the role of Conan and act well ... er sort of!
This can't be ignored as the film that kick started Schwaraneggers
film carried, soon films would come by the bucketload, as well as dialogue unfortunately. And thankfully the majority of his films have him not speaking too much, which immediately makes the film move than watchable. It has some memorable scenes, the giant snake is good for a giggle ( look at the size of the thing! ) even if it is just Schwarzanegger wrestling with a huge puppet. Some of the FX is a mite dodgy, the whirling spirits which seem to frequent the film seem dredged from Indiana Jones, and are not very effective, they shriek and swirl but have little affect whatsoever! The effects are kept to a minimum ( Thankfully ), and it instead relies on some fantastic imagery, the temple of the snake cult is a good one, and the torches held by a mass of people at the foot of a temple is also a nice illuminating sight! This is always welcome viewing in a film, the initial village landscape at the start of the movie is a good setting, with the snake warriors also adding alot of depth to the start sequence. Where little or no dialogue is uttered, the director uses the music and charging warriors to drive the start of the film forward to good effect! This also sees some of the actual words used in the Conan books being uttered. A nice overture at the start by a mysterious voice sets off the film well.
The actors used in the film include the prestigious talent of James Earl Jones ( Voice of Darth Vader, Simba's Dad in the Lion king, played Jack Ryans friend in the Tom Clancy Film adaptations ) who played the necromantic Thulsa Doom, he really does fit the part well with his long straight hair and bulging eyes, he does convey a certain visage of macabre. Arnold Schwarzanegger ( Later featured in Terminator Movies, Predator, Eraser, Total Recall, the list goes on! ) who played the Barbarian Conan with his rippling muscles and long lank hair, apart from minor niggles from the books descriptions he fits the role well. Sandhal Bergman plays the Valkyrie looking beauty, ( Red Sonja, Airplane II and all that Jazz ) Arnolds love interest in the film, Yiahhhhh! Gerry Lopez the Mongol archer who becomes Conan's fast friend ( he was a surfer apparently ), almost too fast im thinkin ... hmmm! The cast overall is a sparkling one, each fit there roles well with the best of the bunch being Conan and Thulsa Doom!
The assemble cast is good, though the abruptness at which it is assembled leaves little time for development, you just accept that the mongol bloke is the cunning guy with the Bow, likes a bit of a fondle ( don't worry not Arnold ) and doesn't mess around! The Barbarian tough girl, likes glittering things ( again not Schwaranegger ) and wearing skimpy leathers. The Old king who laughs alot and wants his daughter rescued, nah we don't care really! The moaning witch woman that Schwarzanegger has pointless sex with ( the point was?!?!?, should have just put up a signpost, pointing North. )
The dialogue is usually brief and Schwarzanegger's witty one liners do liven up the scenes there used in;
Mongol General: "What is best in life?"
Conan: "To crush your enemies, to see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women."
I can hear his Austrian sneering whine now right in my head, what ever line Arnold spoke was either short, directly to the point, or if you were lucky both. Its also fairly ridiculous the amount of times we here him exclaiming ' Yiaaaaaaaaw ' or ' Yaaaah ' whenever he excerts himself, or in fact does anything at all! Though his role does have some good points. He does fit the part like a glove on hand and apart from some minor details being not quite the same as the books, Schwarzanegger holds the screen with presence. His initial brawling in the pits is good solid fighting, with a lot of detail paid to the attention of the brutality of a fighting gladiator, especially when an opponeent starts eating his shoulder. The fighting is well done most of the time, ( though there are some clunky whacks to certain persons, that look decidedly timid ) and adds a great deal to the film. Conans training in the east and his gaining of freedom and eventual confrontation at the end are nicely shot, with plenty of sparring and duels with gushing blood, and severed limbs flying about.
There are a good amount of scenes that work well in the film, but shortly after we see something that utterly detracts from the good imagery of the previous section. Its not a clever film by any stretch of the imagination, the interplay between the characters is often staid and drawn out. You don't really care that Conan and Valeria feel something between them, there is hardly been anything spoken between them, and apart from some drunken ass slapping in a tent thats it. ( But hey thats all they need really! ) Some pointless walking dulls much of the film, though Arnie does Knock out a camel while drunk! Brilliant.
The one brilliant saving grace of the film is the soundtrack by Basil Poledouris. Epic and sweeping it makes you forget for a while what rubbish you are occasionally seeing infront of you! The rhythm and beat of the clanging drums is very flowing, the music is at its best playing to the dynamic action executed by Arnold and Co. The music is good but it takes a dark twist at the culmination of the film, its noticable throughout without being obvious, yet in its simplicity its enough to have you nodding your head in tune to many of the scores. Tantalising and at the same time mesmerising its lovely to hear and really helps the story flow.
Overall this is a film for people who can sit through half a rubbish film and half a good film. Fortunately there are more than enough good scenes to detract from the bad ones! And all in all this is a good film which kick started the career of a prestigious acting talent ( did I just say talent, ah yeh so I did ). It true that Schwarzanegger only played to his strength and thats what got him all the acting roles that were to come, he knew this and now look at him! And just think its all down to Conan the Barbarian ...
Production Year: 1991 - Science Fiction - Director: Wim Wenders - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Jeanne Moreau, Sam Neill, Max Von Sydow, Solveig Dommartin, William Hurt
Production Year: 2007 - Science Fiction - Director: Francis Lawrence - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Alice Braga, Charlie Tahan, Dash Mihok, Will Smith, Salli Richardson, Willow Smith
The film that launched Arnold Schwarzenegger's international career,Conan the Barbarianis ... more
still regarded by many as his finest hour. Limited to a mere handful of lines and expertly directed to play up the Nietzschean strength of the character by John M...
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The film that launched Arnold Schwarzenegger's international career,Conan the Barbarianis ... more
still regarded by many as his finest hour. Limited to a mere handful of lines and expertly directed to play up the Nietzschean strength of the character by John M...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
The Warrior Gladiator King. Through the history of mankind the times that are most ... more
recorded in mythology and song are those of the great deeds and fantastic adventures. Such a time was the Hyborean Age. Such a tale is the story of 'Conan The Barbaria...
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Advantages: Non stop action, good excuse for gore and fighting, cheap Disadvantages: Plot is weak, Arnie with long hair?, you will not impress your girlfriend much...
![Conan the Barbarian [1981] [DVD]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78548813.jpg "Conan the Barbarian [1981] [DVD]")
Sep 9th, 2005
(May 31st, 2006)
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