Science Fiction & Fantasy > 1981 Science Fiction & Fantasy

Go on a search for the Holy Grail

Advantages: Great cast, excellent acting, good story
Disadvantages: A bit gory at times

...when in 1981 the film Excalibur hit the screens I couldn?t wait to go and see it. It isn?t the cutie style of the musical or many of the other ?happy ever after? type of films. The fight scenes are very gory in parts and the story is very dramatic with little humour apart from an occasional comment by Merlin. The film is an adaptation of a book called Le Morte D?arthur which was written by Sir Thomas Mallory in 1740. The book was adapted for the ...
...Lake gives him the sword Excalibur which will give him victory in battle over his adversary. Lord Cornwall accepts Uther as king and bows to him in exchange for a large area of land and a feast ensues to celebrate the new peace. Unfortunately for this new found peace Uther takes a shine to Cornwall?s beautiful wife Igrayne as she dances at the feast and since this lust is obvious to everyone the peace is short lived and fighting breaks out again! ...

SusanLesley 17.02.2009 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Excalibur (DVD)

I want your boots, your clothes and your Camel!

Advantages: Quite funny, not too much dialogue, great music score! A stunned Camel!
Disadvantages: Atrocious acting, lots of pointless groping!

...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 ...
...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 ...

Gildor_Inglorion 09.09.2005 · Read full review
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Review of Conan The Barbarian (DVD)

Max is more than mad.. he's insane

Advantages: great action packed entertainment
Disadvantages: none

...This second movie in the Mad Max saga opens with a briefing of the first movie, so in essence you do not have to have seen the first film to understand this one… but I do recommend watching the first as it is a great movie with some fantastic action and thrills. Anyway… The Character Max Rockatansky has already made Mel Gibson a bit of a household name due to the very first Mad Max saga in 1979 becoming a bit of a cult movie from the moment it ...
...as good as the first Mad Max but it comes very close and is just as action packed and entertaining. The all round acting leaves no complaints as everyone plays their parts brilliantly, especially Kjell Nilsson as the weird Lord Humungous and not forgetting Emil Minty as the dog like feral kid who grunts his way through the movie… and watch out for this kids rather bizarre tricks he does with his boomerang. If you like the Mad Max saga then get ...

blissman70 05.10.2008 · Read full review
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Review of Mad Max 2 - The Road Warrior (DVD)

Awe-inspiring blockbuster that hasn't dated

Advantages: The film which made Arnie a star
Disadvantages: The film sequels aren't as good

...is the first of three Conan the Barbarian films, and it far outshines the others. Arnold Schwarzeneger was not the first choice for the lead in the movie, but now one cannot imagine that anyone else could have been more appropriate. This is the movie that made Arnie famous as a celluloid acion hero. The story is from a series of books of the same name, written by Robert E Howard, in the 1930s. Howard was the father of the "sword and sorcery" genre ...
...some extent, the idea of Conan was inspired by the works of the philosopher Frederik Nietsche. Conan is the Superman and embodies the idea of "what does not kill me makes me stronger". After he is captured by the merciless warriors of a snake-worshipping cult, who kill his parents and all adults in his village, Conan and all the children are sold into slavery. They are made to trudge constantly around in circles to push a heavy wheel (some kind of ...

ironmodem1 27.11.2005 · Read full review
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Review of Conan The Barbarian (Special Edition) (DVD)

Arnie's breakthrough as Conan

Advantages: Great atmosphere throughout the film
Disadvantages: Quite simple, not a lot of dialogue from the star

...as the title role in Conan The Barbarian, a film directed by John Milius. Arnie, as he has become better known, had appeared in a few films already, but this is considered to be his breakthrough film. The Plot As a child, Conan witnesses the vicious killings of his family and clansmen at the hands of a vicious warlord who is controlling of his people and of all the land, Thulsa Doom. Years later, following a childhood of slavery, Conan finds himself ...
...there is one scene where Conan is standing on a rock precipice practicing by brandishing his sword in controlled fight movements. This is highly skillful, and a testament to the dedication Arnie displays in many of his performances. Sandahl Bergman is sassy as the warrior Conan falls for, Valeria, and Gerry Lopez does very well as the haunting thief Subotai. Max Von Sydow turns in a small but effective role as King Osric, and Mako is extremely believable ...

pmcds 07.06.2008 · Read full review
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Review of Conan The Barbarian (Special Edition) (DVD)