Conan the Barbarian

[Tosh]

I was surprised when a friend of mine said he never seen this, it's been a while since I seen it, so I went and bought it, I'm wondering if anyone here liked this movie as much as me.

I was 11 when my Mom dropped me off to watch this movie in the theater, and I have to say, I couldn't believe how violent this movie was (my mother had no clue either), as a kid I never seen anything like it, even now, it's one of the best, true European sword fantasy movies ever, there was no comic sidekick, no stupid hollywood bullshit. Just a fantasy movie about revenge. It left a lasting impression on me to this day, and it's Arny's best work imo.

On a sidenote, I never realized the archer, Subotai, is no other than Gerry Lopez, an oldschool surfer famous for riding the pipeline in Hawaii, as far as I know, it's one of the only movie he ever did.

It's really a shame they didn't take these kind of movies more seriously, they made a hundred really bad fantasy movies after this, starting with the sequel.

[Chinatown Kid]

My mom took me to see this movie when I was a kid too, I don't think see realized what some of the content of the movie would be, especially the graphic violence and sex scenes. I think it's the best sword and sorcery film of them all. It was shocking to me as a kid at the time to see all the slashing, hacking and bloodspurting but it was also exciting. The soundtrack was great. That James Earl Jones was freaky and scared the @#%$ out of me, especially when he turned into the giant snake.:lol

[rockandrolltroy]

Conan is one my favorite movies of all time. The score is absolutely perfect and one of my favorite scores out there. The cinematography is excellent. I love everything about it.

That slow baleful look James Earl Jones gives Conan's mom right before turning and lopping her head off is exceptional. JEJ should have won an oscar for that scene alone. Alot of the sword swings are so realistic and the blood bags provide extra realism. As opposed to the CG bullsh*t of today. The final scene with all the traps and fighting amongst the rock monoliths was too cool. I could go on and on and on.

Everyone always says Arnold can't act. He couldn't act well but that fit in perfectly. I mean, come on, he's playing a barbarian. Plus at that time he was the perfect physical specimen. Great casting all the way around really. Totally gives me a D@D vibe too.

Funny this thread would pop up after I was asked earlier this evening, "if you had one movie on a deserted island what would it be", and I answered Conan The Barbarian.

[Tosh]

I think my favorite part is when they capture the princess in the mountian, after they lay waste to guards in the orgy the two heavys come in, one with the ax, the other with that bigass hammer, when Conan bows up at the top of the stairs, it's in perfect sink to the music, then he comes walking down to them, I get chills everytime.

Everyone always says Arnold can't act. He couldn't act well but that fit in perfectly.

I think John Milius was a genius, he kept the dialog to a minimun, and kept most of it for the better actors like Jones, Mako, and Max Von Sydow, but Arney gets the best one liner in there - Crush your enemys...

[Markgway]

Never a fan of the Conan movies.

[rockandrolltroy]

Your loss my friend.

[Markgway]

Um, not really.

I've seen them both more than once.

So I know what I'm not missing.

[rockandrolltroy]

As I said, your loss and I speak strictly about Conan The Barbarian. Feel free to get specific on just how this movie is no good. The first 15 minutes of Destroyer is fairly good and then it goes downhill real fast after that.
;)

[Markgway]

I thought 'Barbarian' was boring and campy. A couple of OK bloodletting action sequences aside.

[godzillakungfu]

Admit it. There were no tea and crumpet parties.:D

Yeah, I loved Conan the Barbarian.

I wish they would make Conan the King.

[kenichiku]

Loved it. Yes, it's old Hollwood but I was a big fan of the Buscema art and John Milius did his homework by packing in a lot of its mythical imagery. The sequels were really the campy ones. Forget about Connie Neilsen's Red Sonja, Sandahl Bergman's Valeria rocked.

"...Crush you enemies, cast them out before them and hear the lamentation of the women". Probably the longest line Arnohd ever had to act up to that point in his career (his lines didn't get much longer after that either).

[Druust]

Still the Best Fantasy movie of all time (yes even better than LOTR)! Oliver Stone wrote the screenplay and Milius was a great director. Conan wears armor and uses tactics. Awesome sets and armor designs and the best soundtrack ever! I despise "Conan the Destroyer" though since it was just a cheap, campy ripoff of the original.

[teako170]

Conan rocks!

What irks me is that when this generation hears the name "Conan" they think of this guy (http://www.tcnj.edu/~hough2/images/conan%20o'brien.jpg) instead. {shudder}

The first version of the screenplay, written by Oliver Stone as mentioned earlier, moved Conan from (creator) Robert E. Howard's prehistoric Hyborean Age to a post-apocalyptic future instead. Luckily, John Milius rewrote the script. In any event, for fans of the film, check out the Conan forum (http://www.conan.com/invboard/index.php?s=888d6c9c2f74ab831ee74e73709bfb21&showforum=6). Good stuff over there.

Keni: This one is for you (http://www.badmovies.org/wavs/a-d/bestlife.wav). :)
Of course my favorite line (from both Conan and sidekick Subotai) is:

WOMAN: "A pittance to protect you from evil."
SUBOTAI: "I am evil."
CONAN: "They all sluts."

Conan then proceeds to punch out a camel. :o

Btw, Subotai err... Gerry Lopez did another film with Milus in 1989 called "Farewell to the King" though no longer acts. I believe he lives in the pacific Northwest these days making surf/snow boards.

[Tosh]

when this generation hears the name "Conan" they think of this guy instead.

:rollin Yeah, but give him a break, he wrote some funnyass Simpson episodes.

"...Crush you enemies, cast them out before them

Isn't it - Crush your enemys, see them driven before you?;)

I believe Lopez has always lived in Hawaii, he's still active, and revered in the Surf community, he's been around since the 60's, Milius was a surfer, so he probably was a fan of his.

[Chinatown Kid]

Speaking of Milius and him being a surfer, did any of you ever see the great surfing flick he directed titled Big Wensday? It featured some great surfing footage and had a pretty good comedy/drama story to it. It starred William Katt pre-Greatest American Hero, that crazy ass Gary Busey, Jan Michael Vincent before he became a bad alcoholic, Robert Enguld of Freddy Kruegar fame, and Reb Brown who was in the movie Uncommon Valor with Gene Hackman. It's a great late 70's surfing and coming of age movie.

[vengeanceofhumanlanterns]

On a sidenote, I never realized the archer, Subotai, is no other than Gerry Lopez,

Subotai, in real life was one of Genghis Khans first and most prized generals. He covered more longitude (miles) on horseback WITH his battalion than any other living person. He was about to reach europe (proper) when Genghis called him back, via curriers, to participate in the great hunt. This was the time in their exploits (well into the raping and pillaging timeline) appraoching Genghis' eventual death.

Read, GENGHIS KHAN; emperor of all men, by Harold Lamb.

This book provides some of the most incredible "real life" adventures you will ever read. Truly an amazing exploit by Genghis and much more than people will realize were the Mongols.

[kenichiku]

Isn't it - Crush your enemys, see them driven before you?Noted. Whaddaya expect, haven't seen Conan for over a decade or so. Well, Teako corrected my misquote in the grandest way possible. The man's come a long way as a slab of beef from Austria. Listen to him there and contrast with knowing that he's with Maria of the Kennedy clan in nearby Sacramento, running our great state, the 5th largest economy in the world for over 2 years now. Is this America or what?

[Tosh]

did any of you ever see the great surfing flick he directed titled Big Wensday

Whoa, I seen that movie, last time I seen it was in the 70's.

running our great state, the 5th largest economy in the world for over 2 years now. Is this America or what?

Kind of makes you wonder, just what does a Governor do.

[Markgway]

Kind of makes you wonder, just what does a Governor do.

Governates.

[kenichiku]

Governates.Exactly, thank you Mark.

Reminds me of a line from 'Weird Science' when my favorite screen geek Anthony Michael Hall was asked what his father does for a living. "Wel Dad's a plumber, is that right Dad? He plumbs for a living".

[Barsader]

Cool to see some Conan fans aboard.

Never heard of the upcoming movie by crom!
Am pleased to learn its a Howard adaptation.

Nothing against animation,but i was wishing for an Awesome
Conan film with the CG technology we have now,as i think it could do the world of conan better justice then in years past.

But as much as a pict likes to string heads as a belt, i could not be more happier about the upcoming film!!

[limubai2000]

The new Conan film is suppose to go back to the source material and it will not have Arnie in it or "old Conan". The new writer of the script has done some good solid films so hopefully he can give the studio a good starting point. The Rock is still being mentioned as a potential new Conan.

They are rebooting the whole franchise in the wake of the successful re-release of the books.

Conan is a great film, I don't think there is any S&S film even close to it in overall quality, none. I wish that Arnie hadn't sued to block the unreleased footage from going onto the collector's DVD.

[Markgway]

I wish that Arnie hadn't sued to block the unreleased footage from going onto the collector's DVD.

Why did he do that?

[Dion Brother]

CONAN THE BARBARIAN was one of the first big disapponting movies of my childhood. I was ten when it was released, had read the original Howard stories and Marvel comics...the movie was hyped up for quite some time, trailers before every movie, etc. My dad and I saw it opening weekend and we thought it was a big, ponderous bore. Conan has nothing to do with Mongolian or Nietzchian philosphy, but through Milius's filter, he does. Truly dull film with potentially great action scenes that never occur. I remember the crowd getting excited when Rexor recognized Conan in the temple and yelled "You!" and expected a great duel. Instead, a bowl of human soup was tipped over and they ran out of the temple. Wow, how thrilling. It was an overlong snoozer, and not the box office hit that revisionist history claims. It did OK, but performed well under expectations (that's why the sequel was cut to a PG rating). Most of its following comes from endless airings on cable tv in the 1980s. I'm glad to hear Boaz is going back to the source.

[Tosh]

:rollin To each there own, it's funny how one movie can be so great to one person, and totally suck for another, I have to say between this movie, Godzilla, Shaw and Samurai movies totally changed my life in a way.

[Druust]

Wow how can you call the Action Scenes in Conan boring? Especially considering it was an early 80's film. The battle on the mounds finale and the first assault on his village brutal scenes full of action and tension. Pit Fighting Conan chopping people apart? Giant snake decapitated? I can't think of any cooler American action film at the time.

[rockandrolltroy]

I'm baffled by those statements as well. There was alot more to that scene that just a human stew being tipped over. The stealth entrance with the body paint was brilliant. There are several realistic slices that both Conan and Subotai and the chick do. In fact I enjoyed all the action scenes in the entire movie.

[Dion Brother]

The year before I saw RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, so Conan had alot to live up to. ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK was on cable, THE ROAD WARRIOR in theaters. I thought Arnie moved like an ox. The movie was paced like an ox as well. I'm telling ya, the flick was not well-liked when it was released. Seeing it in a theater is very different from watching it on tv, where you can pause the disc, take a break, make coffee, whatever. You'll notice there wasn't much of a sword and sorcery boom in CONAN's wake. Hell, THE BEASTMASTER is more fun.

[sevenhooks]

Gotta agree with Dion here.
Like him, I saw this with my pops the friday it opened and I'll never forget how hyped everyone in the theater was.
There were even a couple of grown men in the audience dressed up like Hagar The Horrible. It was quite an event for the time.
That said, I distictly remember coming away disappointed.
I remember the reviews warning of the film's violence - and it was graphic to be sure.
But the action itself, even for the time, just seemd very sluggish to me.
I think it says something that by the time the sequel was released, I had absolutely no interest in seeing it.
The Road Warrior/Mad Max 2 on the other hand, had me returning to the movies every weekend for another taste.
I couldn't get enough of that film.

[Tosh]

Well, being a kung fu fan (even at that time), I have to say the action was slower, it's like Wuxia Pian on steriods (literally:rollin ) but that sword Arnorld is swinging is real, and weighs about 25 or so pounds, that thing would rip you in half, if he could hit you with it;)
I've always liked the art of Frazetta, Conan is kind of like one of his drawings.

[Druust]

Well the action in Conan was slower than Road Warrior, since they were fighting with cars going 100mph and the director sped up the camera quite a bit :)

[kenichiku]

Well, being a kung fu fan (even at that time), I have to say the action was slower, it's like Wuxia Pian on steriods Same here but I say you can't compare 'Conan' with Asian action flicks even from a decade before that with films like 'Heroic Ones' or 'Samurai Banners'. If you already seen tons of Euro-S&S/Arthurian films by then like with the Italo-Hercules, Boorman's 'Excalibur', Robbins/ILM's 'Dragonslayer', pre-'Cyborg' Albert Pyun's underrated (& Asian influenced) 'Sword & the Sorcerer' or even "Yor: Hunter from the Future', you wouldn't expect anything from the genre to be anything but slow - it all depends on your point of reference & viewing history up to that. Hell, even Errol Flynn & Basil Rathbone in the 30s were more nimble & quicker than Ahnold, James Earl, Lopez, Ben Davison, et al. but like appreciating elements of any film, 'Conan' still rocks.

It wasn't until watching McTernian's 'The 13th Warrior' that this skimpy genre had another decent representative. They just don't make em' like that anymore.

[vengeanceofhumanlanterns]

Well put Tosh. Frazetta's artwork exists to be applied to the covers of Robert E. Howard's Conan stories.

IMO, the movie actually is a little more true to what (a barbarian) Conan would be in a real life setting. I only say this, because Robert E. Howard's depiction of Conan as some, mountain scaling madman with viciously quick reactions, are understandable enough for a bloodthirsty savage, but his overly verbose speach and gentleman like manners contradict Conan's wildman from the Cimmerian mountains in the cold, unforgiving northlands.

Don't misunderstand me, I have all of the Conan stories and then some, but they were much more enjoyable to read at around fifteen years old. Though the monsters, settings, and action are still an excellent means of escapisim.

The movie did the stories of Conan justice no doubt about it.

If anyone wants to check out some Frazetta:

www.frazettaartgallery.com/ff/index.html (http://www.frazettaartgallery.com/ff/index.html)

[sevenhooks]

There's a good Frazetta doc called "Printing With Fire" that I thought to be informative and revealing.
Picked it up at Best Buy last year.

[vengeanceofhumanlanterns]

I saw that. Looked interesting. I'll have to check it out sometime.

I actually visited his museum in Pennsylvania like 16 yrs ago. Very cool little showrooms with all his originals on the walls etc.

[WarBeer1]

Man I'm a HUGE "Conan" fan as well! What a great fantasy movie. Yeah, sure I suppose (like any movie) you can pick it apart and bitch about the things that could have been done better. But, agreeing with an earlier coment....the score is absolutely one of the most fitting EVER! For me, it really makes the movie...that and the fact that it's a GREAT example of "less is more".

Someone earlier said something about being disappointed with the fight scenes...well, IMHO...not every movie has to have blatant "naked sex scene" to understand that you people are in love....sometimes it can cheapen it...I think that unless you have the actors/experts that can make a really tough fight scene work...sometimes it's better to go with less is more...and not mess it up. I thought that mood, imagery and music made up for it.

I heard someone also mention that it was "campy"...hmmmm....uh...doesn't this seem like the wrong message room to be in....if you have some issues with campy?...lol...

OK....enough of my 2 cents!..lol

[Tosh]

Conan the Destroyer was "campy":x , I mean what was they thinking?!!

If you guys like Frazzeta, check out some Brom and Simon Bisley, who draws everything to the extreme, check out the TMNinja Turtles graphic novels he drew before they became a cute cartoon.

[WarBeer1]

I agree....the 2nd Conan was nothing compaired to the first one. The music really ruined it for me. The orchestration was much weaker...and the electric guitar/pop sound was just a cheap and bad move. It's really hard to match that first movie.

Scott

[Dion Brother]

I say you can compare CONAN to Asian action films. Japanese samurai films in particular, because Milius was influenced by them while making CONAN. One scene is swiped from KWAIDAN, the fights were a sloppy attempt at combining the gore splatter of the KOZURE OGAMIs with swordplay from Kurosawa's 1950s period. To excuse the film's underwhelming action because it was a new genre of sorts is not really an honest assessment. CONAN was an updating of the peplums, combined with Samurai imagery and Nietzchean philosophy. and lacking the spirit of Robert E. Howard. Oliver Stone bragged that his original script was truer to Howard's original stories (Despite the credit, very little of it remains in Milius' version).

By the way, THE SWORD AND THE SORCEROR beat CONAN to the theaters by several months and was actually more successful. It was even re-released the following year with tagline: "Relive the magic." It's funny how people view things today when you remember how things really were.

And I never felt Frazetta or Windsor-Smith drew Conan as a bodybuilder. More like a gymnast or a boxer. Boris Vallejo and John Buscema started the bodybuilder look for Conan.

[vengeanceofhumanlanterns]

"Boris Vallejo and John Buscema started the bodybuilder look for Conan."

At first i kinda liked Boris Vallejo but ended up feeling he was too pretty boyish with his paintings. Frazetta captured the barbaric intensity that really (I thought) complimented Robert E. Howard's character.

The Sword And The Sorceror, I don't remember this film, I'm gonna have to pick it up.

[Dion Brother]

Very true. Vallejo's heroes were always in bodybuilding poses. Frazetta's were always in action or getting ready for it.

[DrunknMaster]

Conan the Barbarian is certainly Arnie's best movie by far. The pit fighting scene was awesome!!!

Man, they should so do another conan movie. Not sure about the rock - could turn out like "The Scorpion King".

[Liu chung liang]

The 1st Conan is good. The 2nd one is just different, but it didn't suck. What I like about Destroyer is that, Schwarzenegger's fight scenes were a lot better this time, because he got used to using a sword I guess.