Conan the Barbarian

Starring:Luis Barboo, Sandahl Bergman, Franco Columbu, Ben Davidson, Leslie Foldvary, Cassandra Gava, Gary Herman, Erik Holmey, James Earl Jones, Gerry Lopez, Mako, Dr. Akio Mitamura, Nadiuska, Valérie Quennessen, Jorge Sanz, Arnold Schwarzenegger, William Smith, Jack Taylor (II), Max von Sydow
Studio: Universal Studios
Product Type: DVD
Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
Conan the Barbarian, the movie that turned Arnold Schwarzenegger into a global superstar, is a prime example of a match made in heaven. It's the movie that macho maverick writer-director John Milius was born to make, and Arnold was genetically engineered for his role as the muscle-bound, angst-ridden hero created in Robert E. Howard's pulp novels. Oliver Stone contributed to Milius's screenplay, and the production design by comic artist Ron Cobb represents a perfect cinematic realization of Howard's fantasy world. To avenge the murder of his parents, Conan tracks down the evil Thulsa Doom (James Earl Jones) with the help of Queen Valeria (played by buff B-movie vixen Sandahl Bergman) and Subotai the Mongol (Gerry Lopez). Aptly described by critic Roger Ebert as "the perfect fantasy for the alienated pre-adolescent," this blockbuster is just as enjoyable for adults who haven't lost their youthful imagination. --Jeff Shannon
Average customer rating:
- The man of few words
- Easily one of the funniest movies I've ever seen.
- Best fantasy movie ever
- Phenomenal Sword and Sorcery Film
- Great movie (in it's original cut)... Don't get the 'Collector's Edition'
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Conan the Barbarian - Collector's Edition
Starring: Luis Barboo , Sandahl Bergman , Franco Columbu , Ben Davidson , and Leslie Foldvary
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD
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Similar Items:
- Conan the Destroyer
- Red Sonja
- Conan the Barbarian
- Predator (Widescreen Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
- Dragonslayer
ASIN: 0783241895
Release Date: 2000-05-30 |
Amazon.com essential video
Conan the Barbarian, the movie that turned Arnold Schwarzenegger into a global superstar, is a prime example of a match made in heaven. It's the movie that macho maverick writer-director John Milius was born to make, and Arnold was genetically engineered for his role as the muscle-bound, angst-ridden hero created in Robert E. Howard's pulp novels. Oliver Stone contributed to Milius's screenplay, and the production design by comic artist Ron Cobb represents a perfect cinematic realization of Howard's fantasy world. To avenge the murder of his parents, Conan tracks down the evil Thulsa Doom (James Earl Jones) with the help of Queen Valeria (played by buff B-movie vixen Sandahl Bergman) and Subotai the Mongol (Gerry Lopez). Aptly described by critic Roger Ebert as "the perfect fantasy for the alienated pre-adolescent," this blockbuster is just as enjoyable for adults who haven't lost their youthful imagination. --Jeff Shannon
Customer Reviews:
The man of few words.......2007-06-05
I'm still not totally sure of what I was expecting from Conan, but I was quite disappointed in the end. I'm shocked that Arnie went on to become governor of California, cos with the standard of the film, I really wouldn't have expected Arnie to go onto bigger & better things.
My main problem with Conan, was it wasn't Arnie's best film, plus, it's just really a film to showcase his body isn't it? And he barely says more than a few lines during the entire film. I've been brought up on Arnie movies, and although this was a good film, I just prefer some of Arnie's later films. I just wish he would stop messing with being governor and get back to what he's good at! You can see throughout the film that Arnie has immense trouble holding a sword, and doing sword things with it, due the size of his arm & chest muscles.
The rest of the cast was quite good, although I did think the actress who played his mum at the beginning, was a rough-looking Bridgette Bardot! Hehe. I did think Sandahl Bergman, who played Valeria, was really pretty, and the relationship between her and Conan was outstanding, although he only speaks five words to her throughout the film! Their relationship does turn out to be quite bittersweet though, which is very sad, but I won't reveal too much about it, for those who haven't seen the film yet.
There's not much of a storyline to the entire movie, apart from getting revenge, and the beginning is a bit strange in my opinion. Pushing that wheel thing round and round, what happened to the rest of the children?
James Earl Jones is absolutely hilarious, but I don't think he was meant to be. He's very androgynous, and the wig is stupidly set too high, giving the impression he has a huge forehead.
Conan has a certain unique-ness to it, and it stands out from many other similar films out there. It's quite memorable as well, whereas I think if Arnie hadn't become a big star, then it might have been less so. Yes, I'll admit I don't particularly Conan, but I sat through it, and can still remember a lot of it. And it still survives against the special effects laden movies of today, with people with too much money, try to make up for the lack of storyline with too many special effects (hello Pirates Of The Caribbean Dead Man's Chest, I'm talking to you!). Conan manages with minimalist special effects and it works so much better.
I would recommend Conan to any Arnie fans out there, it's an excellent film, it just didn't do it for me. Now, where's Twins?! :)
Easily one of the funniest movies I've ever seen........2007-05-30
No, I don't think it was meant to be a comedy but it serves up lots of laughs (for example, the wizard who lives in a treehouse). Its sort of unintentionally Monty Python-esque I guess you could say. It has a lot of campy value but there are also some great visuals as well. I laughed so hard I cried.
Best fantasy movie ever.......2007-02-08
This film is the best sword and sorcery/fantasy film you will ever find. Unlike many others released at this time, this one was different. The film itself is wonderful to look at, the scenery is breathtaking and amazing and the fight sequences are well paced and exciting. The emotion of the scenes, be they angry or intimate, come across with all the power you would expect.
Arnold Schwartznegger does a nice job here. He has the great screen presence needed to bring Conan to life. Even the supporting cast (James Earl Jones, Max Von Sydow, Sandahl Bergman and Gerry Lopez) turn in memorable and powerful performances.
I remember seeing this film when i was 16 and the images always stuck with me. What stuck with me even more was the music. I had already been a fan of the music for Star Wars, but this was a thousand times better than that. I love the way the first four cues of this film are all merged together. For over 17 minutes the story is told through image and music only. And over half of this film besides that is told the very same way. Just watch the scenes of Conan finding his sword (Atlantean Sword) or the scenes where they are travelling (Theology/Civilization and The Leaving/The search) or even the long scene where they are invading the Tower of Set. Basil Poledouris did a great job here and this remains my favorite score of all time. I recommend this, along with this movie.
The documentary on this DVD, Conan Unchained, is filled with many interesting facts and really gives you an idea of what they had to go through to make this movie. Also on this DVD are deleted scenes, which for the most part are not very interesting and cut for good reason. However, there is one scene near the end of this film that does not belong here at all. Before the battle at the mound, Conan and Subotai talk about being young boys which cuts against the entire philosophy of this film, which was having a minimal amount of dialogue. This scene clearly breaks the rule and was a bad decision to put back into this film. It does make the film longer but also slows it down at a point where it really didn't need it. The added little sections at the end with the kings daughter are not as bad, but still unessential and should have stayed in the deleted scenes section. This only goes to prove that the longest version of a film is not always the best one. There are many examples of this if you've ever bought a directors or extended cut of any movie.
There is also a great commentary featuring the director (John Milius) and Arnold. This alone is worth getting this DVD. So buy this and enjoy it for exactly what it is. This film gets five stars, even with the scenes that were added. Enjoy!
Phenomenal Sword and Sorcery Film.......2007-01-14
A small handful of Sword and Sorcery films have decent quality. "Conan the Barbarian" is one of those few films. Arnold Schwarzenegger was perfect for playing Conan. I only wish that Schwarzenegger had made more than two Conan movies.
We meet Conan as a boy in a small village. Conan's life changes dramatically when Thulsa Doom (played by the ever-awesome James Earl Jones) and his band of merry men destroy Conan's village, kill his mother and father, and haul the children off into slavery. Slavery does not kill Conan, it makes him stronger. Conan becomes an incredibly powerful adult. Conan becomes so powerful that he ends up in fights for money. Eventually Conan's master sets him free.
Conan manages to make his way in the world. He eventually encounters a thief named Subotai. Conan and the thief decide to rob a temple, but a beautiful woman named Valeria is already trying to do the same thing. Conan almost instantly falls in love. Conan, Subotai and Valeria rob the temple, but only after killing a huge snake belonging to Thulsa Doom.
Somewhere during Conan's travels we learn that Conan wants to exact revenge on Thulsa Doom for destroying his village and killing his parents. Even though Thulsa Doom tries to kill Conan, and nearly succeeds, Thulsa Doom fails to realize that Conan is a powerful and terrible enemy. On the other hand, Conan is fortunate in finding a wizard (the late Mako, who is also the narrator) who is able to save him from the death that Thulsa Doom had planned for him.
The situation heats up for everyone as Conan attempts to take the daughter of King Osric (Max Von Sydow). Thulsa Doom is not pleased, but after his best attempt he is still unable to kill Conan and he is still unable to recapture the princess.
The end of the movie is almost anticlimactic, but it is chilling and artistic. If you have only seen this movie on television you need to get the DVD and see the uncut version.
Some scenes in this movie are incredible. The entire scene in Thulsa Doom's palace is gross, but realistic. The sword play throughout the movie is well done. The snake arrows were also nicely filmed. I also enjoyed the scene with the Witch. The scene where the wizard attempted to cure Conan used animation sparingly but effectively was also very well done.
There is some controversy among fans over the original ending and the expanded ending. The controversy exists because the original ending was taut, much like Conan himself. The expanded ending adds more film footage without added anything to the movie. The original ending is somewhat better. However, the original ending is not worth paying a lot of money for, so if the expanded version is the lowest cost version available, you should get it.
Sword and Sorcery is a relatively narrow genre. Very few movies are made in this genre and even fewer are very successful. "Conan the Barbarian" is one of the very best and a must-have for fans of Sword and Sorcery. If only film makers would give us more movies like this one.
Enjoy!
Great movie (in it's original cut)... Don't get the 'Collector's Edition'.......2006-12-26
For the record, I'm a HUGE fan of the original Robert E. Howard character, and a really big fan of the forst movie (not so much the second one though).
If you're going to get this on DVD, go out of your way to find the original 1982 version, NOT the collector's version. The collector's version basically extends a couple of scenes that (quite frankly) were better left the way they were, and do NOTHING to enhance the story or character in any way. In this case, brevity can be the essence of genius, not additional exposition.
Another gripe is, this version is released on mono NOT stereo. FREAKIN' MONO!? What the hell happened? Even 'Freddy Got Fingered' is in 5.1 these days. This movie truly had one of the mose dramatic original soundtracks of it's time, and on this version of the DVD it's barely just an afterthought. Very disrespectful to the filmmakers, and the fans.
Seroiusly, I know there's an original cut on DVD somewhere. If you can find it, it's worth going out of your way for.
Average customer rating:
- Conan the Humorous
- typical 80's fantasy
- This movie reeked
- An action adventure movie whose faults (of which there are many) are now charming in their cheesiness
- A must have movie!!!
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Conan the Destroyer
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger , Grace Jones , Wilt Chamberlain , Mako , and Tracey Walter
Director: Richard Fleischer
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD
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Similar Items:
- Red Sonja
- Conan - The Complete Quest
- The Beastmaster (Special Edition)
- Dragonslayer
- Kull the Conqueror
ASIN: 0783225946
Release Date: 1998-03-31 |
Amazon.com
The dark, brooding tone of Conan the Barbarian is replaced in this rousing sequel by a lighter, more humorous tone and one of the campiest casts ever assembled. This time, Conan is assigned by a duplicitous queen (Sarah Douglas) to escort a virgin princess (Olivia d'Abo) on a treacherous trek to a crystal palace where they will retrieve a priceless gemstone. Basketball champ and self-described Lothario Wilt Chamberlain plays Bombaata, a warrior sent on a secret mission to kill Conan, and the androgynous Grace Jones plays Zula, a wild woman who becomes Conan's loyal ally. Some consider this sequel a disappointment, but the film makes no apologies for its silliness, and that's the key to its success as gloriously pulpy entertainment. --Jeff Shannon
Customer Reviews:
Conan the Humorous.......2007-07-03
"Conan the Barbarian" was an awesome Sword and Sorcery film. That movie is one of the few well-produced high fantasy movies in existence. The expectations for this movie were high given the success of the earlier movie. It was probably inevitable that this sequel was not going to be as good as the original.
Conan has gone back to being a thief. He is doing yoga or contemplating a rock or something like that while his annoying cohort in crime Malak (Tracey Walter, "Annie Hall," "Midnight Run" and "Batman") is counting the spoils. Armored guys intent on some nefarious purpose surround the pair and attempt to capture them. Conan is annoyed at having his yoga interrupted and decides to show his displeasure by hacking apart quite a few of the armored guys until Bombaata (basketball great Wilt Chamberlain in his only acting role) has the armored guys cease throwing themselves on Conan's sword. We then discover that one of the armored guys is actually Queen Taramisu - no, wait, that is a dessert, I think. I meant Queen Taramis (Sarah Douglas, "Superman," "Superman II," and "Solarbabies"). Queen Taramis tells Conan that she can bring back Conan's beloved and dead Valeria if he will baby sit a hot blond while she seeks a phal...oops, I meant a HORN, which Queen Taramis needs to do something that we learn about later.
The rest of this movie is a relatively fun quest, interspersed with moments of humor. Conan gets drunk, ignores Princess Jehnna (Olivia d'Abo) because he is too busy killing people and thinking about Valeria, and tries to avoid having to think of witty one-liners. Grace Jones has a lot of fun as warrior Zula. Mako makes his second, marvelous appearance in a Conan film as the Wizard Akiro. One person who deserves mention is André the Giant's appearance as Dagoth. It is impossible to see André under the makeup. André made a more memorable appearance as Fezzik in "The Princess Bride."
This movie is flawed. The special effects are weak in some areas. Some of the acting is weak or obnoxious. The humor may have been excessive, and the rawness that marked the exuberance and honesty of "Conan the Barbarian" is lacking. In spite of these flaws, many of which appeared to help aim the movie toward teens and children, this movie has a lot going for it. Conan has a lot of non-stop action, and rarely does Conan take much of anything, except Valeria, serious. The outdoor sets are incredible. Conan wisely says little, relying on lots of facial expressions and bulky muscles instead. The action drives the plot and rarely gives a viewer time to focus on the flaws.
"Conan the Destroyer" is clearly inferior to "Conan the Barbarian." However, this movie is still a lot of fun and I enjoy it each time I watch it. The flaws in this movie may make the movie less than what it could have been, but the flaws are not enough to sink it. I give this movie a cautious recommendation to fans of the original, high fantasy, sword and sorcery, and Conan.
Enjoy!
typical 80's fantasy .......2007-01-24
I have seen this movie several times. While it does have a few good moments, it is not enough to save this film. So why do i own this? After the masterpiece that was the first film, why would i have bought this and subject myself to watching it again. The answer is simple. It's because of the score. And even that doesn't save this film. This film is a mere watered down take on the first that takes a great character and turns him into a mere shadow of his former self. All the moments in this movie intended to be funny really aren't. All the serious moments can only make me chuckle. I mean, who wants to see a basketball star (wilt chamberlin) trying to play some warrior. Or some singer (grace jones) trying to act when she should clearly be singing. How a song of hers wasnt on the score seems amazing. So be thankful that some corporate bigwig in some studio decided to not use rock music in this score. Be thankful that Basil Poledouris got the chance to make this score. Without it, this film would be even more of a monstrosity than it already is. But hey, i still have this film in my collection. But this movie is not for everyone. so if you want real gut wrenching blood and gore stick with the first film. Your eyes will thank you and so will your ears.
This movie reeked.......2006-11-19
How is it possible that 7 years after Star Wars and 3 years after Excalibur, Hollywood could still produce a movie of such pathetic special effects, nightmarish casting, and ugly, amateurish cinematography? What a mess.
An action adventure movie whose faults (of which there are many) are now charming in their cheesiness.......2006-06-07
Filming movies back-to-back is nothing new, the obvious savings and advantages on sharing production costs, crew and even marketing meant that the second and third BACK TO THE FUTURE films were filmed simultaneously in the late 1980s. Even today the two sequels to PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN are being filmed hand-in-hand and there are reports that the second Daniel Craig 007 movie will enter into production shortly after the crew have wrapped CASINO ROYALE.
So, it should be no surprise then that the second Conan movie was part of a similar back-to-back deal in the early- to mid-1980s. But what is surprising is that the movie that partnered with the rollicking adventure movie was a quirky science fiction blockbuster from David Lynch named DUNE.
That's right, as that big-budget turkey was roasting under the Mexican sun, a pre-Terminator Arnold Schwarzenegger was working on a much more entertaining movie with a colorful cast of characters.
Based (rather loosely) on the series of novels by Robert E. Howard, this 1984 feature was a sequel to the much darker and more sinister 1982 movie CONAN THE BARBARIAN and saw Schwarzenegger reprise his role as the monumentally strong thief and adventurer.
The director of this entry, the veteran Richard Fleischer actually owed his hire for this movie to another movie he had made almost 30 years earlier, 1958's THE VIKINGS. Producer Raffaella De Laurentiis had commented that since they had tried to copy that movies style and look for the 1982 picture, why not hire that movie's director for this production - and so Fleischer was hired.
Once hired Fleischer set about shaping the movie to his liking. One of the most publicized, decisions he made was telling an incredulous Schwarzenegger that he needed to buff up a bit more. Fleischer said that at the time of the release of CONAN THE BARBARIAN he had been disappointed that Arnold's incredible physique had been covered up for most of the movie, Fleischer also consciously set about making this a lighter entry to the series. The Conan here has a number of genuinely comedic moments, from punching a camel, a horse and attempting to teach a beautiful princess how to wield his sword, Schwarzenegger shows early promise in a genre that would not fully be realized until movies such as TWINS and KINDERGARTEN COP.
Joining Schwarzenegger this time is Sarah Douglas (of SUPERMAN II fame) as the evil Queen Taramis who enlists Conan's help in retrieving a crystal and in turn a magical jeweled horn. Former basketball star Wilt Chamberlain is on board also as the towering Bombaata, who is charged with keeping the princess Jehnna, who is destined to bring back the mystical object (played by the impossibly beautiful Olivia D'Abo) a virgin so that she can be sacrificed. Along the way Conan's ragtag group meet up with Zula, played by Grace Jones. The scene that introduced Jones' character sees her wielding a stick against a group of tormentors and reportedly she landed a few strikes sending a couple of stuntmen in the hospital. It was in fact her role here that brought her to the attention of the James Bond producers that in turn led to her starring in Roger Moore's swan song as 007 in 1985's A VIEW TO A KILL. Far from a great acting display her character still provides a number of memorable moments and is one of the movie's highlights.
The special effects are very dated by today's standards and Pat Roach (veteran of NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN and the Indiana Jones movies) makeup as the wizard Toth-Amon guarding the crystal really is appallingly fake-looking. But the movie is a good popcorn flick that is both fun and fast-paced enough that you can easily forgive these lapses.
Interestingly in the audio commentary that accompanied CONAN THE BARBARIAN Schwarzenegger commented that he would be interested in making a third Conan movie. Sadly this has not been forthcoming and now that he looks intent on pursuing political goals it appears less and less likely. A shame.
This movie is nowhere near as good as its predecessor, but it's still recommended for those rainy Saturday afternoons.
A must have movie!!!.......2006-05-06
this was an fun fantasy-action movie with Arnold Schwarzenegger as a powerful kick ass/warrior. Arnold is so damm sexy with all the muscle showing sword-fighting ....And yes, the movie is visually interesting, too, even though, the special effects are obsolete and a little goofy...but thats ok...its an old movie now... A movie I love seeing over and over again...a movie that is a must have for any Arnold -Fan!
Average customer rating:
- The man of few words
- Easily one of the funniest movies I've ever seen.
- Best fantasy movie ever
- Phenomenal Sword and Sorcery Film
- Great movie (in it's original cut)... Don't get the 'Collector's Edition'
|
Conan the Barbarian
Starring: Luis Barboo , Sandahl Bergman , Franco Columbu , Ben Davidson , and Leslie Foldvary
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD
General
| Action & Adventure
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Sword & Sorcery
| By Theme
| Action & Adventure
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Heroes
| By Theme
| Action & Adventure
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
General
| Superheroes
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| Video
Arnold Schwarzenegger
| Action Stars
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General
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Bergman, Sandahl
| ( B )
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Columbu, Franco
| ( C )
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Gava, Cassandra
| ( G )
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| ( J )
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| ( M )
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Sanz, Jorge
| ( S )
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| ( S )
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Smith, William
| ( S )
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Similar Items:
- Conan the Destroyer
- Red Sonja
- Conan the Barbarian
- Predator (Widescreen Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
- Dragonslayer
ASIN: 0783225768
Release Date: 1998-02-24 |
Amazon.com
Conan the Barbarian, the movie that turned Arnold Schwarzenegger into a global superstar, is a prime example of a match made in heaven. It's the movie that macho maverick writer-director John Milius was born to make, and Arnold was genetically engineered for his role as the muscle-bound, angst-ridden hero created in Robert E. Howard's pulp novels. Oliver Stone contributed to Milius's screenplay, and the production design by comic artist Ron Cobb represents a perfect cinematic realization of Howard's fantasy world. To avenge the murder of his parents, Conan tracks down the evil Thulsa Doom (James Earl Jones) with the help of Queen Valeria (played by buff B-movie vixen Sandahl Bergman) and Subotai the Mongol (Gerry Lopez). Aptly described by critic Roger Ebert as "the perfect fantasy for the alienated pre-adolescent," this blockbuster is just as enjoyable for adults who haven't lost their youthful imagination. --Jeff Shannon
Customer Reviews:
The man of few words.......2007-06-05
I'm still not totally sure of what I was expecting from Conan, but I was quite disappointed in the end. I'm shocked that Arnie went on to become governor of California, cos with the standard of the film, I really wouldn't have expected Arnie to go onto bigger & better things.
My main problem with Conan, was it wasn't Arnie's best film, plus, it's just really a film to showcase his body isn't it? And he barely says more than a few lines during the entire film. I've been brought up on Arnie movies, and although this was a good film, I just prefer some of Arnie's later films. I just wish he would stop messing with being governor and get back to what he's good at! You can see throughout the film that Arnie has immense trouble holding a sword, and doing sword things with it, due the size of his arm & chest muscles.
The rest of the cast was quite good, although I did think the actress who played his mum at the beginning, was a rough-looking Bridgette Bardot! Hehe. I did think Sandahl Bergman, who played Valeria, was really pretty, and the relationship between her and Conan was outstanding, although he only speaks five words to her throughout the film! Their relationship does turn out to be quite bittersweet though, which is very sad, but I won't reveal too much about it, for those who haven't seen the film yet.
There's not much of a storyline to the entire movie, apart from getting revenge, and the beginning is a bit strange in my opinion. Pushing that wheel thing round and round, what happened to the rest of the children?
James Earl Jones is absolutely hilarious, but I don't think he was meant to be. He's very androgynous, and the wig is stupidly set too high, giving the impression he has a huge forehead.
Conan has a certain unique-ness to it, and it stands out from many other similar films out there. It's quite memorable as well, whereas I think if Arnie hadn't become a big star, then it might have been less so. Yes, I'll admit I don't particularly Conan, but I sat through it, and can still remember a lot of it. And it still survives against the special effects laden movies of today, with people with too much money, try to make up for the lack of storyline with too many special effects (hello Pirates Of The Caribbean Dead Man's Chest, I'm talking to you!). Conan manages with minimalist special effects and it works so much better.
I would recommend Conan to any Arnie fans out there, it's an excellent film, it just didn't do it for me. Now, where's Twins?! :)
Easily one of the funniest movies I've ever seen........2007-05-30
No, I don't think it was meant to be a comedy but it serves up lots of laughs (for example, the wizard who lives in a treehouse). Its sort of unintentionally Monty Python-esque I guess you could say. It has a lot of campy value but there are also some great visuals as well. I laughed so hard I cried.
Best fantasy movie ever.......2007-02-08
This film is the best sword and sorcery/fantasy film you will ever find. Unlike many others released at this time, this one was different. The film itself is wonderful to look at, the scenery is breathtaking and amazing and the fight sequences are well paced and exciting. The emotion of the scenes, be they angry or intimate, come across with all the power you would expect.
Arnold Schwartznegger does a nice job here. He has the great screen presence needed to bring Conan to life. Even the supporting cast (James Earl Jones, Max Von Sydow, Sandahl Bergman and Gerry Lopez) turn in memorable and powerful performances.
I remember seeing this film when i was 16 and the images always stuck with me. What stuck with me even more was the music. I had already been a fan of the music for Star Wars, but this was a thousand times better than that. I love the way the first four cues of this film are all merged together. For over 17 minutes the story is told through image and music only. And over half of this film besides that is told the very same way. Just watch the scenes of Conan finding his sword (Atlantean Sword) or the scenes where they are travelling (Theology/Civilization and The Leaving/The search) or even the long scene where they are invading the Tower of Set. Basil Poledouris did a great job here and this remains my favorite score of all time. I recommend this, along with this movie.
The documentary on this DVD, Conan Unchained, is filled with many interesting facts and really gives you an idea of what they had to go through to make this movie. Also on this DVD are deleted scenes, which for the most part are not very interesting and cut for good reason. However, there is one scene near the end of this film that does not belong here at all. Before the battle at the mound, Conan and Subotai talk about being young boys which cuts against the entire philosophy of this film, which was having a minimal amount of dialogue. This scene clearly breaks the rule and was a bad decision to put back into this film. It does make the film longer but also slows it down at a point where it really didn't need it. The added little sections at the end with the kings daughter are not as bad, but still unessential and should have stayed in the deleted scenes section. This only goes to prove that the longest version of a film is not always the best one. There are many examples of this if you've ever bought a directors or extended cut of any movie.
There is also a great commentary featuring the director (John Milius) and Arnold. This alone is worth getting this DVD. So buy this and enjoy it for exactly what it is. This film gets five stars, even with the scenes that were added. Enjoy!
Phenomenal Sword and Sorcery Film.......2007-01-14
A small handful of Sword and Sorcery films have decent quality. "Conan the Barbarian" is one of those few films. Arnold Schwarzenegger was perfect for playing Conan. I only wish that Schwarzenegger had made more than two Conan movies.
We meet Conan as a boy in a small village. Conan's life changes dramatically when Thulsa Doom (played by the ever-awesome James Earl Jones) and his band of merry men destroy Conan's village, kill his mother and father, and haul the children off into slavery. Slavery does not kill Conan, it makes him stronger. Conan becomes an incredibly powerful adult. Conan becomes so powerful that he ends up in fights for money. Eventually Conan's master sets him free.
Conan manages to make his way in the world. He eventually encounters a thief named Subotai. Conan and the thief decide to rob a temple, but a beautiful woman named Valeria is already trying to do the same thing. Conan almost instantly falls in love. Conan, Subotai and Valeria rob the temple, but only after killing a huge snake belonging to Thulsa Doom.
Somewhere during Conan's travels we learn that Conan wants to exact revenge on Thulsa Doom for destroying his village and killing his parents. Even though Thulsa Doom tries to kill Conan, and nearly succeeds, Thulsa Doom fails to realize that Conan is a powerful and terrible enemy. On the other hand, Conan is fortunate in finding a wizard (the late Mako, who is also the narrator) who is able to save him from the death that Thulsa Doom had planned for him.
The situation heats up for everyone as Conan attempts to take the daughter of King Osric (Max Von Sydow). Thulsa Doom is not pleased, but after his best attempt he is still unable to kill Conan and he is still unable to recapture the princess.
The end of the movie is almost anticlimactic, but it is chilling and artistic. If you have only seen this movie on television you need to get the DVD and see the uncut version.
Some scenes in this movie are incredible. The entire scene in Thulsa Doom's palace is gross, but realistic. The sword play throughout the movie is well done. The snake arrows were also nicely filmed. I also enjoyed the scene with the Witch. The scene where the wizard attempted to cure Conan used animation sparingly but effectively was also very well done.
There is some controversy among fans over the original ending and the expanded ending. The controversy exists because the original ending was taut, much like Conan himself. The expanded ending adds more film footage without added anything to the movie. The original ending is somewhat better. However, the original ending is not worth paying a lot of money for, so if the expanded version is the lowest cost version available, you should get it.
Sword and Sorcery is a relatively narrow genre. Very few movies are made in this genre and even fewer are very successful. "Conan the Barbarian" is one of the very best and a must-have for fans of Sword and Sorcery. If only film makers would give us more movies like this one.
Enjoy!
Great movie (in it's original cut)... Don't get the 'Collector's Edition'.......2006-12-26
For the record, I'm a HUGE fan of the original Robert E. Howard character, and a really big fan of the forst movie (not so much the second one though).
If you're going to get this on DVD, go out of your way to find the original 1982 version, NOT the collector's version. The collector's version basically extends a couple of scenes that (quite frankly) were better left the way they were, and do NOTHING to enhance the story or character in any way. In this case, brevity can be the essence of genius, not additional exposition.
Another gripe is, this version is released on mono NOT stereo. FREAKIN' MONO!? What the hell happened? Even 'Freddy Got Fingered' is in 5.1 these days. This movie truly had one of the mose dramatic original soundtracks of it's time, and on this version of the DVD it's barely just an afterthought. Very disrespectful to the filmmakers, and the fans.
Seroiusly, I know there's an original cut on DVD somewhere. If you can find it, it's worth going out of your way for.
Average customer rating:
|
Conan the Barbarian / Conan the Destroyer
Starring: André the Giant , Angel Ashley , Wilt Chamberlain , Matt Conner , and Jeff Corey
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- Red Sonja
ASIN: B00009IB40
Release Date: 2003-07-01 |
Amazon.com
Conan the Barbarian
Conan the Barbarian, the movie that turned Arnold Schwarzenegger into a global superstar, is a prime example of a match made in heaven. It's the movie that macho maverick writer-director John Milius was born to make, and Arnold was genetically engineered for his role as the muscle-bound, angst-ridden hero created in Robert E. Howard's pulp novels. Oliver Stone contributed to Milius's screenplay, and the production design by comic artist Ron Cobb represents a perfect cinematic realization of Howard's fantasy world. To avenge the murder of his parents, Conan tracks down the evil Thulsa Doom (James Earl Jones) with the help of Queen Valeria (played by buff B-movie vixen Sandahl Bergman) and Subotai the Mongol (Gerry Lopez). Aptly described by critic Roger Ebert as "the perfect fantasy for the alienated pre-adolescent," this blockbuster is just as enjoyable for adults who haven't lost their youthful imagination. --Jeff Shannon
Conan the Destroyer
The dark, brooding tone of Conan the Barbarian is replaced in this rousing sequel by a lighter, more humorous tone and one of the campiest casts ever assembled. This time, Conan is assigned by a duplicitous queen (Sarah Douglas) to escort a virgin princess (Olivia d'Abo) on a treacherous trek to a crystal palace where they will retrieve a priceless gemstone. Basketball champ and self-described Lothario Wilt Chamberlain plays Bombaata, a warrior sent on a secret mission to kill Conan, and the androgynous Grace Jones plays Zula, a wild woman who becomes Conan's loyal ally. Some consider this sequel a disappointment, but the film makes no apologies for its silliness, and that's the key to its success as gloriously pulpy entertainment. --Jeff Shannon
Average customer rating:
- The man of few words
- Easily one of the funniest movies I've ever seen.
- Best fantasy movie ever
- Phenomenal Sword and Sorcery Film
- Great movie (in it's original cut)... Don't get the 'Collector's Edition'
|
Conan the Barbarian [Region 2]
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Similar Items:
- Conan the Destroyer
- Red Sonja
- Conan the Barbarian
- Predator (Widescreen Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
- Dragonslayer
ASIN: B00006420U |
Amazon.com essential video
Conan the Barbarian, the movie that turned Arnold Schwarzenegger into a global superstar, is a prime example of a match made in heaven. It's the movie that macho maverick writer-director John Milius was born to make, and Arnold was genetically engineered for his role as the muscle-bound, angst-ridden hero created in Robert E. Howard's pulp novels. Oliver Stone contributed to Milius's screenplay, and the production design by comic artist Ron Cobb represents a perfect cinematic realization of Howard's fantasy world. To avenge the murder of his parents, Conan tracks down the evil Thulsa Doom (James Earl Jones) with the help of Queen Valeria (played by buff B-movie vixen Sandahl Bergman) and Subotai the Mongol (Gerry Lopez). Aptly described by critic Roger Ebert as "the perfect fantasy for the alienated pre-adolescent," this blockbuster is just as enjoyable for adults who haven't lost their youthful imagination. --Jeff Shannon
Customer Reviews:
The man of few words.......2007-06-05
I'm still not totally sure of what I was expecting from Conan, but I was quite disappointed in the end. I'm shocked that Arnie went on to become governor of California, cos with the standard of the film, I really wouldn't have expected Arnie to go onto bigger & better things.
My main problem with Conan, was it wasn't Arnie's best film, plus, it's just really a film to showcase his body isn't it? And he barely says more than a few lines during the entire film. I've been brought up on Arnie movies, and although this was a good film, I just prefer some of Arnie's later films. I just wish he would stop messing with being governor and get back to what he's good at! You can see throughout the film that Arnie has immense trouble holding a sword, and doing sword things with it, due the size of his arm & chest muscles.
The rest of the cast was quite good, although I did think the actress who played his mum at the beginning, was a rough-looking Bridgette Bardot! Hehe. I did think Sandahl Bergman, who played Valeria, was really pretty, and the relationship between her and Conan was outstanding, although he only speaks five words to her throughout the film! Their relationship does turn out to be quite bittersweet though, which is very sad, but I won't reveal too much about it, for those who haven't seen the film yet.
There's not much of a storyline to the entire movie, apart from getting revenge, and the beginning is a bit strange in my opinion. Pushing that wheel thing round and round, what happened to the rest of the children?
James Earl Jones is absolutely hilarious, but I don't think he was meant to be. He's very androgynous, and the wig is stupidly set too high, giving the impression he has a huge forehead.
Conan has a certain unique-ness to it, and it stands out from many other similar films out there. It's quite memorable as well, whereas I think if Arnie hadn't become a big star, then it might have been less so. Yes, I'll admit I don't particularly Conan, but I sat through it, and can still remember a lot of it. And it still survives against the special effects laden movies of today, with people with too much money, try to make up for the lack of storyline with too many special effects (hello Pirates Of The Caribbean Dead Man's Chest, I'm talking to you!). Conan manages with minimalist special effects and it works so much better.
I would recommend Conan to any Arnie fans out there, it's an excellent film, it just didn't do it for me. Now, where's Twins?! :)
Easily one of the funniest movies I've ever seen........2007-05-30
No, I don't think it was meant to be a comedy but it serves up lots of laughs (for example, the wizard who lives in a treehouse). Its sort of unintentionally Monty Python-esque I guess you could say. It has a lot of campy value but there are also some great visuals as well. I laughed so hard I cried.
Best fantasy movie ever.......2007-02-08
This film is the best sword and sorcery/fantasy film you will ever find. Unlike many others released at this time, this one was different. The film itself is wonderful to look at, the scenery is breathtaking and amazing and the fight sequences are well paced and exciting. The emotion of the scenes, be they angry or intimate, come across with all the power you would expect.
Arnold Schwartznegger does a nice job here. He has the great screen presence needed to bring Conan to life. Even the supporting cast (James Earl Jones, Max Von Sydow, Sandahl Bergman and Gerry Lopez) turn in memorable and powerful performances.
I remember seeing this film when i was 16 and the images always stuck with me. What stuck with me even more was the music. I had already been a fan of the music for Star Wars, but this was a thousand times better than that. I love the way the first four cues of this film are all merged together. For over 17 minutes the story is told through image and music only. And over half of this film besides that is told the very same way. Just watch the scenes of Conan finding his sword (Atlantean Sword) or the scenes where they are travelling (Theology/Civilization and The Leaving/The search) or even the long scene where they are invading the Tower of Set. Basil Poledouris did a great job here and this remains my favorite score of all time. I recommend this, along with this movie.
The documentary on this DVD, Conan Unchained, is filled with many interesting facts and really gives you an idea of what they had to go through to make this movie. Also on this DVD are deleted scenes, which for the most part are not very interesting and cut for good reason. However, there is one scene near the end of this film that does not belong here at all. Before the battle at the mound, Conan and Subotai talk about being young boys which cuts against the entire philosophy of this film, which was having a minimal amount of dialogue. This scene clearly breaks the rule and was a bad decision to put back into this film. It does make the film longer but also slows it down at a point where it really didn't need it. The added little sections at the end with the kings daughter are not as bad, but still unessential and should have stayed in the deleted scenes section. This only goes to prove that the longest version of a film is not always the best one. There are many examples of this if you've ever bought a directors or extended cut of any movie.
There is also a great commentary featuring the director (John Milius) and Arnold. This alone is worth getting this DVD. So buy this and enjoy it for exactly what it is. This film gets five stars, even with the scenes that were added. Enjoy!
Phenomenal Sword and Sorcery Film.......2007-01-14
A small handful of Sword and Sorcery films have decent quality. "Conan the Barbarian" is one of those few films. Arnold Schwarzenegger was perfect for playing Conan. I only wish that Schwarzenegger had made more than two Conan movies.
We meet Conan as a boy in a small village. Conan's life changes dramatically when Thulsa Doom (played by the ever-awesome James Earl Jones) and his band of merry men destroy Conan's village, kill his mother and father, and haul the children off into slavery. Slavery does not kill Conan, it makes him stronger. Conan becomes an incredibly powerful adult. Conan becomes so powerful that he ends up in fights for money. Eventually Conan's master sets him free.
Conan manages to make his way in the world. He eventually encounters a thief named Subotai. Conan and the thief decide to rob a temple, but a beautiful woman named Valeria is already trying to do the same thing. Conan almost instantly falls in love. Conan, Subotai and Valeria rob the temple, but only after killing a huge snake belonging to Thulsa Doom.
Somewhere during Conan's travels we learn that Conan wants to exact revenge on Thulsa Doom for destroying his village and killing his parents. Even though Thulsa Doom tries to kill Conan, and nearly succeeds, Thulsa Doom fails to realize that Conan is a powerful and terrible enemy. On the other hand, Conan is fortunate in finding a wizard (the late Mako, who is also the narrator) who is able to save him from the death that Thulsa Doom had planned for him.
The situation heats up for everyone as Conan attempts to take the daughter of King Osric (Max Von Sydow). Thulsa Doom is not pleased, but after his best attempt he is still unable to kill Conan and he is still unable to recapture the princess.
The end of the movie is almost anticlimactic, but it is chilling and artistic. If you have only seen this movie on television you need to get the DVD and see the uncut version.
Some scenes in this movie are incredible. The entire scene in Thulsa Doom's palace is gross, but realistic. The sword play throughout the movie is well done. The snake arrows were also nicely filmed. I also enjoyed the scene with the Witch. The scene where the wizard attempted to cure Conan used animation sparingly but effectively was also very well done.
There is some controversy among fans over the original ending and the expanded ending. The controversy exists because the original ending was taut, much like Conan himself. The expanded ending adds more film footage without added anything to the movie. The original ending is somewhat better. However, the original ending is not worth paying a lot of money for, so if the expanded version is the lowest cost version available, you should get it.
Sword and Sorcery is a relatively narrow genre. Very few movies are made in this genre and even fewer are very successful. "Conan the Barbarian" is one of the very best and a must-have for fans of Sword and Sorcery. If only film makers would give us more movies like this one.
Enjoy!
Great movie (in it's original cut)... Don't get the 'Collector's Edition'.......2006-12-26
For the record, I'm a HUGE fan of the original Robert E. Howard character, and a really big fan of the forst movie (not so much the second one though).
If you're going to get this on DVD, go out of your way to find the original 1982 version, NOT the collector's version. The collector's version basically extends a couple of scenes that (quite frankly) were better left the way they were, and do NOTHING to enhance the story or character in any way. In this case, brevity can be the essence of genius, not additional exposition.
Another gripe is, this version is released on mono NOT stereo. FREAKIN' MONO!? What the hell happened? Even 'Freddy Got Fingered' is in 5.1 these days. This movie truly had one of the mose dramatic original soundtracks of it's time, and on this version of the DVD it's barely just an afterthought. Very disrespectful to the filmmakers, and the fans.
Seroiusly, I know there's an original cut on DVD somewhere. If you can find it, it's worth going out of your way for.
Average customer rating:
- The man of few words
- Easily one of the funniest movies I've ever seen.
- Best fantasy movie ever
- Phenomenal Sword and Sorcery Film
- Great movie (in it's original cut)... Don't get the 'Collector's Edition'
|
Conan the Barbarian [Region 2]
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD
General
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
( C )
| Titles
| Features
| DVD
| Video
Similar Items:
- Conan the Destroyer
- Red Sonja
- Conan the Barbarian
- Predator (Widescreen Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
- Dragonslayer
ASIN: B00004RYRB |
Amazon.com essential video
Conan the Barbarian, the movie that turned Arnold Schwarzenegger into a global superstar, is a prime example of a match made in heaven. It's the movie that macho maverick writer-director John Milius was born to make, and Arnold was genetically engineered for his role as the muscle-bound, angst-ridden hero created in Robert E. Howard's pulp novels. Oliver Stone contributed to Milius's screenplay, and the production design by comic artist Ron Cobb represents a perfect cinematic realization of Howard's fantasy world. To avenge the murder of his parents, Conan tracks down the evil Thulsa Doom (James Earl Jones) with the help of Queen Valeria (played by buff B-movie vixen Sandahl Bergman) and Subotai the Mongol (Gerry Lopez). Aptly described by critic Roger Ebert as "the perfect fantasy for the alienated pre-adolescent," this blockbuster is just as enjoyable for adults who haven't lost their youthful imagination. --Jeff Shannon
Customer Reviews:
The man of few words.......2007-06-05
I'm still not totally sure of what I was expecting from Conan, but I was quite disappointed in the end. I'm shocked that Arnie went on to become governor of California, cos with the standard of the film, I really wouldn't have expected Arnie to go onto bigger & better things.
My main problem with Conan, was it wasn't Arnie's best film, plus, it's just really a film to showcase his body isn't it? And he barely says more than a few lines during the entire film. I've been brought up on Arnie movies, and although this was a good film, I just prefer some of Arnie's later films. I just wish he would stop messing with being governor and get back to what he's good at! You can see throughout the film that Arnie has immense trouble holding a sword, and doing sword things with it, due the size of his arm & chest muscles.
The rest of the cast was quite good, although I did think the actress who played his mum at the beginning, was a rough-looking Bridgette Bardot! Hehe. I did think Sandahl Bergman, who played Valeria, was really pretty, and the relationship between her and Conan was outstanding, although he only speaks five words to her throughout the film! Their relationship does turn out to be quite bittersweet though, which is very sad, but I won't reveal too much about it, for those who haven't seen the film yet.
There's not much of a storyline to the entire movie, apart from getting revenge, and the beginning is a bit strange in my opinion. Pushing that wheel thing round and round, what happened to the rest of the children?
James Earl Jones is absolutely hilarious, but I don't think he was meant to be. He's very androgynous, and the wig is stupidly set too high, giving the impression he has a huge forehead.
Conan has a certain unique-ness to it, and it stands out from many other similar films out there. It's quite memorable as well, whereas I think if Arnie hadn't become a big star, then it might have been less so. Yes, I'll admit I don't particularly Conan, but I sat through it, and can still remember a lot of it. And it still survives against the special effects laden movies of today, with people with too much money, try to make up for the lack of storyline with too many special effects (hello Pirates Of The Caribbean Dead Man's Chest, I'm talking to you!). Conan manages with minimalist special effects and it works so much better.
I would recommend Conan to any Arnie fans out there, it's an excellent film, it just didn't do it for me. Now, where's Twins?! :)
Easily one of the funniest movies I've ever seen........2007-05-30
No, I don't think it was meant to be a comedy but it serves up lots of laughs (for example, the wizard who lives in a treehouse). Its sort of unintentionally Monty Python-esque I guess you could say. It has a lot of campy value but there are also some great visuals as well. I laughed so hard I cried.
Best fantasy movie ever.......2007-02-08
This film is the best sword and sorcery/fantasy film you will ever find. Unlike many others released at this time, this one was different. The film itself is wonderful to look at, the scenery is breathtaking and amazing and the fight sequences are well paced and exciting. The emotion of the scenes, be they angry or intimate, come across with all the power you would expect.
Arnold Schwartznegger does a nice job here. He has the great screen presence needed to bring Conan to life. Even the supporting cast (James Earl Jones, Max Von Sydow, Sandahl Bergman and Gerry Lopez) turn in memorable and powerful performances.
I remember seeing this film when i was 16 and the images always stuck with me. What stuck with me even more was the music. I had already been a fan of the music for Star Wars, but this was a thousand times better than that. I love the way the first four cues of this film are all merged together. For over 17 minutes the story is told through image and music only. And over half of this film besides that is told the very same way. Just watch the scenes of Conan finding his sword (Atlantean Sword) or the scenes where they are travelling (Theology/Civilization and The Leaving/The search) or even the long scene where they are invading the Tower of Set. Basil Poledouris did a great job here and this remains my favorite score of all time. I recommend this, along with this movie.
The documentary on this DVD, Conan Unchained, is filled with many interesting facts and really gives you an idea of what they had to go through to make this movie. Also on this DVD are deleted scenes, which for the most part are not very interesting and cut for good reason. However, there is one scene near the end of this film that does not belong here at all. Before the battle at the mound, Conan and Subotai talk about being young boys which cuts against the entire philosophy of this film, which was having a minimal amount of dialogue. This scene clearly breaks the rule and was a bad decision to put back into this film. It does make the film longer but also slows it down at a point where it really didn't need it. The added little sections at the end with the kings daughter are not as bad, but still unessential and should have stayed in the deleted scenes section. This only goes to prove that the longest version of a film is not always the best one. There are many examples of this if you've ever bought a directors or extended cut of any movie.
There is also a great commentary featuring the director (John Milius) and Arnold. This alone is worth getting this DVD. So buy this and enjoy it for exactly what it is. This film gets five stars, even with the scenes that were added. Enjoy!
Phenomenal Sword and Sorcery Film.......2007-01-14
A small handful of Sword and Sorcery films have decent quality. "Conan the Barbarian" is one of those few films. Arnold Schwarzenegger was perfect for playing Conan. I only wish that Schwarzenegger had made more than two Conan movies.
We meet Conan as a boy in a small village. Conan's life changes dramatically when Thulsa Doom (played by the ever-awesome James Earl Jones) and his band of merry men destroy Conan's village, kill his mother and father, and haul the children off into slavery. Slavery does not kill Conan, it makes him stronger. Conan becomes an incredibly powerful adult. Conan becomes so powerful that he ends up in fights for money. Eventually Conan's master sets him free.
Conan manages to make his way in the world. He eventually encounters a thief named Subotai. Conan and the thief decide to rob a temple, but a beautiful woman named Valeria is already trying to do the same thing. Conan almost instantly falls in love. Conan, Subotai and Valeria rob the temple, but only after killing a huge snake belonging to Thulsa Doom.
Somewhere during Conan's travels we learn that Conan wants to exact revenge on Thulsa Doom for destroying his village and killing his parents. Even though Thulsa Doom tries to kill Conan, and nearly succeeds, Thulsa Doom fails to realize that Conan is a powerful and terrible enemy. On the other hand, Conan is fortunate in finding a wizard (the late Mako, who is also the narrator) who is able to save him from the death that Thulsa Doom had planned for him.
The situation heats up for everyone as Conan attempts to take the daughter of King Osric (Max Von Sydow). Thulsa Doom is not pleased, but after his best attempt he is still unable to kill Conan and he is still unable to recapture the princess.
The end of the movie is almost anticlimactic, but it is chilling and artistic. If you have only seen this movie on television you need to get the DVD and see the uncut version.
Some scenes in this movie are incredible. The entire scene in Thulsa Doom's palace is gross, but realistic. The sword play throughout the movie is well done. The snake arrows were also nicely filmed. I also enjoyed the scene with the Witch. The scene where the wizard attempted to cure Conan used animation sparingly but effectively was also very well done.
There is some controversy among fans over the original ending and the expanded ending. The controversy exists because the original ending was taut, much like Conan himself. The expanded ending adds more film footage without added anything to the movie. The original ending is somewhat better. However, the original ending is not worth paying a lot of money for, so if the expanded version is the lowest cost version available, you should get it.
Sword and Sorcery is a relatively narrow genre. Very few movies are made in this genre and even fewer are very successful. "Conan the Barbarian" is one of the very best and a must-have for fans of Sword and Sorcery. If only film makers would give us more movies like this one.
Enjoy!
Great movie (in it's original cut)... Don't get the 'Collector's Edition'.......2006-12-26
For the record, I'm a HUGE fan of the original Robert E. Howard character, and a really big fan of the forst movie (not so much the second one though).
If you're going to get this on DVD, go out of your way to find the original 1982 version, NOT the collector's version. The collector's version basically extends a couple of scenes that (quite frankly) were better left the way they were, and do NOTHING to enhance the story or character in any way. In this case, brevity can be the essence of genius, not additional exposition.
Another gripe is, this version is released on mono NOT stereo. FREAKIN' MONO!? What the hell happened? Even 'Freddy Got Fingered' is in 5.1 these days. This movie truly had one of the mose dramatic original soundtracks of it's time, and on this version of the DVD it's barely just an afterthought. Very disrespectful to the filmmakers, and the fans.
Seroiusly, I know there's an original cut on DVD somewhere. If you can find it, it's worth going out of your way for.
Average customer rating:
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Conan the Barbarian [Region 2]
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ASIN: B0000CAPYM |
Average customer rating:
- The man of few words
- Easily one of the funniest movies I've ever seen.
- Best fantasy movie ever
- Phenomenal Sword and Sorcery Film
- Great movie (in it's original cut)... Don't get the 'Collector's Edition'
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Conan the Barbarian
Starring: Luis Barboo , Sandahl Bergman , Franco Columbu , Ben Davidson , and Leslie Foldvary
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
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Similar Items:
- Conan the Destroyer
- Red Sonja
- Conan the Barbarian
- Predator (Widescreen Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
- Dragonslayer
ASIN: 078322575X
Release Date: 1998-02-24 |
Amazon.com essential video
Conan the Barbarian, the movie that turned Arnold Schwarzenegger into a global superstar, is a prime example of a match made in heaven. It's the movie that macho maverick writer-director John Milius was born to make, and Arnold was genetically engineered for his role as the muscle-bound, angst-ridden hero created in Robert E. Howard's pulp novels. Oliver Stone contributed to Milius's screenplay, and the production design by comic artist Ron Cobb represents a perfect cinematic realization of Howard's fantasy world. To avenge the murder of his parents, Conan tracks down the evil Thulsa Doom (James Earl Jones) with the help of Queen Valeria (played by buff B-movie vixen Sandahl Bergman) and Subotai the Mongol (Gerry Lopez). Aptly described by critic Roger Ebert as "the perfect fantasy for the alienated pre-adolescent," this blockbuster is just as enjoyable for adults who haven't lost their youthful imagination. --Jeff Shannon
Customer Reviews:
The man of few words.......2007-06-05
I'm still not totally sure of what I was expecting from Conan, but I was quite disappointed in the end. I'm shocked that Arnie went on to become governor of California, cos with the standard of the film, I really wouldn't have expected Arnie to go onto bigger & better things.
My main problem with Conan, was it wasn't Arnie's best film, plus, it's just really a film to showcase his body isn't it? And he barely says more than a few lines during the entire film. I've been brought up on Arnie movies, and although this was a good film, I just prefer some of Arnie's later films. I just wish he would stop messing with being governor and get back to what he's good at! You can see throughout the film that Arnie has immense trouble holding a sword, and doing sword things with it, due the size of his arm & chest muscles.
The rest of the cast was quite good, although I did think the actress who played his mum at the beginning, was a rough-looking Bridgette Bardot! Hehe. I did think Sandahl Bergman, who played Valeria, was really pretty, and the relationship between her and Conan was outstanding, although he only speaks five words to her throughout the film! Their relationship does turn out to be quite bittersweet though, which is very sad, but I won't reveal too much about it, for those who haven't seen the film yet.
There's not much of a storyline to the entire movie, apart from getting revenge, and the beginning is a bit strange in my opinion. Pushing that wheel thing round and round, what happened to the rest of the children?
James Earl Jones is absolutely hilarious, but I don't think he was meant to be. He's very androgynous, and the wig is stupidly set too high, giving the impression he has a huge forehead.
Conan has a certain unique-ness to it, and it stands out from many other similar films out there. It's quite memorable as well, whereas I think if Arnie hadn't become a big star, then it might have been less so. Yes, I'll admit I don't particularly Conan, but I sat through it, and can still remember a lot of it. And it still survives against the special effects laden movies of today, with people with too much money, try to make up for the lack of storyline with too many special effects (hello Pirates Of The Caribbean Dead Man's Chest, I'm talking to you!). Conan manages with minimalist special effects and it works so much better.
I would recommend Conan to any Arnie fans out there, it's an excellent film, it just didn't do it for me. Now, where's Twins?! :)
Easily one of the funniest movies I've ever seen........2007-05-30
No, I don't think it was meant to be a comedy but it serves up lots of laughs (for example, the wizard who lives in a treehouse). Its sort of unintentionally Monty Python-esque I guess you could say. It has a lot of campy value but there are also some great visuals as well. I laughed so hard I cried.
Best fantasy movie ever.......2007-02-08
This film is the best sword and sorcery/fantasy film you will ever find. Unlike many others released at this time, this one was different. The film itself is wonderful to look at, the scenery is breathtaking and amazing and the fight sequences are well paced and exciting. The emotion of the scenes, be they angry or intimate, come across with all the power you would expect.
Arnold Schwartznegger does a nice job here. He has the great screen presence needed to bring Conan to life. Even the supporting cast (James Earl Jones, Max Von Sydow, Sandahl Bergman and Gerry Lopez) turn in memorable and powerful performances.
I remember seeing this film when i was 16 and the images always stuck with me. What stuck with me even more was the music. I had already been a fan of the music for Star Wars, but this was a thousand times better than that. I love the way the first four cues of this film are all merged together. For over 17 minutes the story is told through image and music only. And over half of this film besides that is told the very same way. Just watch the scenes of Conan finding his sword (Atlantean Sword) or the scenes where they are travelling (Theology/Civilization and The Leaving/The search) or even the long scene where they are invading the Tower of Set. Basil Poledouris did a great job here and this remains my favorite score of all time. I recommend this, along with this movie.
The documentary on this DVD, Conan Unchained, is filled with many interesting facts and really gives you an idea of what they had to go through to make this movie. Also on this DVD are deleted scenes, which for the most part are not very interesting and cut for good reason. However, there is one scene near the end of this film that does not belong here at all. Before the battle at the mound, Conan and Subotai talk about being young boys which cuts against the entire philosophy of this film, which was having a minimal amount of dialogue. This scene clearly breaks the rule and was a bad decision to put back into this film. It does make the film longer but also slows it down at a point where it really didn't need it. The added little sections at the end with the kings daughter are not as bad, but still unessential and should have stayed in the deleted scenes section. This only goes to prove that the longest version of a film is not always the best one. There are many examples of this if you've ever bought a directors or extended cut of any movie.
There is also a great commentary featuring the director (John Milius) and Arnold. This alone is worth getting this DVD. So buy this and enjoy it for exactly what it is. This film gets five stars, even with the scenes that were added. Enjoy!
Phenomenal Sword and Sorcery Film.......2007-01-14
A small handful of Sword and Sorcery films have decent quality. "Conan the Barbarian" is one of those few films. Arnold Schwarzenegger was perfect for playing Conan. I only wish that Schwarzenegger had made more than two Conan movies.
We meet Conan as a boy in a small village. Conan's life changes dramatically when Thulsa Doom (played by the ever-awesome James Earl Jones) and his band of merry men destroy Conan's village, kill his mother and father, and haul the children off into slavery. Slavery does not kill Conan, it makes him stronger. Conan becomes an incredibly powerful adult. Conan becomes so powerful that he ends up in fights for money. Eventually Conan's master sets him free.
Conan manages to make his way in the world. He eventually encounters a thief named Subotai. Conan and the thief decide to rob a temple, but a beautiful woman named Valeria is already trying to do the same thing. Conan almost instantly falls in love. Conan, Subotai and Valeria rob the temple, but only after killing a huge snake belonging to Thulsa Doom.
Somewhere during Conan's travels we learn that Conan wants to exact revenge on Thulsa Doom for destroying his village and killing his parents. Even though Thulsa Doom tries to kill Conan, and nearly succeeds, Thulsa Doom fails to realize that Conan is a powerful and terrible enemy. On the other hand, Conan is fortunate in finding a wizard (the late Mako, who is also the narrator) who is able to save him from the death that Thulsa Doom had planned for him.
The situation heats up for everyone as Conan attempts to take the daughter of King Osric (Max Von Sydow). Thulsa Doom is not pleased, but after his best attempt he is still unable to kill Conan and he is still unable to recapture the princess.
The end of the movie is almost anticlimactic, but it is chilling and artistic. If you have only seen this movie on television you need to get the DVD and see the uncut version.
Some scenes in this movie are incredible. The entire scene in Thulsa Doom's palace is gross, but realistic. The sword play throughout the movie is well done. The snake arrows were also nicely filmed. I also enjoyed the scene with the Witch. The scene where the wizard attempted to cure Conan used animation sparingly but effectively was also very well done.
There is some controversy among fans over the original ending and the expanded ending. The controversy exists because the original ending was taut, much like Conan himself. The expanded ending adds more film footage without added anything to the movie. The original ending is somewhat better. However, the original ending is not worth paying a lot of money for, so if the expanded version is the lowest cost version available, you should get it.
Sword and Sorcery is a relatively narrow genre. Very few movies are made in this genre and even fewer are very successful. "Conan the Barbarian" is one of the very best and a must-have for fans of Sword and Sorcery. If only film makers would give us more movies like this one.
Enjoy!
Great movie (in it's original cut)... Don't get the 'Collector's Edition'.......2006-12-26
For the record, I'm a HUGE fan of the original Robert E. Howard character, and a really big fan of the forst movie (not so much the second one though).
If you're going to get this on DVD, go out of your way to find the original 1982 version, NOT the collector's version. The collector's version basically extends a couple of scenes that (quite frankly) were better left the way they were, and do NOTHING to enhance the story or character in any way. In this case, brevity can be the essence of genius, not additional exposition.
Another gripe is, this version is released on mono NOT stereo. FREAKIN' MONO!? What the hell happened? Even 'Freddy Got Fingered' is in 5.1 these days. This movie truly had one of the mose dramatic original soundtracks of it's time, and on this version of the DVD it's barely just an afterthought. Very disrespectful to the filmmakers, and the fans.
Seroiusly, I know there's an original cut on DVD somewhere. If you can find it, it's worth going out of your way for.
Average customer rating:
- Conan the Humorous
- typical 80's fantasy
- This movie reeked
- An action adventure movie whose faults (of which there are many) are now charming in their cheesiness
- A must have movie!!!
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Conan the Destroyer
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger , Grace Jones , Wilt Chamberlain , Mako , and Tracey Walter
Director: Richard Fleischer
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD
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| ( C )
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| ( D )
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| ( J )
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Similar Items:
- Red Sonja
- Conan - The Complete Quest
- The Beastmaster (Special Edition)
- Dragonslayer
- Kull the Conqueror
ASIN: B00008FEED
Release Date: 1998-03-31 |
Amazon.com
The dark, brooding tone of Conan the Barbarian is replaced in this rousing sequel by a lighter, more humorous tone and one of the campiest casts ever assembled. This time, Conan is assigned by a duplicitous queen (Sarah Douglas) to escort a virgin princess (Olivia d'Abo) on a treacherous trek to a crystal palace where they will retrieve a priceless gemstone. Basketball champ and self-described Lothario Wilt Chamberlain plays Bombaata, a warrior sent on a secret mission to kill Conan, and the androgynous Grace Jones plays Zula, a wild woman who becomes Conan's loyal ally. Some consider this sequel a disappointment, but the film makes no apologies for its silliness, and that's the key to its success as gloriously pulpy entertainment. --Jeff Shannon
Customer Reviews:
Conan the Humorous.......2007-07-03
"Conan the Barbarian" was an awesome Sword and Sorcery film. That movie is one of the few well-produced high fantasy movies in existence. The expectations for this movie were high given the success of the earlier movie. It was probably inevitable that this sequel was not going to be as good as the original.
Conan has gone back to being a thief. He is doing yoga or contemplating a rock or something like that while his annoying cohort in crime Malak (Tracey Walter, "Annie Hall," "Midnight Run" and "Batman") is counting the spoils. Armored guys intent on some nefarious purpose surround the pair and attempt to capture them. Conan is annoyed at having his yoga interrupted and decides to show his displeasure by hacking apart quite a few of the armored guys until Bombaata (basketball great Wilt Chamberlain in his only acting role) has the armored guys cease throwing themselves on Conan's sword. We then discover that one of the armored guys is actually Queen Taramisu - no, wait, that is a dessert, I think. I meant Queen Taramis (Sarah Douglas, "Superman," "Superman II," and "Solarbabies"). Queen Taramis tells Conan that she can bring back Conan's beloved and dead Valeria if he will baby sit a hot blond while she seeks a phal...oops, I meant a HORN, which Queen Taramis needs to do something that we learn about later.
The rest of this movie is a relatively fun quest, interspersed with moments of humor. Conan gets drunk, ignores Princess Jehnna (Olivia d'Abo) because he is too busy killing people and thinking about Valeria, and tries to avoid having to think of witty one-liners. Grace Jones has a lot of fun as warrior Zula. Mako makes his second, marvelous appearance in a Conan film as the Wizard Akiro. One person who deserves mention is André the Giant's appearance as Dagoth. It is impossible to see André under the makeup. André made a more memorable appearance as Fezzik in "The Princess Bride."
This movie is flawed. The special effects are weak in some areas. Some of the acting is weak or obnoxious. The humor may have been excessive, and the rawness that marked the exuberance and honesty of "Conan the Barbarian" is lacking. In spite of these flaws, many of which appeared to help aim the movie toward teens and children, this movie has a lot going for it. Conan has a lot of non-stop action, and rarely does Conan take much of anything, except Valeria, serious. The outdoor sets are incredible. Conan wisely says little, relying on lots of facial expressions and bulky muscles instead. The action drives the plot and rarely gives a viewer time to focus on the flaws.
"Conan the Destroyer" is clearly inferior to "Conan the Barbarian." However, this movie is still a lot of fun and I enjoy it each time I watch it. The flaws in this movie may make the movie less than what it could have been, but the flaws are not enough to sink it. I give this movie a cautious recommendation to fans of the original, high fantasy, sword and sorcery, and Conan.
Enjoy!
typical 80's fantasy .......2007-01-24
I have seen this movie several times. While it does have a few good moments, it is not enough to save this film. So why do i own this? After the masterpiece that was the first film, why would i have bought this and subject myself to watching it again. The answer is simple. It's because of the score. And even that doesn't save this film. This film is a mere watered down take on the first that takes a great character and turns him into a mere shadow of his former self. All the moments in this movie intended to be funny really aren't. All the serious moments can only make me chuckle. I mean, who wants to see a basketball star (wilt chamberlin) trying to play some warrior. Or some singer (grace jones) trying to act when she should clearly be singing. How a song of hers wasnt on the score seems amazing. So be thankful that some corporate bigwig in some studio decided to not use rock music in this score. Be thankful that Basil Poledouris got the chance to make this score. Without it, this film would be even more of a monstrosity than it already is. But hey, i still have this film in my collection. But this movie is not for everyone. so if you want real gut wrenching blood and gore stick with the first film. Your eyes will thank you and so will your ears.
This movie reeked.......2006-11-19
How is it possible that 7 years after Star Wars and 3 years after Excalibur, Hollywood could still produce a movie of such pathetic special effects, nightmarish casting, and ugly, amateurish cinematography? What a mess.
An action adventure movie whose faults (of which there are many) are now charming in their cheesiness.......2006-06-07
Filming movies back-to-back is nothing new, the obvious savings and advantages on sharing production costs, crew and even marketing meant that the second and third BACK TO THE FUTURE films were filmed simultaneously in the late 1980s. Even today the two sequels to PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN are being filmed hand-in-hand and there are reports that the second Daniel Craig 007 movie will enter into production shortly after the crew have wrapped CASINO ROYALE.
So, it should be no surprise then that the second Conan movie was part of a similar back-to-back deal in the early- to mid-1980s. But what is surprising is that the movie that partnered with the rollicking adventure movie was a quirky science fiction blockbuster from David Lynch named DUNE.
That's right, as that big-budget turkey was roasting under the Mexican sun, a pre-Terminator Arnold Schwarzenegger was working on a much more entertaining movie with a colorful cast of characters.
Based (rather loosely) on the series of novels by Robert E. Howard, this 1984 feature was a sequel to the much darker and more sinister 1982 movie CONAN THE BARBARIAN and saw Schwarzenegger reprise his role as the monumentally strong thief and adventurer.
The director of this entry, the veteran Richard Fleischer actually owed his hire for this movie to another movie he had made almost 30 years earlier, 1958's THE VIKINGS. Producer Raffaella De Laurentiis had commented that since they had tried to copy that movies style and look for the 1982 picture, why not hire that movie's director for this production - and so Fleischer was hired.
Once hired Fleischer set about shaping the movie to his liking. One of the most publicized, decisions he made was telling an incredulous Schwarzenegger that he needed to buff up a bit more. Fleischer said that at the time of the release of CONAN THE BARBARIAN he had been disappointed that Arnold's incredible physique had been covered up for most of the movie, Fleischer also consciously set about making this a lighter entry to the series. The Conan here has a number of genuinely comedic moments, from punching a camel, a horse and attempting to teach a beautiful princess how to wield his sword, Schwarzenegger shows early promise in a genre that would not fully be realized until movies such as TWINS and KINDERGARTEN COP.
Joining Schwarzenegger this time is Sarah Douglas (of SUPERMAN II fame) as the evil Queen Taramis who enlists Conan's help in retrieving a crystal and in turn a magical jeweled horn. Former basketball star Wilt Chamberlain is on board also as the towering Bombaata, who is charged with keeping the princess Jehnna, who is destined to bring back the mystical object (played by the impossibly beautiful Olivia D'Abo) a virgin so that she can be sacrificed. Along the way Conan's ragtag group meet up with Zula, played by Grace Jones. The scene that introduced Jones' character sees her wielding a stick against a group of tormentors and reportedly she landed a few strikes sending a couple of stuntmen in the hospital. It was in fact her role here that brought her to the attention of the James Bond producers that in turn led to her starring in Roger Moore's swan song as 007 in 1985's A VIEW TO A KILL. Far from a great acting display her character still provides a number of memorable moments and is one of the movie's highlights.
The special effects are very dated by today's standards and Pat Roach (veteran of NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN and the Indiana Jones movies) makeup as the wizard Toth-Amon guarding the crystal really is appallingly fake-looking. But the movie is a good popcorn flick that is both fun and fast-paced enough that you can easily forgive these lapses.
Interestingly in the audio commentary that accompanied CONAN THE BARBARIAN Schwarzenegger commented that he would be interested in making a third Conan movie. Sadly this has not been forthcoming and now that he looks intent on pursuing political goals it appears less and less likely. A shame.
This movie is nowhere near as good as its predecessor, but it's still recommended for those rainy Saturday afternoons.
A must have movie!!!.......2006-05-06
this was an fun fantasy-action movie with Arnold Schwarzenegger as a powerful kick ass/warrior. Arnold is so damm sexy with all the muscle showing sword-fighting ....And yes, the movie is visually interesting, too, even though, the special effects are obsolete and a little goofy...but thats ok...its an old movie now... A movie I love seeing over and over again...a movie that is a must have for any Arnold -Fan!
DVD:
- Wild Guitar / The Choppers
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- Shadow Warriors
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- Two Champions of Death / Subtitled
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