Conan The Barbarian.
*Not* "Conan The Destroyer" (aka Conan 2) and not "Kull The Conqueror" (aka Kull-nan 3). I'm talking the John Milius / Oliver Stone piece of 1982.
Solid acting, esp. by James Earl Jones and Max Von Sydow. A good revenge-based storyline, and Magnificent costumes and settings. Many scenes in the movie stick in my mind to this day:
The scene where Thulsa Doom strikes the head from Conan's mother's shoulders as she holds his hand. The look on Thulsa Doom's face is pitiless. Conan stares at his mothers hand until she falls from his grasp. He then looks at Thulsa Doom. This sets up the whole movie, IMHO.
Conan walking about in wolf skins after the scene where he was chased by wolves. Just classic.
"Lions Ate Him?!" The way Max Von Sydow utters this line is just great.:) The scene just after where he ends up throwing gems at Conan's group is also quite nice. "There are times when the gems cease to sparkle, and all that's left is a father's love for his daughter." A truly magnificent monologue there.
The whole scene where Conan and friends attack Thulsa Doom's orgy, coated in black and white paint. The chaos is beautiful, though Sandhal needed a bit more training with the sword.
The whole scene where Conan and friends (-1) are attacked *by* Thulsa Doom and friends on the hill. This, in addition to a great battle scene, is also the turning point for the princess.
The ending, especially in the Director's cut version. It's rare that I like the way a movie ends. This was one of the few that I did like. The silent dropping of the torches, one by one, like some well-ordered ritual resignation, the spurning of the princess by Conan, whether you interpret it as attempting to show her she needs no idol to cling to, or that he simply does not care for anything but his revenge, and missing that, cares for nothing -- showing that Thulsa Doom was correct. It's a satisfying ending to an epic.
Definitely one of the very few fantasy epics that I feel are worth the time it takes to watch them. The other, in my mind is "Excalibur" (here, Nicol Williamson shines as Merlin -- his whole demeanor is one of humor and hidden power, also a very satisfying movie).
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- The scene where Thulsa Doom strikes the head from Conan's mother's shoulders as she holds his hand. The look on Thulsa Doom's face is pitiless. Conan stares at his mothers hand until she falls from his grasp. He then looks at Thulsa Doom. This sets up the whole movie, IMHO.
- Conan walking about in wolf skins after the scene where he was chased by wolves. Just classic.
- "Lions Ate Him?!" The way Max Von Sydow utters this line is just great.
:) The scene just after where he ends up throwing gems at Conan's group is also quite nice. "There are times when the gems cease to sparkle, and all that's left is a father's love for his daughter." A truly magnificent monologue there.
- The whole scene where Conan and friends attack Thulsa Doom's orgy, coated in black and white paint. The chaos is beautiful, though Sandhal needed a bit more training with the sword.
- The whole scene where Conan and friends (-1) are attacked *by* Thulsa Doom and friends on the hill. This, in addition to a great battle scene, is also the turning point for the princess.
- The ending, especially in the Director's cut version. It's rare that I like the way a movie ends. This was one of the few that I did like. The silent dropping of the torches, one by one, like some well-ordered ritual resignation, the spurning of the princess by Conan, whether you interpret it as attempting to show her she needs no idol to cling to, or that he simply does not care for anything but his revenge, and missing that, cares for nothing -- showing that Thulsa Doom was correct. It's a satisfying ending to an epic.
Definitely one of the very few fantasy epics that I feel are worth the time it takes to watch them. The other, in my mind is "Excalibur" (here, Nicol Williamson shines as Merlin -- his whole demeanor is one of humor and hidden power, also a very satisfying movie).