The cinematic genius of John Milius, combined with the sheer muscularity of Arnold Schwarzenegger, give the Conan the barbarian franchise a spine of credulity upon which can be built an epic for the ages.
With every composition evocative of a painting, Millus reminds us, what a visually masterful storyteller he is, a poetic artist admittedly sometimes given to extremes, but always done with conviction. Let's face it, Conan is Arnie's signature role. And for good reason. One need only look back to the sword and sandal epics of the late '50s and the 1960s to see that a beautiful body was insufficient to create a credible hero. Acting ability was required as well. Not to say that Arnold Schwarzenegger is the world's greatest actor, but his personality shines through virtually every role he plays. He is a credible hero. He thinks. He feels. In CONAN THE BARBARIAN he is matched, if not exceeded by, such stellar performers as James Earl Jones and Max Von Sydow. And let's not forget that other distinguished body builder/actor William Smith, who plays Conan's father.
It was not that many years ago (though for some of you, a lifetime) watching a film created for the big screen was only accessible on occasional TV broadcasts and even more occasional re-releases in second run movie houses. With the advent of first VHS and DVD, and now, gloriously, Blu-ray and beyond (4K, etc.) viewers can almost replicate the cinematic experience in their own home theatre. This is both a blessing and a curse. A curse in that we sometimes forget those brilliant compositions were designed for the large screen, the screen that overwhelms the viewer at any given time. On the plus side, accessibility anytime you want is number one. Number two is the many extras that satisfy all behind the scene curiosities. It is true that sometimes these extra features don't know when to stop. (Do we really need to know what the catering was like?) Yet there are some film fans who want to know every detail possible about their favourite film. No crime there if it keeps them off the street. And it must be said if you don't want to watch a particular extra feature, don't watch it. It's the film that counts. The main feature. And in CONAN THE BARBARIAN Arnold Schwarzenegger is definitely the main feature. Well done, Arnie. On the strength of this film alone, we shall never forget you.
CONAN THE DESTROYER is not as good a film as CONAN THE BARBARIAN. It seems to lose a bit of steam halfway through. Of course, this is just one person's opinion, but it also needs to be said that with every ripple of his perfect muscles, Arnold Schwarzenegger is an inspiration not only to bodybuilders, but young people who long to be recognized even though they are outsiders for whatever reason. (Not unlike Arnie himself who came to America from Austria with a dream to make it big.) Thank heaven proper Blu-ray releases of these two films exist for fans to make up their own mind. Viewed as a double feature, the shortcomings of CONAN THE DESTROYER will likely be more apparent. Put some distance between them (a week or so) and maybe you won't notice. If you're just a Schwarzenegger completionist you'll definitely want both of these films in your collection.
With every composition evocative of a painting, Millus reminds us, what a visually masterful storyteller he is, a poetic artist admittedly sometimes given to extremes, but always done with conviction. Let's face it, Conan is Arnie's signature role. And for good reason. One need only look back to the sword and sandal epics of the late '50s and the 1960s to see that a beautiful body was insufficient to create a credible hero. Acting ability was required as well. Not to say that Arnold Schwarzenegger is the world's greatest actor, but his personality shines through virtually every role he plays. He is a credible hero. He thinks. He feels. In CONAN THE BARBARIAN he is matched, if not exceeded by, such stellar performers as James Earl Jones and Max Von Sydow. And let's not forget that other distinguished body builder/actor William Smith, who plays Conan's father.
It was not that many years ago (though for some of you, a lifetime) watching a film created for the big screen was only accessible on occasional TV broadcasts and even more occasional re-releases in second run movie houses. With the advent of first VHS and DVD, and now, gloriously, Blu-ray and beyond (4K, etc.) viewers can almost replicate the cinematic experience in their own home theatre. This is both a blessing and a curse. A curse in that we sometimes forget those brilliant compositions were designed for the large screen, the screen that overwhelms the viewer at any given time. On the plus side, accessibility anytime you want is number one. Number two is the many extras that satisfy all behind the scene curiosities. It is true that sometimes these extra features don't know when to stop. (Do we really need to know what the catering was like?) Yet there are some film fans who want to know every detail possible about their favourite film. No crime there if it keeps them off the street. And it must be said if you don't want to watch a particular extra feature, don't watch it. It's the film that counts. The main feature. And in CONAN THE BARBARIAN Arnold Schwarzenegger is definitely the main feature. Well done, Arnie. On the strength of this film alone, we shall never forget you.
CONAN THE DESTROYER is not as good a film as CONAN THE BARBARIAN. It seems to lose a bit of steam halfway through. Of course, this is just one person's opinion, but it also needs to be said that with every ripple of his perfect muscles, Arnold Schwarzenegger is an inspiration not only to bodybuilders, but young people who long to be recognized even though they are outsiders for whatever reason. (Not unlike Arnie himself who came to America from Austria with a dream to make it big.) Thank heaven proper Blu-ray releases of these two films exist for fans to make up their own mind. Viewed as a double feature, the shortcomings of CONAN THE DESTROYER will likely be more apparent. Put some distance between them (a week or so) and maybe you won't notice. If you're just a Schwarzenegger completionist you'll definitely want both of these films in your collection.