The Beastmaster (1982)

Director:

Don Coscarelli

Writers:

Don Coscarelli (written by)
Paul Pepperman (written by)
(more)

Release Date:

20 August 1982 (USA)

Genre:

Fantasy | Action | Adventure

Plot:

A sword-and-sorcery fantasy about a young man's search for revenge. Armed with supernatural powers, the handsome hero and his animal allies wage war against marauding forces.

Plot Keywords:

Dog | Village | Hero | Sword And Sorcery | Magic

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Marc Singer	...	Dar
Tanya Roberts	...	Kiri
Rip Torn	...	Maax
John Amos	...	Seth
Joshua Milrad	...	Tal (as Josh Milrad)
Rod Loomis	...	King Zed
Ben Hammer	...	Young Dar's Father
Ralph Strait	...	Sacco
Billy Jayne	...	Young Dar (as Billy Jacoby)
Janet DeMay	...	Witchwoman #1
Christine Kellogg	...	Witchwoman #2
Janet Jones	...	Witchwoman #3
Tony Epper	...	Jun Leader
Vanna Bonta	...	Zed's Wife
Kim Tabet	...	Sacco's Daughter
Daniel Zormeier	...	Winged Creature Leader
Jim Driggers	...	Hanging Priests
Mick Thibodeau	...	Hanging Priests
Paul Reynolds	...	Tils
Monty L. Simons	...	Zed's Guard (as Monty Simons)
Bruce Paul Barbour	...	Marauders (as Bruce Barbour)
Diamond Farnsworth	...	Marauders
Linda Smith	...	Kiri's Friend
Henry Carbo	...	Man in Cage
Jonathan Gravish	...	Death Guard Priests
Don Heyn	...	Death Guard Priests
Larry Randles	...	Death Guard Rider
Vince Deadrick Sr.	...	Guard on Parapet
Tim Dunlavey	...	Young Villager
Jeremy Whelan	...	Jun Priest
Billy Hank Hooker	...	Jun Priest
George Scott	...	Jun Priest
Tommy J. Huff	...	Jun Priest (as Tom Huff)
Dale Shawver	...	Jun Priest
Richard Humphreys	...	Jun Priest
Hugh Armstrong	...	Jun Priest
Mike Kirton	...	Jun Priest
Eddy Donno	...	Jun Priest (as Eddie Donno)
Gary McLarty	...	Jun Priest
Eddie Hice	...	Jun Priest
Fess Reynolds	...	Jun Priest
Freddie Hice	...	Jun Priest
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Blake Bolger	...	Infant Dar (uncredited)
Derek Elmore	...	Baby Dar (uncredited)
Chuck Hicks	...	Boatman (uncredited)

Directed by
Don Coscarelli

Writing credits
Don Coscarelli		(written by) &
Paul Pepperman		(written by)
Andre Norton		novel "The Beast Master" (uncredited)

Produced by
Donald P. Borchers	....	associate producer
Naser el-Attasy	....	executive producer (as Nader Atassi)
Frank K. Isaac	....	assistant producer (as Frank K. Isaac Jr.)
Paul Pepperman	....	producer
Sylvio Tabet	....	executive producer
Sylvio Tabet	....	producer

Original Music by
Lee Holdridge

Cinematography by
John Alcott

Film Editing by
Roy Watts

Casting by
Joe Reich

Production Design by
Conrad E. Angone

Set Decoration by
Deborah Moreland

Costume Design by
Betty Pecha Madden

Makeup Department
Tara Candoli	....	makeup artist
Ailen Derderian	....	makeup effects assistant
Katrin Derderian	....	makeup effects assistant
Louis Lazzara	....	makeup artist: second unit
David B. Miller	....	makeup effects artist
Jaklin Munns	....	makeup effects assistant
William Munns	....	special makeup effects designer
Peter Tothpal	....	hair dresser
Michelle Triscario	....	makeup effects assistant
Mark Shostrom	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Tom Benko	....	executive in charge of post-production
Lester Berman	....	production manager: second unit
Thomas M. Hammel	....	unit production manager
Roberto A. Quezada	....	production supervisor (as Roberto Quezada)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Lester Berman	....	assistant director: second unit
Richard Graves	....	second assistant director (as Richard N. Graves)
Donald Newman	....	second assistant director: second unit
James Sbardellati	....	first assistant director
Charles Bail	....	second unit director (uncredited)
Cary Glieberman	....	first assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Linda Lou Agnelli	....	props
Tony Alderson	....	construction crew
Dan Bartman	....	construction crew
Timothy Baxter	....	construction coordinator (as Timothy M. Baxter)
Kevin Beck	....	construction foreman
Justin Benner	....	construction crew
Mike Bingham	....	construction crew
Tom Brennan	....	construction crew
Billy Bryan	....	propmaker (as Bill Bryan)
Jay Burkhart	....	construction crew
Jason Cardwell	....	construction crew
John Cassel	....	construction foreman
Nora Chavooshian	....	set painter
Jerome Cress	....	construction crew
David De Carlo	....	set dresser: second unit (as David DeCarlo)
Kurt Elliott	....	propmaker
Norman Griffin	....	graphic engineer
Mary Hermann	....	set dresser
Jack Hoxworth	....	construction coordinator
Jay Koiwai	....	set painter
Bill Luckey	....	construction crew (as William R. Luckey)
Michael MacLoskey	....	construction crew
Charles Marlak	....	construction crew
Harold Mendenhall	....	construction crew
William Mims	....	assistant to production designer (as William S. Mims)
Riley Morgan	....	props
Stacy Nelson	....	construction crew
Craig Newhouse	....	construction crew
Escott O. Norton	....	assistant set decorator
John Norvet	....	construction crew
Tom O'Brien	....	construction crew
John Panzarella	....	construction crew
Leon Ranch Jr.	....	construction coordinator
Woodward Romine Jr.	....	construction foreman
Lanny Savoie	....	construction crew
Dick Sayers	....	construction crew
David Smith	....	construction coordinator
Dave Smithka	....	construction crew
Charles Stewart	....	lead set dresser
William Strom	....	assistant art director (as Bill Strom)
Denny Tedesco	....	construction crew
Allen Terry	....	construction crew
Doug Vehle	....	construction crew
John Villarino	....	propmaker
Mike Villarino	....	propmaker
David Wasco	....	assistant to production designer
Shelli Williamson	....	construction crew
Gregory R. Wolf	....	props assistant (as Greg Wolf)
Wen-Jen Yang	....	construction crew
Jason Youngblood	....	construction crew
David E. Harshbarger	....	assistant property master (uncredited)
Kini Kay	....	props (uncredited)
Nikita Knatz	....	visual concept artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Steve Bowerman	....	boom operator (as Steven Bowerman)
Paul B. Clay	....	sound designer (as Paul Clay)
Jeremy Hoenack	....	sound designer
David J. Hudson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Mel Metcalfe	....	sound re-recording mixer
Tally Paulos	....	adr supervisor
Anthony Santa Croce	....	sound mixer
James Troutman	....	sound effects (as Jim Troutman)
Ray West	....	sound re-recording mixer
Dennis Berry	....	sound producer (uncredited)
Edward M. Steidele	....	foley artist (uncredited)
Clancy T. Troutman	....	supervising sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Frank DeMarco	....	special effects
Roger George	....	special effects
Mark Sparks	....	special effects
Bill McCamey	....	pyrotechnician (uncredited)
R. Bruce Steinheimer	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Virginia Aalko	....	model maker
Carl Richard Fontana	....	model maker
William Guest	....	model shop supervisor (as William N. Guest)
Mike Jones	....	model maker (as Michael F. Jones)
Michael Minor	....	consultant: special visual effects
Jeryd Pojawa	....	model maker (as Jerry Joseph Pojawa)
Allen Blaisdell	....	visual effects (uncredited)
William Cruse	....	miniature photography (uncredited)
Bret Culpepper	....	miniature sets builder (uncredited)
Bruno George	....	optical camera operator (uncredited)

Stunts
Billy Bates	....	stunts
Steve Boyum	....	stunt coordinator
Hank Calia	....	stunts
Erik Cord	....	stunts
Kerrie Cullen	....	stunts
David R. Ellis	....	stunts (as David Ellis)
Gary Epper	....	stunts
Jeannie Epper	....	stunts
Bill Hart	....	stunts
Gary Jensen	....	stunts
Gray Johnson	....	stunts
Al Jones	....	stunts
Fred Lerner	....	stunts
Mike H. McGaughy	....	stunts (as Mike McGaughy)
John Meier	....	stunts
Bob Minor	....	stunts
Greg Moonyham	....	stunts
Frank Orsatti	....	stunts
Chuck Picerni Jr.	....	stunts (as Charles Picerni Jr.)
Jon Conrad Pochron	....	stunts (as Jon Pochron)
John Romano	....	stunts
Philip Romano	....	stunts
R.A. Rondell	....	stunts
Bob Terhune	....	stunts
Buddy Van Horn	....	stunts
Steve Vandeman	....	stunts
George P. Wilbur	....	stunts (as George Wilbur)
Henry Wills	....	stunts
Jerry Wills	....	stunts
Whitey Hughes	....	stunts (uncredited)
Gene LeBell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bennie Moore	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bobby Porter	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bryan Renfro	....	stunts (uncredited)
Ronnie Rondell Jr.	....	stunts (uncredited)
Rick Sawaya	....	stunts (uncredited)
Monty L. Simons	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Bill Brao	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Mario Davis	....	key grip: second unit
Brian Dean	....	electrician
Charlie Edwards	....	grip (as Charles R. Edwards)
Dennis Grow	....	gaffer
John Hopgood	....	electrician
Joel King	....	director of photography: second unit
Scott Luhrsen	....	grip
Julio Macat	....	first assistant camera: second unit (as Guillermo Macat)
Ron McCausland	....	grip
Douglas F. O'Neons	....	camera operator (as Doug O'Neons)
Bill Richert	....	still photographer
John Savka	....	dolly grip
John Savka	....	key grip
Jeff Smith	....	grip
Gary Thieltges	....	first assistant camera
Christopher Tufty	....	second assistant camera
Peter Wiehl	....	electrician
Kevin Williams	....	best boy
Arthur Krauss	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Daryn Okada	....	Steadicam operator (uncredited)
Daryn Okada	....	co-director of photography: second unit (uncredited)
Daniel Pearl	....	second camera operator (uncredited)
Gregory Peters	....	electrician (uncredited)
Kenji Takama	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Kenji Takama	....	camera intern (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Phillip Dennis	....	costumer
Mary Goodson	....	costumer (as Mary Williamson)
Lesley Neufeld	....	costumer (as Lesley Nicholson)

Editorial Department
Lane Russell	....	apprentice editor
Joe Woo Jr.	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Alf Clausen	....	orchestrator
David Franco	....	music supervisor
Angelo Giovagnoli	....	musician: french horn
Lee Holdridge	....	orchestrator
Stephen A. Hope	....	music editor
Greig McRitchie	....	orchestrator (as Greg McRitchie)
David Franco	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Lee Holdridge	....	conductor (uncredited)
Sergio Marcotulli	....	music engineer (uncredited)
Sergio Marcotulli	....	music mixer (uncredited)
James D. Young	....	music editor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Billy Bates	....	driver (as Bill Bates)
John Compton	....	driver
Noel Steve Geray	....	driver
Clive Henderson	....	transportation captain
Mike Kirton	....	driver
Dave Paulson	....	driver
Robert Rodenbaugh	....	driver
Paul Tompkins	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Victor Anselmo	....	sword maker: Dar's sword
Michael Cheselka	....	production assistant
Beth Conwell	....	production assistant
James Dodson	....	production assistant
Doug Fox	....	craft service
Bill Gage	....	animal trainer (as William G. Gage)
Jim Gatewood	....	security
Cathy Mickel Gibson	....	assistant accountant (as Cathy Gibson)
Chuck Gordon	....	production assistant: second unit
Helene Harris	....	production coordinator
David R. Horne	....	operations liaison
Peter Jordan	....	executive consultant
Nikita Knatz	....	consultant
Steve Lavapies	....	production assistant
David J. McMillan	....	animal trainer (as David McMillan)
Boone Narr	....	head animal trainer (as Boone Naar)
Cara Patterson	....	animal trainer
Dan Peterson	....	location manager
Bryan Renfro	....	animal trainer
Lydia Resurreccion	....	assistant accountant
Paul 'Sled' Reynolds	....	animal trainer (as Sled Reynolds)
William C. Rivers	....	wrangler
Jeanne Rosenberg	....	script supervisor
Garrison Singer	....	production accountant (as Garrison M. Singer)
Patience Thoreson	....	script supervisor: second unit (as Patience)
Mischa Hausserman	....	aerial coordinator (uncredited)
Brian McMillan	....	animal trainer (uncredited)
Michael Thomas Slifkin	....	talent coordinator (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Leisure Investment Company
• Beastmaster NV
• ECTA Filmproduktion

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1982) (USA) (theatrical)
• MGM/UA Entertainment Company (1982) (USA) (theatrical)
• Neue Constantin Film (1982) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Columbia-EMI-Warner (1983) (UK) (theatrical)
• S.N. Prodis (1983) (France) (theatrical)
• Thorn EMI Screen Entertainment (1983) (UK) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (USA) (VHS)
• Big Sky Video (Australia) (DVD)
• Echo Bridge Home Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD) (part of "6-Film Pack: Fantasy & Action")
• F.J. Lucas (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Starlight (1992) (Germany) (VHS)
• Thorn-EMI Video (198?) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Thorn-Emi Video (19??) (West Germany) (VHS)
• Videosonic Arts (1983) (Greece) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Cruse & Company (miniature photography)

Other Companies

• Gentle Jungle  animals supplied by
• C.A.M.  soundtrack published by (as CAM Music)
• Pros', The  sound effects
• Pros', The  sound design
• Optrex  titles and opticals
• American Humane Association, The  made with the cooperation of
• Forum Studio  music mixed at (uncredited)
• Forum Studio  music recorded at (uncredited)
• Orchestra dell'Unione Musicisti di Roma (U.M.R.)  orchestra (uncredited)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

118 min | Germany:90 min (25 fps) (video version)

Country:

USA | West Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:M | Finland:K-18 | Norway:15 | Norway:16 (original rating) | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | West Germany:12 | Iceland:12 | Singapore:NC-16 | USA:PG (certificate #26762) | South Korea:15 | Portugal:M/12 | France:U

Filming Locations:

Lake Pyramid, California, USA

Company:

Leisure Investment Company

Trivia:

Although the film fared only modestly at the box office, it steadily built a strong cult following over the years. It subsequently received significant local TV and cable airplay in the USA, notably HBO and TBS where it became a TV mainstay and viewer favorite. Its replay was so common that some dubbed TBS "The Beastmaster Station", and HBO as "Hey, Beastmaster is On".

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: The ferrets are squeaking like mice. In reality they make a "chooka, chooka" gutteral sound.

Quotes:

Young Dar's Father:Dar... the gods have put that mark on you, and someday, you'll find out why. 'Til then, this mark will be your guide. My sword and my caber will be your trusted companions. Protect Emur, your home. And if anything should happen to me, look for our enemies, the Juns... and you may search for your destiny in the Valley of Aruk.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Spoony Experiment: Lords of Magick (#4.9)" (2011)

Creative 80s barbarian movie

Following "Conan the Barbarian", there were a lot of Barbarian trash movies in the 1980s. The best of them all was "Beastmaster" because it had creative production design, colorful photography and even some ideas of its own. Dar, the Beastmaster (Marc Singer), can see through the eyes of animals and command them whenever he needs help. The evil priest Maax (Rip Torn) holds Dar's father, the king, prisoner as well as the slave girl Kiri (Tanya Roberts) whom Dar fell in love with. In this action-packed movie, we meet a lot of bizarre folks, like the scary batmen who can suck their victims dry if they catch them under their wings (and still these are some of the good guys!) or the berserkers who carry green worms in their brains to drive them crazy. Director/script writer Coscarelli was also in charge of the very successful horror movie "Phantasm", and that shows in the darker scenes. Tanya Roberts looked so good in rags she went on to make "Sheena" with equally little to wear. Marc Singer's muscles were memorable enough to get him signed many years later for 2 sequels which weren't half as good as the original, but still way better than the politically correct TV series 20 years later.

Comparing the 113 minutes "director's cut" (British DVD) to the old 91 minutes German video tape version, these are the most important scenes previously omitted: 1) 8 1/2 minutes of introduction, in which we learn how Maax was threatened by the king, hears the prophecy about the king's unborn son and asks a witch to abduct the baby (from his mother's womb!). Probably it was felt it takes too long until we see the grown-up hero. The disadvantage is that we know less in the short version about Maax and his motives. 2) Still in the first third of the movie, a funny scene was cut in which Dar falls into quicksand, needs help from the animals - and rescues one of them in return. This scene is a charming illustration of the beginning of his friendship with the animals, but not necessary to understand the story. 3) In the last third of the movie, 3 scenes were cut in which the injured young prince is carried into a house, gets better and receives a gift from the Beastmaster. It seems this was cut as it slows down the movie and gives information about the boy only - who is not one of the main characters, anyway. There are also smaller cuts along the way, sometimes due to violence. Anyhow, go get "The Beastmaster" in this longer version!