Conan the Destroyer (1984)

Director:

Richard Fleischer

Writers:

Robert E. Howard (character)
Roy Thomas (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

29 June 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Fantasy | Adventure

Tagline:

The most powerful legend of all is back in a new adventure.

Plot:

Conan leads a ragtag group of adventurers on a quest for a princess.

Plot Keywords:

Princess | Thief | Queen | Wizard | Rescue

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Arnold Schwarzenegger	...	Conan
Grace Jones	...	Zula
Wilt Chamberlain	...	Bombaata
Mako	...	Akiro 'The Wizard'
Tracey Walter	...	Malak
Sarah Douglas	...	Queen Taramis
Olivia d'Abo	...	Princess Jehnna (as Olivia D'Abo)
Pat Roach	...	Man Ape / Toth-Amon
Jeff Corey	...	Grand Vizier
Sven-Ole Thorsen	...	Togra (as Sven Ole Thorsen)
Bruce Fleischer	...	Village Heckler
Ferdy Mayne	...	The Leader (as Ferdinand Mayne)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
André the Giant	...	Dagoth (uncredited)
Angel Ashley	...	(uncredited)
Matt Conner	...	Zeus (uncredited)
Erik Holmey	...	Henchman of Queen Taramis (uncredited)
Terry O'Neill	...	Village Heavy (uncredited)
John Sabol	...	Warrior in village (uncredited)

Directed by
Richard Fleischer

Writing credits
Robert E. Howard		(character)
Roy Thomas		(story) &
Gerry Conway		(story)
Stanley Mann		(screenplay)

Produced by
Dino De Laurentiis	....	executive producer
Raffaella De Laurentiis	....	producer
Stephen F. Kesten	....	executive producer
Edward R. Pressman	....	producer

Original Music by
Basil Poledouris

Cinematography by
Jack Cardiff		(photographed by)

Film Editing by
Frank J. Urioste

Casting by
Johanna Ray

Production Design by
Pier Luigi Basile

Art Direction by
José María Alarcón
Kevin Phipps

Costume Design by
John Bloomfield

Makeup Department
Giannetto De Rossi	....	creative makeup
Mirella De Rossi	....	key hair stylist
Luigi Rocchetti	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Anuar Badin	....	production supervisor
Moira Kelly	....	production supervisor
Stephen F. Kesten	....	unit production manager
Kuki López Rodero	....	production supervisor

Art Department
Pablo Alonso	....	model maker
Ángel Arriola	....	model maker
Sante Barelli	....	chief painter
Mariano Fernandez Berenguer	....	chief plasterer
Jose Bolano	....	chief plasterer
Antonio Paramo Campos	....	chief plasterer
Vito Consoli	....	chief painter
Steve Cooper	....	draughtsman
Steve Cooper	....	set designer
Antonio De Toro	....	chief painter
Giorgio Desideri	....	set dresser
Ron Downing	....	stand-by prop man
Andrew Holder	....	chief sculptor
John Haydn Larson Jr.	....	chief sculptor
Tanya Lowe	....	apprentice illustrator
Giles Masters	....	draughtsman
Jacinto Soria	....	model maker
William Stout	....	concept designer (as Bill Stout)
Graham Sumner	....	property master
Maurice Zuberano	....	storyboard artist
Moises Pineda	....	production buyer assistant (uncredited)

Sound Department
Ray Alba	....	sound editor
Wayne Artman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Tom Beckert	....	sound re-recording mixer
Shelley Brown	....	apprentice sound editor
Milton C. Burrow	....	supervising sound editor
Scott Burrow	....	sound editor
Tom E. Dahl	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jeff Jones	....	assistant sound editor
Jack Kirschner	....	sound editor
Edward Malone	....	assistant sound editor
Lorane Mitchell	....	sound editor
Art Ottinger	....	loop dialogue
Keith Stafford	....	sound editor
Manuel Topete	....	sound mixer
Martin Maryska	....	assistant sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Antonio Balandín	....	special effects technician
Alfonso Gutiérrez	....	special effects technician
Steve Humphrey	....	special effects technician
Carlo Rambaldi	....	creature designer: Dagoth
Chuck E. Stewart	....	special effects technician
John K. Stirber	....	special effects supervisor

Visual Effects by
Charles L. Finance	....	visual effects coordinator
Michael Lloyd	....	optical graphics
Emilio Ruiz del Río	....	foreground miniatures

Stunts
Román Ariznavarreta	....	stunts
Vic Armstrong	....	stunt coordinator
Nate Brown	....	stunts
Ignacio Carreño	....	stunts (as Ignacio Carreño López)
Joaquin Olias Mena	....	stunts
José Panizo	....	stunts
Miguel Pedregosa	....	stunt coordinator
Cory Pierson	....	stunts
José María Serrano	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Apache	....	key grip
Neil Binney	....	camera operator
John Cardiff	....	camera operator
Roy Furness	....	electrician
Frank Heeney	....	gaffer
Gerhard Hentschel	....	camera maintenance
Ignazio Maccarone	....	practical electrician
John Matthews	....	best boy
Roger McDonald	....	focus puller
Ron McKay	....	electrician
David Tondeur	....	clapper loader
George Whitear	....	still photographer
René Marquéz	....	electrician (uncredited)

Animation Department
Sam Kirson	....	animator
Gabi Payn	....	animator (as Garry Payne)

Casting Department
Nina Axelrod	....	casting assistant (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Thomas Casterline	....	wardrobe supervisor
Ana Maria Infante	....	wardrobe mistress
Michael Jones	....	milliner
Mary Etta Lang	....	dyer
Edward Percival	....	cutter

Editorial Department
Donah Bassett	....	negative cutter
Douglas Clark	....	apprentice film editor
Mark Eggenweiler	....	assistant film editor
Deborah Phipps	....	assistant cutter (as Debbie Harkness)
Roz Ward	....	assistant cutter

Music Department
Daniel Allan Carlin	....	supervising music editor
Angelo Giovagnoli	....	musician: french horn solo
Gilbert Marouani	....	music consultant
Greig McRitchie	....	orchestrator
Basil Poledouris	....	conductor
Jack Smalley	....	orchestrator

Transportation Department
Arturo Curiel	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Ginette Angosse	....	assistant: Ms. DeLaurentiis
Craig Campobasso	....	production office assistant
Pamela Carlton	....	script supervisor
L. Sprague De Camp	....	technical advisor
Eduardo De La Grana	....	assistant accountant
Ricardo Del Río	....	Dagoth crew
Thomas Freman	....	assistant accountant
Federica Gallen	....	Dagoth crew
Bruno Landis	....	Dagoth crew
Lauren Marems	....	Dagoth crew (as Laurie Marems)
Michael Menzies	....	supervising accountant
Barry Nolan	....	supervisor special photographic effects (as Barry A. Nolan)
Debbie Peterson	....	production secretary
Juan Clemente Prosper	....	location manager (as Juan Clemente)
Jane Rayleigh	....	production secretary
Timoteo Nevado Roman	....	wrangler
Bruno Rubeo	....	Dagoth crew
Robert Schaefer	....	title art (as Bob Schaeffer)
Paolo Scipione	....	Dagoth crew
Anne Strick	....	unit publicist
Steve Townsend	....	Dagoth crew
Debbie Van Hoek	....	location contact
Kiyoshi Yamasaki	....	sword master
Arturo Del Rio	....	production assistant (uncredited)
'Chico' Hernandez	....	wrangler: Mexico (uncredited)
Harry Kopoian	....	airport liaison: Mexico (uncredited)

Production Companies

• De Laurentiis

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1984) (USA) (theatrical)
• Neue Constantin Film (1984) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Columbia Pictures Video Ltd. (1989) (UK) (VHS)
• MCA Home Video (1985) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (19??) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2002) (Germany) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2004) (France) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2011) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Universal Home Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Studios Home Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)

Other Companies

• Joe Dunton & Company  camera equipment provided by
• R.C.A. Studios  music recording facility
• Sartoria Farani S.t.L.  wardrobe rental
• Sastrería Teatral Cornejo, Madrid  wardrobe rental
• Segue Music  supervising music editor
• Title House  title art
• Unione Musicisti di Roma  performed score
• Van der Veer Photo Effects  titles and opticals

Also Known As:

"King of Destroyer: Conan Part 2" - Japan (English title)

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 | Iceland:14 | Denmark:15 | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Italy:T | New Zealand:PG | Germany:16 (DVD rating) | South Korea:15 | Brazil:12 | Portugal:M/12 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 (1984) | Norway:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 (cut) | USA:PG (Certificate #27413) | West Germany:16 (f)

Filming Locations:

Churubusco Studios, Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico

Company:

De Laurentiis

Trivia:

Wilt Chamberlain's first and only film role.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: During the first battle, when Conan hits the second horseman with his sword, as the man falls from his horse there is a shadow of the cameraman on the ground.

Quotes:

Jehnna:How do you attract a man? What I mean is, suppose you set your heart on somebody. What would you do to get him?
Zula:Grab him! And take him!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Never Leave Me (#7.9)" (2002)

Be Afraid... Be Very Afraid...

Oh, I can understand why "Conan the Destroyer" is the way it is. The original, classic "Conan the Barbarian" was a hit, but the Hollywood bigwigs decided they could get x-amount more money if they made a more family-friendly sequel, thereby opening the franchise to the lucrative kid's market (never mind that, for as long as there have been "restrictive" movie ratings, kids have known how to get to see the movies they want). Take out the sex, tone down the violence, crank up the humor, and... out comes this movie.

It's like "Destroyer" is stuck in a state of half-development. The basic storyline would be okay, but the script gives Conan a coterie of unneccessary sidekicks (as if Conan were not a strong enough character to carry a movie by himself). Grace Jones is interesting to look at but gets tiresome VERY fast; the cowardly sidekick gets more irritating by the second; Mako wears this expression like he's only in this one for the money. Olivia d'Abo is just plain miscast: it's like she's a marker that should read "Insert More Interesting Character in Second Draft." Arnold Schwarzenegger does a competent job as Conan, but we don't see the raw power and brute force of the first movie. There is a thin line between competence and complacency, between an actor and a star; it took Roger Moore six years to get to that point in the James Bond series, while Schwarzenegger reaches the same point with Conan in two.

I think part of the problem is whether or not the Conan concept is flexible enough to become family fare, and my answer is "no." Fans of Robert E. Howard's Conan work know his Cimmerian is a very rough-edged hero, a cunning, hard-drinking, hard-fighting man, and the first Conan movie captured that essence. To change him into the simple-minded do-gooder of "Conan the Destroyer" is to destroy what Conan is all about, and the movie suffers for it.

Is "Conan the Destroyer" worth watching? Yes. For someone who knows absolutely nothing about Conan, I suppose it can be a harmless sword-and-sorcery popcorn flick. For Conan fans, it's kind of like "Legend of the Lone Ranger" for Lone Ranger fans: an irresistible example of just how badly Hollywood can treat your favorite character.

I just hope that if there is ever another Conan movie (not likely, thanks to "Destroyer"), the producers will concentrate on following the style of "Conan the Barbarian" and just ignore this one.