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Masters of the Universe (1987)

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A prince turned warrior named He-Man battles against the dark lord Skeletor on the planet Eternia. He-Man and his comrades arrive on Earth and discover two teenage lovers to find the magical Cosmic Key.

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1,890 ( 424)
2 wins & 5 nominations. See more awards »

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He-Man & Skeletor battle for control of Castle Grayskull in this fan film based on the popular 80's cartoon/toy... Masters of the Universe!

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He-Man, the most powerful man in the universe, goes against the evil Skeletor to save the planet Eternia and protect the secrets of Castle Grayskull.

Director: McG
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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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Tony Carroll ...
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Blade (as Anthony DeLongis)
Robert Towers ...
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Charlie
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Storyline

On the planet Eternia, the dark lord Skeletor has taken over Castle Greyskull, and imprisoned the Sorceress, and Skeletor has begun draining the Sorceress' powers as he attempts to claim the powers of Greyskull and become master of the universe. Mighty warrior He-Man, the most powerful man in the universe and his companions: loyal soldier Man-at-Arms, his daughter Teela and a dwarf inventor named Gwildor finds themselves on Earth, by Gwildor's creation, the Cosmic Key, a device that can open portals that lead to anywhere in the galaxy, which Skeletor requires in his goal for universal conquest. But when the Cosmic Key is discovered by Julie Winston and her boyfriend Kevin Corrigan, both unaware that Earth is about to become a battleground, as Skeletor and his vile minions arrives on Earth, as they go in pursuit of He-Man and his companions who are searching for the Cosmic Key so they can return to Eternia and defeat Skeletor. Written by Daniel Williamson

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Taglines:

A battle fought in the stars... now comes to Earth. See more »


Certificate:

PG | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Country:

Language:

Release Date:

7 August 1987 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Masters of the Universe: The Motion Picture  »

Filming Locations:

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Box Office

Budget:

$22,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$17,336,370 (USA)
 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

| (workprint)

Sound Mix:

Color:

(Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Key art has been designed by famous illustrators Drew Struzan and Jeanne Mascia (French and British posters). See more »

Goofs

When Evil-Lyn introduces the bounty hunters to Skeletor, they change position between shots. See more »

Quotes

[first lines]
Narrator: At the center of the universe, at the border between the light and the dark stands Castle Greyskull. For countless ages, the Sorceress of Greyskull has kept this universe in harmony. But the armies of darkness do not rest, and the capture of Greyskull is ever most in their minds. For with those that control Greyskull, will come the Power... The power to be supreme... the power to be almighty... the power to be... Masters of the Universe!
See more »

Crazy Credits

After the closing credits have ended, Skeletor's head, sans cowl, pops up from the waters of the pit he was thrown in, and says "I'll be back!". See more »

Connections

Referenced in Atop the Fourth Wall: Sonic Super Special #7 (2014) See more »

Soundtracks

Dear Mr. Fantasy
Written by Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi and Chris Wood
Performed by Traffic
Courtesy of Island Records
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Frequently Asked Questions

See more (Spoiler Alert!) »

User Reviews

 
Great fun!
3 October 2001 | by (Kansas City) – See all my reviews

"I Have the Power!"

For those of us who grew up in the 80's, that phrase is all too familiar. Especially for those who would rush home after school to watch our favorite strongman face off against the forces of evil that threaten the safety and security of his homeworld. For my money, it was never better than when He-Man faced off against Skeletor for the struggle for Eternia.

I also remember the fantasies that I and my friends would have of traveling away to that world of magic and fantasy, to fight alongside He-Man as he defends Grayskull. It truly was a series that was out of this world.

And now it's on Earth.

When I first heard about a live action movie, (mind you, I was twelve at the time), I was overly excited about it. But I didn't get to see it until my late teens. And I must say that it was very well done, especially in its presentation. In fact it brought back those far away childhood memories of those late afternoons in front of the tv, or outside with the toys a make-shift Eternia setting with my friends.

I'll grant a few things that were wrong with the movie though. There were times that I think the script was either badly edited, or just too rushed at certain points. I'm also not thrilled about them being on earth, but understanding budget constraints and the idea to make these characters more real than fantasy help feed into that decision, so I let that one go. I would have also liked to see more of the characters from the toys in the movie, but have no complaints that they made up a few cool characters, like Blade.

The casting choices, I felt, were really good. Dolph Lundgren worked as He-Man, even though he can't act. He looked the part, and even pulled off the role. I could tell that he wasn't walking through the part, as many actor will do with character roles (right Mr. Clooney?). And Frank Langella the PERFECT choice for Skeletor. Langella managed to bring that character to life in a way that gave me chills. Skeletor is perhaps one of the greatest villains ever imagined, but the cartoon made him a cackling villain, who was more a buffoon than anything, therefore he didn't seem threatening. But seeing Langella make Skeletor more dark and evil put my faith back into the conviction as a great villain.

You don't have to be a die hard fan of the series to enjoy the movie. It's great fun, imaginative, and it captures a moment in time. Don't scrutinize the movie because it's different from the cartoon. Look at it for what it is, and don't focus on its faults. It had the power to recapture my imagination, so its not all that bad.


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