Warrior Queen (1987)

In ancient Pompeii, slaves are bought and sold for household chores and sex. A mysterious queen moves among the elite, meantime secretly helping the slaves to escape. Eventually her life is... See full summary »

Director:

Chuck Vincent

Writers:

Rick Marx (screenplay), Harry Alan Towers (original story),

Stars:

Sybil Danning, Donald Pleasence, Rick Hill

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Sybil Danning	...	Berenice
Donald Pleasence	...	Clodius
Rick Hill	...	Marcus (as Richard Hill)
Josephine Jacqueline Jones	...	Chloe (as J.J. Jones)
Tally Chanel	...	Vespa
Samantha Fox	...	Philomena (as Stasia Micula)
Suzanna Smith	...	Veneria (as Suzanne Smith)
David Brandon	...	Victo (as David Haughton)
Mario Cruciani	...	Roberto
Marco Tullio Cau	...	Goliath

Storyline

In ancient Pompeii, slaves are bought and sold for household chores and sex. A mysterious queen moves among the elite, meantime secretly helping the slaves to escape. Eventually her life is also in jeopardy, and as the volcano erupts she and the slaves attempt to escape while being chased by the military...

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Plot Keywords:

volcano | slavery | arena | stabbed in the chest | slave trade | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

January 1987 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Rainha Guerreira

Filming Locations:

Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company Credits

Production Co:

Lightning Pictures Inc.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

79 min 69 min (R-rated)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Connections

Features The Last Days of Pompeii (1959)

User Reviews

The film is dire but who cares with such a great video cover

Every male who was in his teens during the video-boom of the early 80's, must have some affection for the Barbarian/Roman epics which were in abundance. They just about skirted around the soft-porn self-embarrassment issue and could be nonchalantly given to the video shop assistant without too much shiftiness. It was an historical adventure film for the more mature viewer and the fact that this may include the occasional orgy scene, naked whipping, brothels and sumptuous exposed breasts was by the by.

'Warrior Queen' was released as the sub-genre was being replaced with mainstream films which could now get away with graphic simulated sex scenes - 'Fatal Attraction' was released the same year. No tarty business-woman could replace a statuesque, Amazon-like, 6-ft blonde, wielding a huge sword though.

The video cover for 'Warrior Queen' is almost certainly the film's highpoint, featuring a trio of muscular, tanned, bikini-clad beauties. Needless to say, the film itself is pretty crap - although there is just about enough going on to not feel completely cheated.

The film begins with a sub-title informing us that this is "Pompeii, August 22, 79 AD". Sybil Danning is a visiting Queen, entertained by Pompeii's ruler, a shambling Donald Pleasence who was presumably desperate for work. Along the way to the films inevitable conclusion (featuring lots of stock footage of a volcano doing its worst), we are treated to a pretty good slave auction scene; a rubbish arm-wrestling contest, complete with poisoned spikes; a gladiatorial duel featuring Goliath (a baddie, played by a big dumb Steve Reeves/Lou Ferrigno lookalike) against an opponent, both tied to pillars throwing discus's at each other; and a hang-tough contest played over a floor of wooden stakes.

Whilst not up to the standard of Sybil Danning's other Roman epic 'The Seven Magnificent Gladiators'-1983, 'Warrior Queen' provides enough nostalgia to give the viewer an entertaining hour or so of adolescent memories.