This set is currently available from Arrow Video and can be purchased either on 4K Ultra HD or on Blu-ray. Each title can also be purchased individually.
In the early 1980s, sword and sorcery/fantasy movies were making a big comeback. 1981 saw the release of titles like Excalibur, Dragonslayer, Clash of the Titans and Heavy Metal. Universal Pictures decided to get in on the action, allowing writer/director John Milius (who penned the Dirty Harry sequel Magnum Force and Apocalypse Now) to adapt a famous character created by author Robert E. Howard that had also been famously translated into comics. The filmmaker cast a relatively unknown Austrian ex-bodybuilder turned actor to take on the lead role. The result was Conan the Barbarian (1982) one of the best fantasy films of its era.
Arrow Video recently acquired the rights to this film and its sequel and have given the titles a remarkable 4K Ultra HD picture upgrade taken from the original negative. The Conan Chronicles set arrives with what appears to be all previously released bonuses from earlier editions and some wonderful new extras that add even more insight into the productions. These are films of the early 80s and multiple cuts are included, and so there is some grain present. Still, these movies have never looked this good before and are striking to witness in 4K. More details pop out and the results are remarkable. This set is a must-own for any fans of the franchise.
In Conan the Barbarian, we are introduced to an ancient world filled with violent rulers and invaders, attaining even more power in the process. After his father and mother are slain during a raid led by sorcerer Thulsa Doom (James Earl Jones), the orphaned Conan finds himself working as a slave. He grows up to be a fearsome gladiator (played by Arnold Schwarzenegger) and eventually escapes. Now free, he is asked by King Osric (Max von Sydow) to save his daughter from the very same individuals who killed his parents. Seeing his opportunity to enact his own vengeance on Doom, Conan immediately agrees and is eventually joined in his quest by Subotai (Gerry Lopez), Valeria (Sandahl Bergman) and The Wizard (Mako). Along the way, he crosses paths with a witch, giant snakes and more fantastic enemies.
While the movie is in many respects over-the-top, including a famous comment by the lead that the meaning of a man’s life is essentially, “To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women,” along with numerous scenes involving brutal violence. Yet somehow, it all works. Milius and co-writer Oliver Stone (Platoon, Wall Street, JFK) take the character seriously and play everything in an earnest manner. The film is very faithful to its source material and the action scenes are exceptionally well-handled and exciting to watch. The memorably brazen score by Basil Poledouris (The Hunt for Red October, Robocop, Starship Troopers) really helps sell the mood and atmosphere. The effects work is also incredible, with some of the epic landscapes featuring castles and massive structures still looking impressive (more so than today, where productions sometimes employ obvious CGI effects).
And of course, Arnold Schwarzenegger makes a powerful impression. This was his first major feature and, despite the thick accent, is full of charisma and sells the exaggerated material. This is an epic, with many memorable images, bizarre creatures, swordplay and elaborately staged battles. It even has a bit of heart as its driven lead character is forced to deal with numerous tragedies over the course of the story. As sword and sorcery movies go, this is one of the best.
This release includes three cuts of the movie available through seamless branching. They include the theatrical cut, the extended cut and an extended cut (which runs three minutes longer than the theatrical version).
The movie has been released on other formats which have included a great commentary track featuring Milius and Schwarzenegger. This archived track is enjoyable as the pair reminisce about making the movie. It was Schwarzenegger’s big break and he remembers the production well. One also gets the sense that Milius was a massive fan of the character and went to extremes to make a faithful and effective adaptation of the source materials. Some of his techniques were hard on the cast and crew, but it’s clear that the filmmaker was, well, obsessed with doing Conan justice.
Just as remarkable is the new commentary track by genre historian Paul M. Sammon. The journalist covered the production of the movie in Spain for various outlets and was present for much of the shoot. His details of being on set are vivid and he tells wonderful stories about meeting Schwarzenegger and observing Milius at work. Some of the big details Sammon reveals about Milius was that the director could be a bit extreme in his conservative views, but that many cast members (particularly female ones) would definitely stand up to him and successfully fire back if his comments got too out of hand.
He was very impressed by Milius’ skills as a filmmaker and passion for the project. The other big note is how graphic the rushes were. Geysers of blood were used and there was so much blood that it shocked and infuriated producer Dino De Laurentiis, who wanted the movie to reach as wide an audience as possible. While box office results were strong for the R-rated final version, the producer always lamented that it could have been even bigger with a less-severe rating. The final versions presented here were significantly trimmed and Sammon describes some of the nastiness that was also shot and didn’t make it into the picture. It’s an excellent commentary track.
Additionally, an additional Blu-ray of extras include lengthy making-of documentary from 2000, new interviews with the production artist, costume designer, special effects crew members, cast members, visual effects crew members, a film historian who wrote a book on the Conan series and a John Milius expert. There is also a discussion with filmmaker Robert Eggers who talks about this film’s influence on his recent feature The Northman. Additionally, you’ll get archived featurettes on the movie’s literary and comic book roots, a talk with a sword master, a tribute to composer Basil Poledouris and a literal ton of press materials for the film. It’s all so detailed that viewers will feel like experts on the movie once they get through it all.
Conan the Destroyer followed a couple of years later and did not make the same kind of lasting impression. While Schwarzenegger returned and was an even bigger star at the time, the movie had a different director (as well as new writers), an episodic structure and a much lighter tone. In fact, the PG-13 feature is downright campy at times.
The film begins with Conan (Arnold Schwarzenegger) wandering the lands, hoping to find his own kingdom. But in this film, he’s now partnered with thief (and comic relief) Malak (Tracey Walter). The pair encounter Queen Taramis of Shadzar (Sarah Douglas), who promises to use her magic to fulfill Conan’s deepest wish. That is, if he agrees to escort the Queen’s niece, Princess Jehnna (Olivia d’Abo) on a perilous journey to find a magical jeweled horn. Accompanying them on the adventure is guard Bombaata (Wilt Chamberlain). Along the way, a bandit warrior named Zula (Grace Jones) joins the group, as does Conan’s friend Akiro (Mako). The group squares off against an evil wizard in the process. Conan and Jehnna soon discover that Queen Taramis has sinister plans and that one of their own is helping her to accomplish her ultimate goal.
The sets and effects (in regards to miniatures and backdrops) still look phenomenal and composer Basil Poledouris returns with an almost equally epic score. However, the tone is different. As mentioned, everything is sillier about this production. Director Richard Fleischer (20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Fantastic Voyage, Doctor Dolittle, Soylent Green) does everything he can to keep Conan in as little clothing as humanly possible. The movie is full of corny jokes that don’t always work. And the fight scenes, while reasonably well-staged, aren’t as tense and don’t have as much punch to them as the film’s predecessor.
Conan the Destroyer is, in many respects, a fun picture that delivers some enjoyable cornball moments – Conan’s battle with a monster in a hall of mirrors and the finale featuring another creature are entertaining, but it certainly can’t compare to the original. It delivers campy thrills as opposed to an epic fantasy.
As with Conan the Barbarian, the image quality is fantastic and vastly improved over previous editions. Again, the bonus features are excellent and enlightening about what was going on behind-the-scenes. There are archived audio commentaries featuring late director Fleischer going through his work on the picture, as well as a track with co-stars Olivia d’Abo and Tracey Walter. Another fun commentary features Sarah Douglas (who plays the villain) chatting with genre historians on the movie. She seems amused by her appearance in the movie and shares plenty of fun moments from the shoot, including an oily, difficult-to-shoot sex scene she filmed with Schwarzenegger and was later cut from the picture. All note that Fleisher was very courteous and easy to work with.
As with the first movie, the film also contains a fascinating commentary with Paul M. Sammon, who was present on the set in Mexico. He notes how Schwarzenegger was genial on-set, but not as engaged. By this point in his career, he was unhappy with producer Dino De Laurentiis about the scripts being presented to him. He was under contract with De Laurentiis, clearly felt he could do better. Indeed, this title, as well as the remaining titles he worked on for the producer (Raw Deal and Red Sonja) weren’t as sharply-written as his other movies from the mid-80s, that included The Terminator, Commando, Predator and The Running Man.
Another issue was with the Malak character, who was a last-minute recast after original actor David L. Lander was sick and diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. He believes that Walters was slightly miscast and not given enough time to make the character his own.
Sammon notes some of the impressive shots in the movie and beautiful sets, but sees many of the participants simply doing their jobs and not going all out for this production (as Milius did on the original). He also notes that De Laurentiis insisted on the PG-13 approach, hoping that a softer Conan would result in bigger box-office returns and a potential action franchise akin to James Bond. The sanitized approach ultimately worked against the picture. He also talks about his experiences with the cast and the stress that skilled producer Raffaella De Laurentiis was under, producing this title and David Lynch’s Dune back-to-back in Mexico.
The interesting cast are also the subject of a new featurette that includes a talk with the casting director Johanna Ray. She calls her assignment “stunt casting” and notes that she was asked to assign supporting roles based on the actual, real-life personalities of those being cast. This included 7-foot-tall basketball player Wilt Chamberlain, who was friendly on-set but didn’t enjoy the filmmaking process. In fact, he never appeared in another movie.
A new interview with costume designer John Bloomfeld reveals his initial meeting with Grace Jones and the fun he had with her. Essentially, her final costume wasn’t all that different to what she happened to be wearing after arriving to meet him. There is also an enjoyable talk with the art director, stunt coordinator, as well as an interview with the Conan film expert who analyzes the pluses and minuses of this follow-up. Also present on the disc are archival interviews with the writers, composer Poledouris, and plenty of publicity materials.
This reviewer had a wonderful time revisiting both of these movies and they look incredible in 4K Ultra HD. Conan the Barbarian is a fantasy classic that introduced the world to a star in the making, while Conan the Destroyer is a pulpy effort that delivers some laughs and a couple of memorable moments. The bonuses are excellent and will add a new level of appreciation for what was going on behind the scenes. This set is well worth picking up!