Credit: Screenshot of Conan the Barbarian via YouTube
Conan the Barbarian was released in theaters in 1982 and quickly became a cult classic. The movie tells the story of Conan, a barbarian warrior who sets out to avenge the death of his parents. Conan the Barbarian was acclaimed during its premiere. The movie was praised for its story, acting, and visuals. Many people consider it one of the decade’s best movies.
Despite its positive reception, Conan the Barbarian was not a box office success. The movie only grossed $80 million against its $18 million budget, which is considered meager as far as ticket sales go. However, the movie has since gained a large following. The movie eventually spawned a sequel, Conan the Destroyer, which was released in 1984. Now, on its 40th anniversary, Conan the Barbarian is being rewatched by fans worldwide. Here are some reasons you should revisit this classic movie in 2022.
Its director, John Milius’ has the best work
John Milius is a well-known director, screenwriter, and producer. He has worked on some of Hollywood’s biggest movies, such as Apocalypse Now and Red Dawn. However, many people consider Conan the Barbarian to be his best work. The movie is a perfect example of Milius’ unique directing style. His filmmaking genius is mainly portrayed in how Conan the Barbarian is edited. The movie’s fast-paced editing makes the action scenes all the more exciting.
It’s Arnold Schwarzenegger in his most acceptable form
Credit: Screenshot of Conan the Barbarian via YouTube
Bodybuilding legend Arnold Schwarzenegger stars as the titular character Conan in Conan the Barbarian. This was Arnold’s breakout role, cemented him as one of Hollywood’s biggest action stars. Arnold delivers an excellent performance as Conan. He can convey the character’s rage and sadness. Conan the Barbarian would be the movie that would turn Arnold into one of the most iconic Hollywood stars of his generation. Until today, the actor continues to be associated with his character in the film. Thankfully, Schwarzenegger is still interested in the franchise, so much so that, as of 2019, he’s been actively working towards making another movie happen, according to The Arnold Fans. They quoted Arnold as saying: “When it comes to the movie, the sad stuff about all of this is when there’s an estate like this…The Robert E. Howard estate…when someone buys these rights, those people now own the rights, and they have their vision of what they want to do, and the guy that has the rights is some young guy, and he’s trying to figure out how to get his way through Hollywood, and this is not easy to do,” Arnold told the site. “So there are people that say to him, ‘Why don’t you start with a TV series?’ and then he negotiates for a TV series, and that falls apart. And then he goes maybe to Netflix, and that falls apart. Then he decides to make a movie, maybe.”
“But in the meantime, we have been trying to convince him for years now that the way to go is to come back and hire a great director and to do another Conan movie and have me play King Conan when Conan is like 70 years old, and he’s disgusted by sitting on the throne and being the king and then something happens after that. It’s not that far from creating a finished script. The only people who have to pull the trigger are those who own the Conan rights to do a movie. So let’s go to Netflix or whoever it is, let’s hire a creative director who can elevate the project to make it a winning project.”
It has an excellent cast
Aside from Arnold, the movie also stars James Earl Jones, Mako Iwamatsu, and Max von Sydow. These are all exceptional actors who brought their A-game to the movie. They were able to create memorable characters that helped make the movie great. James Earl Jones, in particular, is excellent as the villain, Thulsa Doom. His performance is so good that it’s easy to see why he is considered one of the greatest actors of all time. CBR even went so far as to declare that his villainous role in Conan the Barbarian is far more superior than the role he is more popular: Darth Vader.
The movie has aged well
While some movies from the 1980s have not aged well, Conan the Barbarian looks as good as it did when it first came out. The movie’s visuals are still impressive. The movie’s practical effects have held up over time. Even the movie’s use of CGI, which was groundbreaking at the time, has aged well. What’s perhaps most impressive about the movie is its use of miniatures. The movie’s sets are incredibly detailed and look fantastic.
It’s an excellent sword and sorcery film
Credit: Screenshot of Conan the Barbarian via YouTube
There was Conan the Barbarian before the movie versions of Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter came out. The movie is set in a fictional world inspired by Robert E. Howard’s stories. This is one of the reasons why the movie has aged so well. It is not tied to any specific time period. The movie’s timeless setting allows it to be enjoyed by audiences of all ages. Conan the Barbarian is one of the most iconic fantasy films of the ’80s, and it is still relevant today.
It has a great soundtrack
The movie’s soundtrack was composed by Basil Poledouris. It is one of the most iconic movie soundtracks of all time. The soundtrack perfectly captures the movie’s dark and epic tone. It is also one of the reasons why the movie has aged so well. The soundtrack is just as good today as it was when the movie was first released.
It’s a great example of ’80s action movies
Conan the Barbarian is one of the best examples of an ’80s action movie. The movie features all of the elements that made ’80s action movies great. These include over-the-top violence, larger-than-life characters, and gratuitous nudity. Conan the Barbarian is a must-watch if you’re a fan of ’80s action movies.
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