RICHARD FLEISCHER
Bil’s rating (out of 5): BB.5.
The Netherlands/USA, 1985. Dino De Laurentiis Company, Famous Films. Story by Roy Thomas, Gerry Conway, Screenplay by Stanley Mann, based on the character by Robert E. Howard. Cinematography by Jack Cardiff. Produced by Christian Ferry. Music by Ennio Morricone. Production Design by Danilo Donati. Costume Design by Danilo Donati. Film Editing by Frank J. Urioste.
This fantasy adventure is so terrible it’s actually fun. Brigitte Nielsen gives an awkward performance (emotionally, not physically) as a sword-wielding babe who has been gifted by a goddess to have superpowers useful for defeating the evil, villainous queen (Sandahl Bergman) who murdered Nielsen’s entire family and burned their home to the ground. Our heroine has a score to settle, and so sets out immediately on her quest to be avenged. Along the way she adds the companionship of a pint-sized prince with no kingdom and a musclebound hero (Arnold Schwarzenegger) who proves to be her only worthy adversary in the arena of sword-fighting. If you can get over the cheap-looking sets and the laughable dialogue…well then you’d be missing point, wouldn’t you? Terrific costumes by Danilo Donati and some good fight matches are pleasures worth noting.
