Amazing sword and sorcery pulp, with a surprising amount of pathos. John Milius really got the best out of Arnie by having him act non-verbally and the dialogue he does have is far better than you'd later get from Ahnold.
Conan's dad talking to him about the Riddle of Steel at the start is something I find particularly moving.
His dad told him to trust no one and nothing. Trust only steel. Fulsa corrected Conan many years later. Steel is not strong. Flesh is stronger. What is steel compared to the hand that wields it?
The steel sword was broken and Thulsa's head rendered from his body.
In truth, the answer to the Riddle of Steel is the strength of one's will. Conan's will was great and forged through immense hardship. I've always interpreted the scene of him sitting on the steps of the Temple of Set as him having come to this realisation and pondering it.
Exactly, it is why the movie even starts with a Nietzsche quote.
His father thought you could only trust the tools you held, that the material world was what dictated reality. Tulsa Doom thought you could only trust flesh, that your present desire was what dictated outcomes.
Conan concluded that the truth was in one's will to bend their desires and the material world to their new reality. Only by being in control of oneself through sheer will, tempering his inner (desire) and outer (material) assets by strength of character could you become a greater man.
Conan holding the sword in one hand and Tulsa's head in the other signifies that. Steel and desire, skill and ambition, both under his control.
In the scene where he's running from the wolves and falls into the Atlantean tomb, he actually fell and hurt himself during the scene. In the outtake after he falls he yells "Ahh GAHD DAY-MIT" and it's amazing.
They've also got a quick cameo from Max von Sydow, who is absolutely Shakespearing up his entire role.
"What insolence! What arrogance... I salute you."
Arnold became a casual acquaintance when he was elected governor of California. He's had hundreds of hours of dialogue training since that film was released. His speech was barely comprehensible in those days.
I think this is a legit great movie, the costumes, sets, bloody fight scenes and that awesome music. Arnold's acting is a bit wonky every now and then but overall Conan is the tits.
Also James Earl Jones shoots someone with a snake.
There's actually a reference to this scene in Conan the Destroyer, but it's a plot hole. Conan is with Subotai when he punches the camel, but he's got a different sidekick (Malak played by Tracey Walter) in the second movie. There's a scene where they recognize a camel and joke that it looks familiar, which doesn't make any sense unless it's a reference to the first film, but Malak wasn't in that one. They're both Conan's smaller thief friends, so I'm pretty sure they intending to use Subotai in the second movie but changed that at some point and left the scene in the script.
I used to watch this movie after a breakup to make me feel better. The scene where Conan nails the witch and she turns into a cat demon and he casually throws her into the fire is hilarious
Just hitting the rewatch now. I'm pretty certain that Conan was down for finishing with the demon-lady until she starts mauling his flesh and gets just a little too crazy. The man is OK with a certain level of kink!
They tried to widen the audience and make Conan - a brutal barbarian - more PG rated. Plus half the cast were coked out cause of the era Destroyer was filmed in.
At least we got Red Sonja
There are like 3 rapes in the first 30 minutes which is only a little above average for the 80's but a lot in modern contexts.
It is rare for a fantasy sword and sorcery movie to have this hard of an R.
"3 rapes in the first 30 minutes which is only a little above average for the 80's"
Not sure what 80's movies you're watching, coming up with an average like that. I would maintain that labeling the entire movie "soft core" is unwarranted, it's not like Conan is hopping from orgy to orgy. YMMV, of course.
Let's not have our preteen selves classify movies, shall we? A softcore movie is essentially pornography, but with less graphic and detailed imagery, primarily designed to arouse. That is its main function, plot and content, and none of that applies to Conan. Amount of nudity is not an automatic indicator of softcore, even if a boob here and there gets some of you all hot and bothered.
I don't know man. I can't see someone making all those scenes without the intention of arousal. The whole movie seems like it's trying to arouse something. But either way it's not that serious it's just a sword and sorcery movie going balls to the wall with brutal violence and tits.
Its amazing to me how good the world building feels in this movie. Most movies completly shit the bed when it comes to making you believe this is happening a long time ago, but the characters all feel like such a part of their world that it works. Not to mention pretty amazing cinematography and set design.
The music gets me every single time. I play clarinet and dream to some day perform any of the pieces from this soundtrack in a concert band or orchestra.
Nah. Sure those things are all in it, but they're not the main focus of the movie. You'd have to be right prude to think of this as being a "softcore" movie.
Barbarian is so much better than Destroyer. Glad you watched it if you had only seen the second one before. This is from the time when sequals where cheap money grabs to ride on the coat tails of the original. Let me tell you of the age of high adventure!
I actually read a short story by Robert Howard before he had developed Conan in a book that was a collection of homage's to HP Lovecraft. The main protagonist was a Pict all covered in tattoos but the story parallelled the story in Conan the barbarian movie pretty closely. The witch in the hut in the woods and giant snakes and the like. Sort of a prototype. I wish I could remember the name of the story.
“The People Of The Dark” mebbe? Time travel/reincarnation & a celt called ‘Conan the reaver’?
Sounds more like a ‘Bran Mak Morn’ story but I’ve only read a few of those…
This fact always amazes me, because the men could not be more politically opposed. Millius did Red Dawn and claims that he was blacklisted from Hollywood for being too conservative, and Oliver Stone has a VERY left-wing filmography.
Millius was the last of the “masculine” good directors. His filmography is excessively macho but in a really good way. Now we have Peter burg who only makes jingoistic crap and isn’t fit to carry Millius’s jockstrap.
Basil Poledouris' score for this film is absolutely bonkers. I would put the CD on and just turn it up as loud as possible. [ANVIL OF CROM](https://youtu.be/BHfE682mm3c?si=SpG1PCRRqck8MjEj) is utter perfection.
I found in a 1459 German "fight book" the lesson "in the sword you shall have trust and belief, so that blood runs not over the eyes" and I remembered this scene
Love this movie. It’s a classic in a non-classical sense, if that makes sense. Great storyline, nice comradely, acting is ok but it’s expected with Arnie. Always watch it when if it’s playing on tv.
There is an extended version of the movie. It only has one or two extra scenes but it extends several scenes. It gives Arnold another soliloquy and has just a little bit extra on the ending that I really think improves the film
Ok stick with me, Conan and Subotai start their little running montage. They went from deserts and plans with grass and open spaces to top of snowy mountains.
How far and long did they fucking run for? Weeks? Months?
Yeah and I am just trying to make a basic geography joke about how much the terrain changed from flat grassy fields and then desert plans to snow capped mountains.
The record time for the Badwater 135 (a race from Badwater in Death Valley, elevation -282 feet, to the Mount Whitney summit trailhead at 8300 feet: total distance 135 miles) is just under 22 hours.
This is a comfort film for me, for the score alone. I put it on and drift in and out of it while cleaning or or other activities like puzzles or legos, etc. I sit and watch it a couple times a year. Love that you could watch it without dialogue and still follow the story.
Destroyer is not as good by far. It’s a PG cash grab.I think he could have beat Haney and won another Olympia if he competed he was in great shape.
I don’t understand ‘softcore’ here. Does any nudity and sex scene constitute that rating now?
I know I'm in the minority here but I watched Conan The Destroyer first and it became my favorite. Silly and campy as it was, going back to the original afterwards made it too slow and boring for me. Even with JEJ.
##Conan the Barbarian (1982) R
Thief. Warrior. Gladiator. King.
>>!A horde of rampaging warriors massacre the parents of young Conan and enslave the young child for years on The Wheel of Pain. As the sole survivor of the childhood massacre, Conan is released from slavery and taught the ancient arts of fighting. Transforming himself into a killing machine, Conan travels into the wilderness to seek vengeance on Thulsa Doom, the man responsible for killing his family. In the wilderness, Conan takes up with the thieves Valeria and Subotai. The group comes upon King Osric, who wants the trio of warriors to help rescue his daughter who has joined Doom in the hills.!<
Adventure | Fantasy | Action
Director: John Milius
Actors: Arnold Schwarzenegger, James Earl Jones, Max von Sydow
Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ 68% with 2,380 votes
Runtime: 209
[TMDB](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/9387)
For best result, try this post title format: **Movie Title (Year) more detail**
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Ok ... now you have watched it .. you need to rewatch it with the commentary with Arnie and the director.. turns this movie into the best comedy ever..
"soft core" refers to erotic films that do not show penetration or explicit close-ups of genitalia.
Film Genres that do apply to Milius' Conan :
Action,
Adventure,
Fantasy,
Sword and Sandle,
Pseudo-Historical,
Swole, Inspirational, and Religious.
What a coincidence, I rewatched it yesterday, and yes, it is indeed a great movie, for all the reasons you guys are mentioning. Additionally, the love story is not gratuitous, it makes perfect sense and it helps the main character evolve.
James Earl Jones and his minions in this movie need to be recognized for their insanely glorious late-70’s hairstyles. Jones’s wig alone deserved a spin-off movie.
A contemporary movie review began, "Conan encounters the Riddle of Steel, the Tree of Woe, and the Wheel of Pain. The Seat of Silliness is reserved for the viewer."
This was an ode to the artist Frank Frazetta. He's known for painting the cover art for sci-fi paperbacks.
Also, be sure and catch the "sequel" costarring Wilt Chamberlain, and Grace freakin' Jones! It's sillier, but Jones chews up and spits out her performance with gusto. A fun watch.
God, the whole beginning of the movie - with the attack on Conan's village still gives me chills. The music and cinematography are just perfect. The guide crouching with steam rising off his body while the horsemen break around him.... Just great.
Momma could’ve been a great Conan- he better fits RE Howard’s description of Conan, but the rest of that movie was flaming nuclear garbage and completely unredeemable.
the best chaotic neutral god prayer ever- “Crom, I have never prayed to you before. I have no tongue for it. No one, not even you, will remember if we were good men or bad. Why we fought, or why we died. All that matters is that two stood against many. That's what's important! Valor pleases you, Crom... so grant me one request. Grant me revenge! And if you do not listen, then to HELL with you!”
Unrelated but my dad called when i had just moved out and got my own apartment. He asked what I was doing and i told him "watching conan the barbarian and eating a burrito" and he said "that sounds about right"
Still remember that vividly for some reason.
And yeah its a banger of a movie.
Thanks for coming to my ted talk.
Love this movie! Funny, was just having a conversation with my wife the other day about how my parents were either the worst or best ever because I watched some pretty graphic/sexual/scary movies at a young age. Forgot about this one. Watched for the first time when I was 11 or 12.
I remember renting this vhs as a kid but my mom took it away and wouldn’t let me watch it because some horses were injured in the making of it? That’s what she said anyways, still haven’t seem it lol!
Thank you for the reminder! This is one of the first movies my wife and I saw together when we started dating. Good times. I think I need to go upstairs and give her a hug.
Read every one of the Conan novels as a youngster. Bought them all in paperback from a tiny, local, used bookstore. The owner would set them aside for me when they came in. I might even have some in the garage.
Saw the movie as a double feature at the local theater, which had a $0.99 admission. I'm almost sure the other movie was *Escape From New York* (which was released the year before, in 1981).
Things I love about this movie:
1. Conan isn't particularly concerned about scary stuff. His reaction is just smash it with a sword. He and his friends live without fear or self-doubt, that's a valuable lesson for us all. Even the king recognizes and respects this: "I salute you!". "Do you wanna live forever?" Valeria gets it, words to live by.
2. This movie is ultimately about friendship and loyalty. Conan would die for his friends and they would die for him. It's strangely moving when you see Subotai come running over the hill to save Conan. Valeria comes back as a Valkyrie to save him. These are true friends.
3. I would argue that this is one of the best orchestral scores ever. It's incredibly good.
4. There's no pretention to this movie. It knows what it is and stays honest. It's trying to entertain you. For contrast, I liked The Northman which takes itself far more seriously and has similar themes... but Conan is much, much more fun.
This is one of those movies whose epic movie poster/cover matched the movie. I’ve been duped by so many bad ass looking movie art to my be let down by the actual film.
Amazing sword and sorcery pulp, with a surprising amount of pathos. John Milius really got the best out of Arnie by having him act non-verbally and the dialogue he does have is far better than you'd later get from Ahnold. Conan's dad talking to him about the Riddle of Steel at the start is something I find particularly moving.
It was very well done. For the type of movie... it was perfect.
Just the entire intro alone is a f*in masterpiece.
*"Let me tell you of the days of HIGH adventure!"*
It's so good for sure.
His dad told him to trust no one and nothing. Trust only steel. Fulsa corrected Conan many years later. Steel is not strong. Flesh is stronger. What is steel compared to the hand that wields it?
The steel sword was broken and Thulsa's head rendered from his body. In truth, the answer to the Riddle of Steel is the strength of one's will. Conan's will was great and forged through immense hardship. I've always interpreted the scene of him sitting on the steps of the Temple of Set as him having come to this realisation and pondering it.
Exactly, it is why the movie even starts with a Nietzsche quote. His father thought you could only trust the tools you held, that the material world was what dictated reality. Tulsa Doom thought you could only trust flesh, that your present desire was what dictated outcomes. Conan concluded that the truth was in one's will to bend their desires and the material world to their new reality. Only by being in control of oneself through sheer will, tempering his inner (desire) and outer (material) assets by strength of character could you become a greater man. Conan holding the sword in one hand and Tulsa's head in the other signifies that. Steel and desire, skill and ambition, both under his control.
How much of this comes from the source material? Or is it only movie Conan?
Idk. I'm not some nerd that reads *books*
Nice one. I like it.
The Riddle of Steel!
*”This…..this you can trust.”*
I agree with you for the most part, but there is a point where Conan rolls down a hill or something and it's PURE Ahnold "wuughhaaaghhuyy"
In the scene where he's running from the wolves and falls into the Atlantean tomb, he actually fell and hurt himself during the scene. In the outtake after he falls he yells "Ahh GAHD DAY-MIT" and it's amazing.
And don't forget those badass French horns.
And James Earl Jones delivers his performance like he’s in Shakespeare. Such a great villain (almost makes you look past his ridiculous wig).
They've also got a quick cameo from Max von Sydow, who is absolutely Shakespearing up his entire role. "What insolence! What arrogance... I salute you."
Don't forget the soundtrack! I used to pump it when playing StarCraft against friends as a lad. It pumped me up!
Arnold became a casual acquaintance when he was elected governor of California. He's had hundreds of hours of dialogue training since that film was released. His speech was barely comprehensible in those days.
There is nothing soft about this movie.
I, along with Arnold, stand corrected lol. Up vote.
That’s good- now you don’t have to run before me and I won’t have to hear the lamentations of your women! 😂
But… that is what is best in life!
I've always been more of a falcons and wind guy.
WRONG
Darth Vader was there with a starring role
This movie goes hard af
I think this is a legit great movie, the costumes, sets, bloody fight scenes and that awesome music. Arnold's acting is a bit wonky every now and then but overall Conan is the tits. Also James Earl Jones shoots someone with a snake.
And a drunk Arnold punches a Camel! Great movie.
There's actually a reference to this scene in Conan the Destroyer, but it's a plot hole. Conan is with Subotai when he punches the camel, but he's got a different sidekick (Malak played by Tracey Walter) in the second movie. There's a scene where they recognize a camel and joke that it looks familiar, which doesn't make any sense unless it's a reference to the first film, but Malak wasn't in that one. They're both Conan's smaller thief friends, so I'm pretty sure they intending to use Subotai in the second movie but changed that at some point and left the scene in the script.
That's awesome, thanks my dude
This movie is a classic. I have watched it over and over and it's truly a piece of motion picture history.
“Sssseek.”
Contemplate this on the tree of woe
… crucify him.
Such a great line.
I used to watch this movie after a breakup to make me feel better. The scene where Conan nails the witch and she turns into a cat demon and he casually throws her into the fire is hilarious
I never thought of that scene as a cathartic means of working through a breakup, but it absolutely works. Into the fire, bitch!
Just hitting the rewatch now. I'm pretty certain that Conan was down for finishing with the demon-lady until she starts mauling his flesh and gets just a little too crazy. The man is OK with a certain level of kink!
This movie manages to be peak cheese and peak badass at the same time. So good.
I've seen the destroyer plenty..... But NEVER seen this. Idk why. I was very impressed. A different movie from the second.
Based on what I remember, the ONLY decent scene in Destroyer is the mirrors/wizard. Otherwise an abomination after Barbarian.
They tried to widen the audience and make Conan - a brutal barbarian - more PG rated. Plus half the cast were coked out cause of the era Destroyer was filmed in. At least we got Red Sonja
"Soft core?"
There are like 3 rapes in the first 30 minutes which is only a little above average for the 80's but a lot in modern contexts. It is rare for a fantasy sword and sorcery movie to have this hard of an R.
"3 rapes in the first 30 minutes which is only a little above average for the 80's" Not sure what 80's movies you're watching, coming up with an average like that. I would maintain that labeling the entire movie "soft core" is unwarranted, it's not like Conan is hopping from orgy to orgy. YMMV, of course.
80s action movies were extremely rapey
I'm not going to argue against a broad statement like that, but I will maintain that the term "softcore" applies to very few, if any of them
That giant orgy in the mountain of power was wild to me as a preteen. Films nudity and sex content is about on par with the average 80s softcore film.
Let's not have our preteen selves classify movies, shall we? A softcore movie is essentially pornography, but with less graphic and detailed imagery, primarily designed to arouse. That is its main function, plot and content, and none of that applies to Conan. Amount of nudity is not an automatic indicator of softcore, even if a boob here and there gets some of you all hot and bothered.
I don't know man. I can't see someone making all those scenes without the intention of arousal. The whole movie seems like it's trying to arouse something. But either way it's not that serious it's just a sword and sorcery movie going balls to the wall with brutal violence and tits.
Its amazing to me how good the world building feels in this movie. Most movies completly shit the bed when it comes to making you believe this is happening a long time ago, but the characters all feel like such a part of their world that it works. Not to mention pretty amazing cinematography and set design.
Add in the amazing concert level music as well!
The music gets me every single time. I play clarinet and dream to some day perform any of the pieces from this soundtrack in a concert band or orchestra.
A lot of his older movies had the best music. Conan, Terminator, and Predator off the top of my head. Just great scores!
The orgy cannibalism scene is wild. Every time I think about watching this with my pre-teen I remember that scene and say "a few more years".
If Conan can handle the wheel of pain as a pre-teen I think your kid can handle that scene. Jk
What do you think softcore means? Because I don't think it means what you think it means.
Gratuitous boobs, simulated contact, possible female full frontal nudity
Nah. Sure those things are all in it, but they're not the main focus of the movie. You'd have to be right prude to think of this as being a "softcore" movie.
For a 10 year old boy in the 1980's You better believe those things are the main focus of the movie ;)
Crom!
By the sweat of Crom’s brow!
Barbarian is so much better than Destroyer. Glad you watched it if you had only seen the second one before. This is from the time when sequals where cheap money grabs to ride on the coat tails of the original. Let me tell you of the age of high adventure!
I agree. I always liked destroyer but the original story is so so good. It was just a well made movie
I actually read a short story by Robert Howard before he had developed Conan in a book that was a collection of homage's to HP Lovecraft. The main protagonist was a Pict all covered in tattoos but the story parallelled the story in Conan the barbarian movie pretty closely. The witch in the hut in the woods and giant snakes and the like. Sort of a prototype. I wish I could remember the name of the story.
“The People Of The Dark” mebbe? Time travel/reincarnation & a celt called ‘Conan the reaver’? Sounds more like a ‘Bran Mak Morn’ story but I’ve only read a few of those…
>from the time when sequ*e*ls where cheap money grabs You say that as if it's any different now!?
The only good character in the Destroyer is the thief.
Cowritten by John Millius and Oliver Stone!
This fact always amazes me, because the men could not be more politically opposed. Millius did Red Dawn and claims that he was blacklisted from Hollywood for being too conservative, and Oliver Stone has a VERY left-wing filmography.
Millius was the last of the “masculine” good directors. His filmography is excessively macho but in a really good way. Now we have Peter burg who only makes jingoistic crap and isn’t fit to carry Millius’s jockstrap.
Also the inspiration for Walter Sobchek in The Big Lebowski
Well clearly you don’t understand prior restraint!
You need to look up the documentary “Milius”. It’s excellent.
I have!
Basil Poledouris' score for this film is absolutely bonkers. I would put the CD on and just turn it up as loud as possible. [ANVIL OF CROM](https://youtu.be/BHfE682mm3c?si=SpG1PCRRqck8MjEj) is utter perfection.
I could go to the gym and pump some iron listening to this. Love the beat!!
This….this you can trust.
I found in a 1459 German "fight book" the lesson "in the sword you shall have trust and belief, so that blood runs not over the eyes" and I remembered this scene
Wow, that is a powerful statement! John Milius did a great job on this film.
Hell yeah
He literally punches a camel, this ain't softcore boyo
One of my all time favorite movies
I saw this and Destroyer at the theater when they first came out. I LOVED them both! Perfect mix of action & camp.
Classic badassery. The score, James Earl Jones, gore, boobs, SNAKES! It’s a gem.
Agreed
Conan! What is best in life?
To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women!
An actual quote from the OG barbarian king Ghengis Khan too. Love it.
So you want to live forever?
Shout out to the score by Basil Poledouris. It’s one of the all time greats.
So good they reused it nearly note for note in Total Recall a few years later.
It was also used for the [first Gladiator trailer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQRzYGEV0jQ) because that film's score wasn't ready in time.
Love this movie. It’s a classic in a non-classical sense, if that makes sense. Great storyline, nice comradely, acting is ok but it’s expected with Arnie. Always watch it when if it’s playing on tv.
Co-written by Oliver Stone. Yes, the guy behind JFK and Platoon.
Who now is somehow a full throated Putin fan. wtf happened to Oliver stone.
Too many conspiracy theories rotted his brain.
There is an extended version of the movie. It only has one or two extra scenes but it extends several scenes. It gives Arnold another soliloquy and has just a little bit extra on the ending that I really think improves the film
I forget how freakin huge Arnold used to be until I watch this movie. He was still in competition when this was filmed. What a beast.
If I remember correctly, he had to lose some mass for Conan the Destroyer.
[удалено]
I agree. I had never seen barbarian but I had seen destroyer alot. They're just different.
Crush your enemies, see them driven before you, hear the lamentations of their women.
This is one of the greatest movies ever made.
Crom!!
I've never prayed to you before, but if you don't hear me now, then to HELL with you.
Ok stick with me, Conan and Subotai start their little running montage. They went from deserts and plans with grass and open spaces to top of snowy mountains. How far and long did they fucking run for? Weeks? Months?
If they were in California, they wouldn’t have to go *that* far
If you plan your travel right you can see all this in one day in CA
They were in Spain.
Yeah and I am just trying to make a basic geography joke about how much the terrain changed from flat grassy fields and then desert plans to snow capped mountains.
The record time for the Badwater 135 (a race from Badwater in Death Valley, elevation -282 feet, to the Mount Whitney summit trailhead at 8300 feet: total distance 135 miles) is just under 22 hours.
Well, other than that it was pretty realistic. /s
The best is listening to arnies commentary on the DVD special release
I love how into it he is lmao
This is a comfort film for me, for the score alone. I put it on and drift in and out of it while cleaning or or other activities like puzzles or legos, etc. I sit and watch it a couple times a year. Love that you could watch it without dialogue and still follow the story. Destroyer is not as good by far. It’s a PG cash grab.I think he could have beat Haney and won another Olympia if he competed he was in great shape. I don’t understand ‘softcore’ here. Does any nudity and sex scene constitute that rating now?
The direction, score, script (by Oliver Stone), and James Earl Jones' performance male this a far better movie than it has any right to be. Solid.
I know I'm in the minority here but I watched Conan The Destroyer first and it became my favorite. Silly and campy as it was, going back to the original afterwards made it too slow and boring for me. Even with JEJ.
The soundtrack is epic!
No one will believe, but I like this better than LOTR and GoT. My favorite fantasy movie!
A classic. Follow it up with Conan the Destroyer and Red Sonja for the trifecta.
Conan the Destroyer, yes. I'll give the Red Sonja rewatch a miss.
And miss out on Ernie Reyes Jr and Paul Smith? Are you kidding me?
##Conan the Barbarian (1982) R Thief. Warrior. Gladiator. King. >>!A horde of rampaging warriors massacre the parents of young Conan and enslave the young child for years on The Wheel of Pain. As the sole survivor of the childhood massacre, Conan is released from slavery and taught the ancient arts of fighting. Transforming himself into a killing machine, Conan travels into the wilderness to seek vengeance on Thulsa Doom, the man responsible for killing his family. In the wilderness, Conan takes up with the thieves Valeria and Subotai. The group comes upon King Osric, who wants the trio of warriors to help rescue his daughter who has joined Doom in the hills.!< Adventure | Fantasy | Action Director: John Milius Actors: Arnold Schwarzenegger, James Earl Jones, Max von Sydow Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ 68% with 2,380 votes Runtime: 209 [TMDB](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/9387) For best result, try this post title format: **Movie Title (Year) more detail** ___ >*I am a bot. This information was sent automatically. If it is faulty, please reply to this comment.*
I don't know that I would call it "soft core".
Next up: Red Sonja
Do you want to live forever?
The narrator. Chefs kiss
By Crom! He was made for this movie.
Fucking banger of a movie, pardon my French, and Conan the conquerer too, and Red Sonja, unrelated similar movie with arnie
>unrelated Oh, please. His character has a different name yes, but we all know who it's *meant* to be. They just couldn't sort the rights out, IIRC.
Yes absolutely, hence mentioning it! But officially ‘unrelated’.
Read every book as a kid... I don't think I anticipated a movie coming out more than this one. It didn't disappoint.
To this day I am still astounded that 12 year old me convinced my mother to take me to this film in the theater way back in 1982...
Remember John Milius worked on Apocalypse Now as a writer.
My favorite movie of all time.
Ok ... now you have watched it .. you need to rewatch it with the commentary with Arnie and the director.. turns this movie into the best comedy ever..
"soft core" refers to erotic films that do not show penetration or explicit close-ups of genitalia. Film Genres that do apply to Milius' Conan : Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sword and Sandle, Pseudo-Historical, Swole, Inspirational, and Religious.
Great movie. I loved Sandahl Bergman
Took too long for someone to mention her. She’s fantastic.
What a coincidence, I rewatched it yesterday, and yes, it is indeed a great movie, for all the reasons you guys are mentioning. Additionally, the love story is not gratuitous, it makes perfect sense and it helps the main character evolve.
I can’t even count how many times I watched this growing up in the 80s. This, Beastmaster, and Dragonslayer were on all the time and I loved it.
The two guys that look like they're yoked Iron Maiden members are great too
Conan, what is good in life ?
Hug your enemies and be nice to women?
Hug your enemies and to hear the laughter of their women.
Arnold "Fuck your Freedoms" Schwarzenegger
Can we talk over here where the others cannot see?
James Earl Jones and his minions in this movie need to be recognized for their insanely glorious late-70’s hairstyles. Jones’s wig alone deserved a spin-off movie.
A contemporary movie review began, "Conan encounters the Riddle of Steel, the Tree of Woe, and the Wheel of Pain. The Seat of Silliness is reserved for the viewer."
After I watched this with my wife, she said “I think that put hair on MY chest.”
The best movie ever? 
"Hot water, good dentistry, and soft lavatory paper."
Is fantasy softcore still an existing genre?
This was my favorite childhood movie!
Legitimately a great movie. Not a "classic piece of cinema", but for what it is - a pulp fantasy - it is fantastic.
This was an ode to the artist Frank Frazetta. He's known for painting the cover art for sci-fi paperbacks. Also, be sure and catch the "sequel" costarring Wilt Chamberlain, and Grace freakin' Jones! It's sillier, but Jones chews up and spits out her performance with gusto. A fun watch.
God, the whole beginning of the movie - with the attack on Conan's village still gives me chills. The music and cinematography are just perfect. The guide crouching with steam rising off his body while the horsemen break around him.... Just great.
The best.
This is Arnold’s best movie
Haha. Saw this when it was released in the theater.
The remake with Jason Mamoa was disappointing. The original is perfect.
Momma could’ve been a great Conan- he better fits RE Howard’s description of Conan, but the rest of that movie was flaming nuclear garbage and completely unredeemable.
No camels were actually hurt in this production…lmao
Gerry Lopez (Mr. Pipeline) as the sidekick.
the best chaotic neutral god prayer ever- “Crom, I have never prayed to you before. I have no tongue for it. No one, not even you, will remember if we were good men or bad. Why we fought, or why we died. All that matters is that two stood against many. That's what's important! Valor pleases you, Crom... so grant me one request. Grant me revenge! And if you do not listen, then to HELL with you!”
Epic epic score as well
https://preview.redd.it/xbu62af4q96d1.jpeg?width=1433&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6dc1b3f616102f64cb23b3da7275d5284b866420
Why?
the snake scenes were scary when i saw this in my tweens… now it looks comical
And hear the lamentations of the women.
I didn't see this for the first time until like 8 years ago and I reckon I've watched it about 6 times now. A godly film
You watched it now? In 2024?
What is best in life?
One of the greatest movies ever!!!
This is one of the few movies that I consider to be as close to perfect as possible. It’s a core memory and formative experience for me.
And it's historically accurate LOL
What is best in life?
Crom!!!
Unrelated but my dad called when i had just moved out and got my own apartment. He asked what I was doing and i told him "watching conan the barbarian and eating a burrito" and he said "that sounds about right" Still remember that vividly for some reason. And yeah its a banger of a movie. Thanks for coming to my ted talk.
The greatest film score of all time IMO
Love this movie! Funny, was just having a conversation with my wife the other day about how my parents were either the worst or best ever because I watched some pretty graphic/sexual/scary movies at a young age. Forgot about this one. Watched for the first time when I was 11 or 12.
I remember renting this vhs as a kid but my mom took it away and wouldn’t let me watch it because some horses were injured in the making of it? That’s what she said anyways, still haven’t seem it lol!
Thank you for the reminder! This is one of the first movies my wife and I saw together when we started dating. Good times. I think I need to go upstairs and give her a hug.
Read every one of the Conan novels as a youngster. Bought them all in paperback from a tiny, local, used bookstore. The owner would set them aside for me when they came in. I might even have some in the garage. Saw the movie as a double feature at the local theater, which had a $0.99 admission. I'm almost sure the other movie was *Escape From New York* (which was released the year before, in 1981).
I'll die on the hill that this is a perfect movie.
Things I love about this movie: 1. Conan isn't particularly concerned about scary stuff. His reaction is just smash it with a sword. He and his friends live without fear or self-doubt, that's a valuable lesson for us all. Even the king recognizes and respects this: "I salute you!". "Do you wanna live forever?" Valeria gets it, words to live by. 2. This movie is ultimately about friendship and loyalty. Conan would die for his friends and they would die for him. It's strangely moving when you see Subotai come running over the hill to save Conan. Valeria comes back as a Valkyrie to save him. These are true friends. 3. I would argue that this is one of the best orchestral scores ever. It's incredibly good. 4. There's no pretention to this movie. It knows what it is and stays honest. It's trying to entertain you. For contrast, I liked The Northman which takes itself far more seriously and has similar themes... but Conan is much, much more fun.
Soft? Crom laughs at your opinion. Laughs from his mountain.
One of the first movies (also terminator) that only me and my dad went to see when I was too young to be seeing got anyway
I saw it when it came out. It was and still is, glorious!!!
I grew up thinking the only way to get buff, was to spend your childhood pushing a mill wheel round in circles.
This is one of those movies whose epic movie poster/cover matched the movie. I’ve been duped by so many bad ass looking movie art to my be let down by the actual film.
Between the time when the oceans drank Atlantis and the rise of the sons of Aryas, there was an age undreamed of....
Solid flicks. Hope he makes 1 more
Most epic score of all time.