A Reel 40: CONAN THE BARBARIAN

“What is best in life?”

 

This month marks the 40^th anniversary of John Milius’ CONAN THE BARBARIAN. 

 

Based on the writings of Robert E. Howard, and based on a screenplay by Milius and Oliver Stone, CONAN is an epic story of a barbarian (Arnold Schwarzenegger) who seeks vengeance for the death of his parents, who were killed by cult leader Thulsa Doom (James Earl Jones). 

The film was put into production in the late 1970’s, when the success of STAR WARS (1977) had studios looking to capitalize on the new interest in heroic tales and adventures. After years of stops and starts, young filmmaker John Milius was chosen to helm the project. Milius was known in the film industry for his big-nuts, macho screenplays for DIRTY HARRY (1971), and MAGNUM FORCE (1973), and was a perfect fit for the tale of a muscle-bound warrior who settled everything with the might of his sword. 

Milius cast a young and virtual unknown (in cinema), bodybuilding star with the odd name of Schwarzenegger as the lead, who was eventually tutored on-set by James Earl Jones and co-star Max von Sydow. Arnold was joined by actress Sandahl Bergman, along with Gerry Lopez, Mako Iwamatsu, and Valerie Quennessen. The three main actors; Schwarzenegger, Bergman, and Lopez, underwent intense martial arts and sword fighting training prior to filming. Filming began in October of 1980 at England’s Shepperton Studios, and locations across Spain, and was completed the following May. Basil Poledouris provided the score. 

 

Despite mixed reviews, CONAN opened in first place at the box office in its opening weekend, and was a consistent earner to become a financial success. Sandahl Bergman was awarded a Golden Globe for New Star of the Year-Actress. Over the years, CONAN has become a pop culture icon and has earned placement on the American Film Institute’s 100 Years lists, including 100 Heroes and Villains, 100 Years of Film Scores, and Top 10 Fantasy Film. 

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CONAN is often unfairly dismissed as a soul-less blood-and-guts flick. Although it does have plenty of bloodshed, its inspirations stretch back to classic films like KWAIDEN (1964) and SEVEN SAMURAI (1954). CONAN stuck with those themes and while it still kept true to the brutal slayings that the books were chock full of, it also had basic, human themes of spirituality, grand adventure, faith and love, and a little bit of sorcery thrown in for good measure. CONAN also employed some fantastic, sweeping cinematography; a gorgeous film that is not edited as much as it is composed; using the most-excellent music and towering, minimal dialogue to tell its story. It is a story of revenge that has inspired a generation of films from the Oscar-winning GLADIATOR (2000) to this year’s THE NORTHMAN, but at its heart is its message to truly find what is best for each one of our lives. 

 

“To crush your enemies, to see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women…!”

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The year of 1982 was a landmark for cinema. Read Reel Speak's recap of the year HERE

A Reel 20: SPIDER-MAN

“With great power…”

 

This month marks the 20^th anniversary of Sam Raimi’s SPIDER-MAN. 

 

Based on the massively popular Marvel Comics superhero that was created in 1962 by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, SPIDER-MAN was a box office smash, cultural hit, and kickstarted the superhero film genre into the era we are in today. The character’s swing on the big screen for the first time was a long one. After years of a TV presence in live-action and animated form, development on a feature film began in the 1980’s, with directors such as Tobe Hooper and James Cameron attached at various points. The project would stall many times due to licensing and financial issues, but was eventually picked up by Columbia Pictures in 1999. 

 

Action directors such as Roland Emmerich (INDEPENDENCE DAY), Michael Bay (ARMAGEDDON), and Tony Scott (TOP GUN), were considered, before the job would go to Sam Raimi…who had a reputation as a horror director after cultural hits such as THE EVIL DEAD (1981), and the kinda-sorta superhero film DARKMAN (1990). For the vital role of Peter Parker, the boy who would become Spider-Man, actors such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Jude Law, and Heath Ledger were considered. The role would go to Tobey Maguire, who was Raimi’s first choice after seeing him in the 1999 drama THE CIDER HOUSE RULES. The rest of the cast would be filled out with James Franco, Kristen Dunst, J.K. Simmons, Cliff Robertson, and Rosemary Harris. The role of the Big Bad in the story, the Green Goblin, would go to Willem Dafoe. 

 

Filming began in November of 2000 in New York City and Sony Pictures soundstages, with a release date set for a year later. That release date was later postponed to May of 2002 after an extended post-production schedule. After the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, some sequences and scenes were re-filmed, and early teasers and posters were later recalled which had images of the World Trade Center towers. Danny Elfman composed the score. 

 

Upon release, SPIDER-MAN became the first film to pass the $100 million mark in a single weekend, on its way to becoming the highest grossing superhero film of all time; a mark that it would hold until THE DARK KNIGHT arrived in 2008. SPIDER-MAN would finish as the third highest-grossing film of the year, behind THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS and HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS. The film was praised by critics, and was nominated for two Oscars; Best Visual Effects and Best Sound. The film would spawn two sequels, released in 2004 and 2007. 

 

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After 20 years of superhero films, most of which dominated by the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), it’s easy to overlook the impact that SPIDER-MAN had back in 2002. The superhero genre was a joke in cinematic circles for more than a decade before X-MEN arrived in 2000 and 2002 and got it going for real again, and then SPIDER-MAN kicked it into high gear; a gear that is still spinning strong today. Last year, Tobey Maguire’s version of Peter Parker and Spidey was invited and welcomed into the MCU, and it offered a long overdue closure for the character; ending a 20-year arc that fans had been waiting for. Spider-Man is arguably the most popular superhero of all time, and back then Sam Raimi seemed to know that he had the burden of doing the character justice, and justice he did. In the grand picture, SPIDER-MAN has its place, and on its own, it is a fun, super-adventure…and does everything that it is supposed to. 

 

“…comes great responsibility.”

 

 

 

A Reel Review: DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS

One of the many reasons why the mighty Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has been so successful for the last 15 years is they have always acquired (and maintained), the right talent for the right jobs. This applies mostly for the casting, and in some cases, especially with DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS, the director. 

 

Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), travels through the multiverse in an effort to protect America Chavez (Xochiti Gomez), a teenager with the power to travel between universes, while Wanda/Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen), may have other ideas for use of such a power. 

 

Twenty years ago this month, director Sam Raimi, who had made a bloody splash with the hit horror franchise THE EVIL DEAD, kickstarted the superhero genre with SPIDER-MAN and its two sequels. Here with MADNESS, Raimi brings his experience in superhero work and horror films together in an exciting and sometimes horrifying mashup. In true superhero fashion, Strange’s first order of business is to protect; to keep young America from having her power stripped by an evil entity who could do unimaginable terrors with multiverse-travelling ability; it’s a movie of protecting one to save many, and it is an earnest superhero core that drives the film. 

 

Strange also has to deal with a traumatized Wanda, who is still reeling from events of her past and has other ideas of what to do with America’s powers. Wanda is a full-blown witch now, which gives Raimi the chance to play in his old (haunted) treehouse. Wanda puts Strange and America through all sorts of terrors including the walking dead, bodies being shredded, jump-scares, doppelgangers, and horrifying imagery. The MCU has made some classic superhero films in the past by crossbreeding superheroes with other genres, and this time we get Marvel’s first true horror film. 

 

The ability to travel through different universes introduces us to super-characters from the past that are stand-up-and-cheer worthy, and Raimi gives them all their due. Raimi puts his stamp all over the film with his horror roots, but also with his trademark non-traditional camera angles, zooms, and editing. There is an energy to the film that is electrifying, and there are no dull moments. Pacing is brisk, the visuals stunning, and the set-pieces breathtaking. Danny Elfman’s score is somewhat generic and lacks the international vibe that the previous DOCTOR STRANGE film score carried. And it is fair to say that MADNESS does require a fair amount of homework, as the film harks back to several past MCU films and the TV shows.

 

Acting is excellent. Benedict Cumberbatch has a full hold on his character and elevates him even after five appearances. Elizabeth Olsen steals the show and is a powerhouse. Xochiti Gomez is a delight. The rest of the cast, including Benedict Wong, Rachel McAdams, and Chiwetel Ejiofor are perfect. 

 

As with all MCU films, despite the spectacle and heavy lights and sounds in front of us, MADNESS still winds up as a character-driven piece, as every major action taken to launch the problems and resolve them are done as the characters need to do for their own personal stories and journeys. It’s perfectly balanced, just like Sam Raimi’s ideas for horror films and superheroes. 

 

BOTTOM LINE: See it 

A Reel Preview: The Year in Film 2022 - Episode V

Ever since JAWS (1975), and STAR WARS (1977), the month of May has become the official start of the Summer Movie Season, and for the first time in nearly three years, we’re getting a month that actually feels like it. Here are the notable releases for the month of May:

 

 

 

DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS – The 28^th film in the ongoing Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), has Doc Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), the Master of the Mystic Arts, travelling into alternate universes to protect a young girl from a wrathful Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen). It is directed by Sam Raimi, who kick-started the superhero film genre with SPIDER-MAN (2002), and SPIDER-MAN 2 (2004). 

 

 

 

FIRESTARTER – Based on the Stephen King novel and the 1984 film adaptation of the same name, where a father (Zac Efron), tries to protect his powerful, fire-wielding daughter from a secret government agency. 

 

 

 

EMERGENCY – In this comedy-thriller, three college students return home after a night of partying to find an unconscious woman in their home. 

 

 

 

DOWNTON ABBEY: A NEW ERA – A continuation of the massively popular TV series that ran from 2010 to 2015, and the 2019 film. This time, the Crawley family journeys to France to uncover a family mystery while a film is being shot in their home. Simon Curtis, who directed the acclaimed MY WEEK WITH MARILYN in 2011, directs. 

 

 

 

THE BOB’S BURGERS MOVIE – The first big-screen adventure for the popular BOB’S BURGERS TV series. This time, the Belcher family sees a sinkhole right in front of their shop, which threatens their hopes for a successful summer. 

 

 

 

TOP GUN: MAVERICK – The long-awaited sequel to the 1986 classic. Tom Cruise reprises his role as Maverick; one of the greatest fighter pilots of all time, who finds himself training graduates for a special mission…including the son of his long-dead best friend. The cast includes Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Ed Harris, and Val Kilmer. It is directed by Joseph Kosinski (TRON: LEGACY). 

 

 

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Next month, Reel Speak previews the month of June. 

 

 

 

A Reel 20: STAR WARS: EPISODE II - ATTACK OF THE CLONES

“Someday I will be the most powerful Jedi ever…”

This month marks the 20^th anniversary of George Lucas’ STAR WARS: EPISODE II – ATTACK OF THE CLONES. 

 

The second film in the Prequel Trilogy that started in 1999 with THE PHANTOM MENACE, ATTACK OF THE CLONES continued the story of the rise and fall of Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker; the young man destined to become Darth Vader, and the eventual fall of the noble Jedi Knights and the peaceful Republic. 

 

Written and directed by series creator George Lucas, the film was set 10 years after the events of THE PHANTOM MENACE, and had many goals of not only continuing the story of Anakin, the Jedi, and the Republic, but to set up various backstories including the popular bounty hunter Boba Fett, the origin of the famed Imperial Stormtroopers, and the eventual marriage of Anakin and Padme Amidala…parents of Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia. The script had a rushed process with Lucas doing the writing with help from Jonathan Hales, who had written several episodes of THE YOUNG INDIANA JONES CHRONICLES. The screenplay was completed just one week before filming. 

 

For the role of Anakin Skywalker, Lucas cast 19-year-old Canadian Actor Hayden Christiansen. He was joined by the returning supporting cast of Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Ian McDiarmid, and Samuel L. Jackson. Newcomers to the franchise included famed actor Christopher Lee, along with Temuera Morrison, Daniel Logan, Bonnie Piesse, and Joel Edgerton.

 

Filming began in June of 2000 across locations in Tunisia, Spain, London, China, and Italy. The production advanced technical development: discarding traditional 35mm film for digital, and often creating shots through filming and CGI using elements that were shot miles and years apart from each other. John Williams returned to provide the score. 

 

Upon release, ATTACK OF THE CLONES was met with mixed reviews from critics and fans. At the box office, it would become the second-fastest film to reach $100 million, but despite this, it would be the first STAR WARS film to be outgrossed in its year of release; placing third domestically and fourth worldwide. Despite this, it is still among the 100 highest-grossing films of all time. It was nominated for Best Visual Effects at the 75^th Academy Awards. 

 

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Today, ATTACK OF THE CLONES is not looked at favorably by STAR WARS fans, with many considering it to be among the worst in the franchise (this Blogger ranked it 10^th out of 11 live-action films in his STAR WARS ranking HERE). The complaints are many, ranging from the dialogue, acting, humor, and slow-burning pacing. But there are still many things to appreciate in CLONES. The action sequences (they are sparse, admittingly), when they do come, are excellent…and the last 20 minutes, when the famed Clone Wars begins, is pure STAR WARS big-screen fun. And the crumbling of the Republic from within suddenly has a relevance in today’s world. The filming techniques used set a new standard in the industry; changing the way films would be conceptualized, shot, edited…and even projected. Story-wise, CLONES has several strong building-blocks that would inspire future STAR WARS TV projects: THE CLONE WARS (2008-2020), THE BAD BATCH (2021), and THE BOOK OF BOBA FETT (2022). Despite any flaws, ATTACK OF THE CLONES still stands as an important step in the larger world of STAR WARS. 

 

 

“Begun, the Clone War has…”