Conan the Barbarian (film)

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Conan the Barbarian
Directed by	John Milius
Produced by	Raffaella De Laurentiis Buzz Feitshans
Written by	Characters: Robert E. Howard Story: Edward Summer (uncredited) Screenplay: John Milius Oliver Stone
Starring	Arnold Schwarzenegger James Earl Jones
Music by	Basil Poledouris
Distributed by	Universal Studios
Release date(s)	May 14, 1982
Running time	Theatrical cut: 129 min. Extended cut: 131 min. Edited versions: 123 min. 115 min.
Language	English
Budget	$20 million
Followed by	Conan the Destroyer
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Conan the Barbarian is a 1982 film by director John Milius and is recognized as the acting breakthrough of bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger. It is loosely based on the Conan the Barbarian stories by Robert E. Howard and was written by Oliver Stone and John Milius. It was followed in 1984 by a lighter, more child-friendly, but less successful sequel, Conan the Destroyer. While its sequel is a much more traditional sword and sorcery tale that includes magic, monsters, and fantastical events, Conan the Barbarian is set in a bronze and iron age setting with a few supernatural elements.

[edit] Taglines

• Thief. Warrior. Gladiator. King.
• He conquered an empire with his sword. She conquered HIM with her bare hands.

[edit] Plot

The film opens with a quotation from Friedrich Nietzsche: "That which does not kill us makes us stronger."

A yet-unseen Wizard (Mako) narrates this story. As a young Cimmerian boy, Conan witnesses the destruction of his village at the hand of three Vanir warlords: Thulsa Doom (James Earl Jones); Doom's lieutenants, Rexor (Ben Davidson) and Thorgrim (Sven-Ole Thorsen). Thorgrim and Rexor mortally wound Conan's father (William Smith), finally killing him with their pack of trained dogs. Doom himself hypnotizes and then decapitates Conan's mother. The battle standard carried by the invading Vanir - two snakes facing each other over a black sun - is burned into the memory of young Conan.

Sold into slavery along with the other children from his village, Conan is forced with others to push a human-powered mill, The Wheel of Pain. Reaching adulthood as sole survivor, he has become strong enough to fight as a gladiator. His owner sees such potential in Conan that he takes the young slave to the Far East. There Conan is trained as a swordsman by "War Masters." After many successful fights, his owner spontaneously sets him free. After discovering a broadsword from an Ancient Atlantean king in a tomb, Conan dedicates his life to exacting revenge on Thulsa Doom.

During his travels, Conan meets two thieves: Subotai (Gerry Lopez), a Hyrkanian archer; and Valeria (Sandahl Bergman). The trio learn that a doomsday cult has arisen, one which makes extensive use of snake symbolism. While breaking into one of the cult's fortresses, in Shadizar, Conan discovers Rexor overseeing a human sacrifice; this confirms the cult's connection to Thulsa Doom. The thieves succeed in making off with (among other things) a large jewel famously dubbed "The Eye of the Serpent," and with an amulet in the shape of Thulsa Doom's Vanir battle standard: the emblem of the Snake-god Set. In the process, Conan and his fellow thieves are forced to kill Thorgrim's pet: a giant snake guarding the treasure (which Conan accidentally awoke).

As the three enjoy their stolen wealth, Valeria becomes Conan's lover. The wealth is their undoing; drunk with excess, Conan and his companions are captured by King Osric of Ophir (Max von Sydow). Initially appearing enraged, he then reveals his respect for their exploit in challenging the snake cult, and offers them a fortune to return his daughter, who has been seduced into joining the cult. He shows them a dagger, the "Fangs of the Serpent", with which a father was killed by his cultist son, and fears a similar fate awaits him.

Subotai and Valeria are uninterested in challenging Thulsa Doom, so Conan makes off on his own, pursuing his family's killer to Set's Mountain of Power. In doing this, he happens upon the Wizard Akiro who has been narrating the story up to this point (and who ultimately becomes Conan's royal chronicler, while the barbarian makes himself King of Aquilonia.) Akiro is a recluse who watches over the Mounds: a Stonehenge-like cemetery which might be haunted to boot. Conan is respectful of the Wizard's status, and the two become friends almost immediately. The following morning, before continuing on his journey to the Mountain of Power, Conan asks the Wizard of the Mounds if flowers grow anywhere nearby; they do indeed. Akiro asks who the flowers are for, and is pleased with Conan's response: "For a girl."

Arriving at the Mountain of Power, Conan mugs a priest for his robes. Then he dons a wreath made from the flowers he picked. Conan uses the snake-amulet he stole from Rexor's tower in Shadizar as a pass to reach the head of the worshippers. However, a guard becomes suspicious and shows it to Thorgrim and Rexor, who grab Conan, whom they proceed to torture. Thulsa Doom appears. He explains that the destruction of Conan's Cimmerian village was part of a campaign to solve the "Riddle of Steel," which supposedly is the key to ultimate power. Doom tells Conan the Riddle: Flesh, like steel, gains strength through trial and tempering and polishing. To prove his point, Thulsa Doom bids one of his followers - a beautiful young girl - to jump from a high ledge to her death ("Come to me, my child."), which she promptly does. Doom orders that Conan be crucified in the desert, on the Tree of Woe.

The dying Conan is found by Valeria and Subotai. They bring him to Akiro, whom Valeria orders to resurrect Conan. In response to his technique, Akiro tells Valeria that the Gods of the Mounds will exact a terrible price on whoever asks for such. Valeria tells him that she will pay the gods. Akiro's spells ward away spirits to ensure Conan's survival. As Conan's broken body heals, Valeria tells him that - if need be - she will rise against death itself to fight by his side.

Conan and his fellow adventurers enter the Mountain of Power to rescue King Osric's daughter. They witness a bizarre feast, at which the brutal cult members dine upon human body parts. The thieves battle Thulsa Doom's guards, who are led by Rexor and Thorgrim. They sweep into Doom's orgy room, scatter the snake-lord's harem and grab the princess. Sadly, Valeria is killed in mid-flight when Thulsa Doom shoots her with an "arrow" which is actually a hypnotized venomous snake. Conan brings Valeria back to the Mounds. Despite Akiro's claims that no fire will burn here, Conan cremates his lover on a funeral pyre, which is set alight in a fantastic display. Subotai sheds a tear for Valeria, and for Conan, who does not cry; therefore, his friend cries for them both.

Thulsa Doom, Rexor and Thorgrim lead their band of "Vanir" riders to recover Osric's daughter. They find the Mounds laced with boobytraps set by Conan. Conan prays to Crom, the Cimmerian God of Steel, to help him get revenge against Doom's warriors. The Vanir are ambushed or (like Thorgrim) tricked and killed by traps. Then Rexor - armed with a sword just like Conan's, taken from the barbarian's father - appears. Conan attacks Rexor murderously, and both fight hard, but the Vanir lord finally prevails over the boy he enslaved. Just as Rexor is about to slay Conan, he is struck across the eyes by the heavenly sword of...a smiling Valeria, making good on her vow to return should Conan ever need her as one of Crom's "Chosen," surrounded by a glowing aura, dressed in golden armor and a winged helmet.

With only his ears to guide him, the blind Rexor makes another attempt to butcher Conan with his own father's sword. Conan parries the death-blow but, in the process, cleaves through the sword Rexor commandeered. At last, the hulking villain is cut down by the child he orphaned. Thulsa Doom attempts to kill the princess with another enchanted arrow-snake, but this one is deflected by Subotai's shield. Doom's spell over Osric's daughter is broken at last.

That night, a torch-bearing Thulsa Doom preaches to his cult members, who also bear torches: the gleam in the eye of Set, as it were. Conan, led by Osric's daughter, kills a cult sentry, then emerges from the shadows behind Doom. The snake-lord attempts to hypnotize the barbarian, as he hypnotized Conan's mother years ago. But Conan is too strong-willed for him; he butchers Doom with his father's half-sword. The barbarian casts Doom's corpse from the temple balcony, down the steps leading up the Mountain of Power. The decapitated body and severed head of their leader come to rest at the feet of Set's followers...along with the broken sword of Conan's father. The awakened "Orphans of Doom" drop their torches into a ceremonial fountain at the base of the Mountain, then vanish into the darkness for home.

Alone, Conan sits on the Mountain of Power's steps for some time. He wonders what he should do with his life, now that he has fulfilled the one purpose which consumed him for so many years. Finally he stands up and sets fire to the Mountain of Power, which illuminates the night like a giant torch. With Subotai and Akiro in tow, Conan returns the wayward princess to Shadizar. In a scene not shown in all versions, they find King Osric dead, assassinated by a rival, and so his daughter becomes Queen of Shadizar.

The film's epilogue shows an aged Conan "wearing the jeweled crown of Aquilonia upon a troubled brow". It is revealed that Conan, Subotai and Akiro sought more adventures in the West. This is what Akiro said:

So, did Conan return the wayward daughter of King Osric to her home.

And having no further concern, he and his companions sought adventure in the West.

Many wars and feuds did Conan fight.

Honor and fear were heaped upon his name and, in time, he became a king by his own hand........ And this story shall also be told.

[edit] Alternate versions

Universal has released the film in several different versions. The original theatrical cut ran at 129 minutes. For its video release the studio offered the theatrical version as well as two shortened prints; one at 115 minutes, the other at 123 minutes. The theatrical cut was utilized for the film's first DVD release in 1998. In 2000 Universal released a collector's edition DVD. In addition to numerous special features, the version contained on this disc features an additional two minutes of footage, for a slightly extended 131-minute running time. This new cut is the only version currently available; all others are out of print.

[edit] Cast

For a large budget film, the cast of Conan the Barbarian includes an unusual number of then-inexperienced actors. Dancer Sandahl Bergman and surfer Gerry Lopez were cast in major supporting roles as Conan's closest companions. In addition to Schwarzenegger, the cast also included several famous bodybuilders including William Smith, Sven-Ole Thorsen and Franco Columbu, as well as former Oakland Raiders star Ben Davidson.

[edit] Relation to Robert E. Howard's stories

This section does not cite any references or sources. (October 2007) Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.

The movie is regarded as a departure from Robert E. Howard's Conan series and owing much more to the original script and direction of John Milius.

Some aspects of the film are drawn from different pieces of Howard's works, though many of those are conspicuously inconsistent with his Conan character. For example, while a character named Valeria appears in Red Nails, the film character's attachment to Conan and her return from the dead to save his life are more akin to Bêlit of Queen of the Black Coast. Certain elements seem to have been borrowed from non-Conan sources, including the face-changing Snake Folk and the Thulsa Doom character which originated in Howard's Kull stories. Conan's encounter with the witch in the film bears some similarity to Worms of the Earth from yet another of Howard's series, Bran Mak Morn. Thulsa Doom's monologue about fearing the dark are also drawn from that work. Other elements of the film have no relation whatsoever to Howard's stories, including the "Riddle of Steel", the Black Sun Cult of Set, Conan's adolescence in slavery, and his service as a gladiator in the East. Howard's Conan was still with his tribe in Cimmeria around the time he was 15 or 16, taking part in the destruction of the Aquilonian outpost of Venarium.

[edit] The Riddle of Steel

"He is strong! If I die, I have to go before him, and he will ask me, 'What is the riddle of steel?' If I don't know it, he will cast me out of Valhalla and laugh at me." ... "That's Crom, strong on his mountain." ~Conan the Barbarian

The theme of the movie Conan the Barbarian is centered around the Riddle of Steel. In the beginning, Conan's father explains the Cimmerian lore concerning the ancient Giant Kings of Earth stealing the secrets of forging from the god Crom. He warns Conan not to trust things of the flesh, but rather the steel in his hand. Even though Conan's father had produced a superior sword, he and the adults of Conan's village were slaughtered and they're enslaved by an overwhelming force led by Thulsa Doom.

Years later, when the adult Conan seeks out the group that murdered and enslaved his people, Doom explains an opposite interpretation of the riddle to him: "Steel isn't strong, boy. Flesh is stronger. Look around you." Thulsa motions to some of the thousands of followers surrounding his mountain who worship him as the mouthpiece of Set. He points up to the top of a cliff, "There, on the rocks, that beautiful girl." He motions to the girl, "Come to me, my child." The girl steps off the cliff and falls to her death. "That is strength, boy. That is power: the strength and power of flesh. What is steel compared to the hand that wields it? Look at the strength of your body, the desire in your heart. I gave you these...."

Conan is bound to a dead tree in the desert and left for dead. As he nears death, Subotai finds him and takes him to the old wizard's home. As Conan heals, he reflects upon the Riddle of Steel. No longer does the barbarian limit himself to direct brute assault. Using covert methods and battlefield tactics, Conan and his friends draw the enemy to them and inflict great damage. However, the cumulative result of all Conan's vengeance does not harm the overall power of Thulsa's cult. Only after his father's sword is broken does Conan realize the true answer to the riddle: all the power of both steel and flesh come from one's beliefs. As long as Conan believes Doom to have great power, he reinforces Thulsa's strength just as much as any cult follower. Conan finally defeats Thulsa Doom by controlling his own mind: choosing and implementing the belief most useful for himself.

[edit] Music

Originally, producer Dino De Laurentiis had planned a soundtrack of pop music for the movie, but was eventually persuaded by Milius to use a full orchestral score. For this purpose, Milius hired Greek-American composer Basil Poledouris, a former classmate from the film department at the University of Southern California, and tasked him to make "a continuous musical drama."^[1] The result was a choral and orchestral soundtrack that fills nearly every moment of the film, with pronounced use of leitmotifs to portray mood and character.

The violent early portions of the movie are filled with intense pieces including "Anvil of Crom", played by 24 french horns, strings and timpani, and "Riders of Doom", inspired by Prokofiev's "The Battle on Ice" from the "Alexander Nevsky" cantata. Thulsa Doom's theme, which recurs throughout the film, is based on the Gregorian chant "Dies Irae". A number of quieter pieces fill the middle of the movie, including "Civilization", "The Leaving", "The Search" and the sensuous "The Orgy" (co-written with his daughter Zoë strongly resembles Gustav Holst's The Planets Op.32 Jupiter) before the music again intensifies for a series of battle sequences at the end of the film. Other string sections clearly resemble Ralph Vaughan William's "Variations on a Theme by Thomas Tallis", namely "Atlantean Sword".

Several of the pieces, including the "Anvil of Crom" are frequently used in the movie trailers of other films by Universal Pictures, like Ridley Scott's Gladiator. Much of the film's music was also reused in Conan the Destroyer.

"Riders of Doom" is usually used for the first trailers for several games in the Legend of Zelda series.

The soundtrack has become a classic amongst movie-music collectors. Score for Conan the Barbarian is considered by many to be one of the finest examples of motion picture scoring ever written.^[2][3][4][5]

[edit] Track listing from original soundtrack album

1. "Prologue/Anvil of Crom" - 3:39
2. "Riddle of Steel" / "Riders of Doom" - 5:38
3. "Gift of Fury" - 3:50
4. "Column of Sadness / Wheel of Pain" - 4:09
5. "Atlantean Sword" 3:51
6. "Theology" / "Civilization" - 3:14
7. "Wifeing (Love Theme)" - 2:10
8. "The Search" - 3:09
9. "The Orgy" - 4:14
10. "Funeral Pyre" - 4:29
11. "Battle of the Mounds (Part 1)" - 4:53
12. "Orphans of Doom" / "The Awakening" -5:32

In the 90's, the soundtrack was re-released on CD on the Varese Sarabande label (VSD-5390) and featured an expanded score with extra/extended tracks, although the prologue narration on the opening track was removed:

[edit] Track listing from expanded VS soundtrack album

1. "Anvil of Crom" - 2:34
2. "Riddle of Steel" / "Riders of Doom" - 5:36
3. "Gift of Fury" - 3:50
4. "Wheel of Pain" - 4:09
5. "Atlantean Sword" - 3:50
6. "Theology" / "Civilization" - 3:13
7. "Wifeing (Love Theme)" - 2:10
8. "The Leaving" / "The Search" - 5:59
9. "Mountain of Power Procession" - 3:21
10. "Tree of Woe" - 3:31
11. "Recovery" - 2:11
12. "The Kitchen" / "The Orgy" - 6:30
13. "Funeral Pyre" - 4:29
14. "Battle of the Mounds" - 4:52
15. "Death of Rexor" - 5:34
16. "Orphans of Doom" / "The Awakening" - 5:31

[edit] Quotations

• Mongol General: "What is best in life?"
  Conan: "Crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of the women."
  (*Note that this is actually a paraphrased quotation accredited to Genghis Khan)^{[citation needed]}
• Conan: "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. No, all that matters, is that two stood against many. That's what's important. Valour pleases you, Crom, so grant me one request: grant me revenge! And if you do not listen, then the hell with you!"
• Conan, to Subotai: "Crom laughs at your Four Winds. Laughs from his mountain."
• Subotai to Conan: "Ha, my god is stronger- He is the everlasting sky. Your god- lives underneath it."
• King Osric: "There comes a time, thief, when the jewels cease to sparkle, when the gold loses its luster, when the throne room becomes a prison, and all that is left is a father's love for his child."
• Valeria: "To the hellfires with Thulsa Doom. He's evil; a sorcerer who can summon demons. His followers' only purpose is to die in his service... Thousands of them."
• Valeria: "All my life I've been alone. Many times I've faced death with no one to know. I would look into the huts and the tents of others in the coldest dark and I would see figures holding each other in the night. But I always passed by."
• Akiro (the wizard)'(voiceover): "Between the time when the oceans drank Atlantis, and the rise of the sons of Aryas, there was an age undreamed of. And unto this, Conan, destined to wear the jeweled crown of Aquilonia upon a troubled brow."
• Valeria: "Do you want to live forever?" (Note that this is actually a quote from Frederick the Great, to his soldiers at the Battle of Kolin^[6])
• Thulsa Doom: "Infidel defilers. They shall all drown in lakes of blood. Now they will know why they are afraid of the dark. Now they will learn why they fear the night."
• Akiro (the wizard)(voiceover): "He did not care any more... life and death... the same. Only that the crowd would be there to greet him with howls of lust and fury. He began to realize his sense of worth... he mattered."
• Subotai: "He is Conan, a Cimmerian. He will not cry, so I cry for him."
• Valeria: "All the gods, they cannot sever us. If I were dead and you were still fighting for life I'd come back from the darkness, back from the pit of hell to fight at your side."
• Conan: "For us, there is no spring. Just the wind that smells fresh before the storm."
• Akiro (the wizard): "The children of Doom...Doom's children. They told my lord the way to the Mountain of Power. They told him to throw down his sword and return to the earth. Hah! Time enough for the earth in the grave."
• Conan's father to young Conan: "No one on this earth can you trust, not men, not women, not beasts..." (points to sword) "This you can trust."
• Thulsa Doom: "Contemplate this on the Tree of Woe. Crucify him."
• Subotai to Conan: "Give me food for strength. Let me die not in hunger, but in combat."

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Wikia has a wiki on this subject: Conan
• Conan the Barbarian at the Internet Movie Database
• Conan the Barbarian at Allmovie
• Brief Article on Conan the Barbarian Mythology