Picked this one up for viewing after reading Nathan's review (http://www.coldfusionvideo.com/b/barbarians.html) this week.
This movie has all the elements: evil overlord, muscle-bound barbarian heroes, gypsy queen in need of rescuing, a dragon, a magic ruby, magic weapons, it's got it all. Almost like someone said "let's throw all the genre cliches ina blender and sorta write a story around what comes out"
What works well is that their is a fair amount of tongue-in-cheek humour to what's going on. Like Nathan said, "smart people making a knowingly stupid film." it's obvious this is not high cinema and everyone involved seems to know it so they all seem to be just having a good time. The dialog between the Paul brothers and their side-kick is pretty witty and for the most part fun to watch. Alhough I've seen better animatronic animals at the local Chuck E Cheese pizza place then the dragon they give us here
However, again like Nathan points out, the story line falls apart toward the end. The direction and editing go a bit disjointed, but the story just goes off the deep end into places where you swear two writers were trying to outdo each other in writing scenes that made no sense.
Still, on balance, more enjoyable then most Sword and Sandle genre flicks. Doesn't take itself too seriously. Definately better done than any of the Ator movies, and more light-hearted entertaining than "The Sword And The Sorcerer" or "Beastmaster II" (or III)
I am glad to hear that someone enjoyed "The Barbarians." It was for me one of the least enjoyable films I have ever seen. Having said that, Peter and David Paul, or the Barbarian Brothers as they were also known, had a pretty good film career for about ten years. From "D.C. Cab" in 1984 to "Twin Sitters" (my favorite of their films) in 1994. Among the other films they can be seen in are "The Flamingo Kid," "Road Raiders," "Ghost Writer," "Think Big," and "Double Trouble." They also--apparently--had small parts in "Natural Born Killers" Though, all their scenes were--apparently--left on the cutting room floor.
I found this movie enjoyable for a goofy movie, although I always found it annoying that the two of them and their female sidekick are the only ones who don't make any effort to sound like they're from that time period. I know that a truly realistic movie probably wouldn't even have them speaking english, but at least the other actors made some attempt not to sound modern.
When I was way younger I used to watch this movie everyweek. I think my sister still has the cassette. However I fear trying to watch it now because I fear how much I have grown and how much I would hate it .
My dad, my sister, and I watched this on Movie Channel back in the 80s one summer afternoon, we had a hoot laughing at it. We especially loved the primitive psychology experiment of tormenting the two brothers seperately while wearing distinctive masks so that years later they could face each other in gladitorial combat and fight more aggressively since each thought he was finally getting his cahnce to get back at his tormentor. Maybe the Dirtmaster was also taking post-graduate classes from the Crom School of Behavioral Science at Cimmeria University working toward a masters degree in Pictish studies.
And never mind the Atkins diet, how did the brothers get so buff (and tan) eating dungeon gruel when all the other prisoners were weak, pale, and emaciated?
I am glad to hear that someone enjoyed "The Barbarians." It was for me one of the least enjoyable films I have ever seen.
Keep in mind that the S&S genre doesn't have a lot that would be considered 'good' and you're really only hoping for 'entertaining' in some way
See, if more people would just rely upon my opinions as gospel truth, the world would be a much better place.
(....and it's time to put away the Weekend Ego before I head off to the office...)
Sorry I haven't read all the messages, but isn't Roger Corman making a "Barbaian" movie, due out in 2003! Hey, we are already in 2003!