The summer of 1982 has been described as one of the best years in American film, including classics like “Blade Runner”, “The Thing” and “Tron”. Though, a true stand out from the year is the sword and sorcery film that made Arnold Schwarzenegger a household name, “Conan the Barbarian.”
Conan began in the pulp era as a collection of short stories following the titular barbarian. Conan made his mark in popular culture, inspiring creators like Gary Gygax and Richard Corben to create dark, fantastical settings in board games and animation. This changed in 1977 when the documentary "Pumping Iron" first screened.
The documentary follows a competition between American bodybuilders. The most prominent figure of the film is a young Arnold Schwarzenegger. Edward Pressman took notice of Schwarzenegger's commanding screen presence and realized he would be a perfect fit to play Conan. Five years later, Schwarzenegger made his screen debut as the muscle-bound barbarian.
"Conan the Barbarian" opens with Conan, orphaned by raiding conquerors and led by the Sorcerer Thulsa Doom. What follows is the quest of Conan as he seeks revenge for his tribe. Along the way, he forms alliances with other thieves, amounting to epic battles with beasts and tyrants alike.
"Conan the Barbarian" often walks a line between art film and action film with its three core elements: inspiration, story, and score, often elevating the piece. Scenes like Conan's resurrection is a blatant nod to Hoichi the Earless from "Kwaidan" while the framing of shots as characters walk through ancient vistas evokes the Kurosawa class "Stray Dog."
While the plot of saving a princess from the cult of snake worshipers evokes contemporary issues of the 'satanic panic.' It was a fear compounded by the Manson murders and materialized in the popular culture with the cult of Set portraying this internalized fear.
What elevates the film above the blockbusters of the era is its score. Basil Poledouris composed the film's score and brought a certain life to the scenes. The original compositions form a layer of the film that enhances it from the first song, "Anvil of Crom" to "Theology/Civilization" to "Battle of the Mounds"
Poledouris' score works to define a scene. Instead of merely accompanying the film, the score elevates the artwork. Scenes of a childhood, traveling and training takes on a new weight with Poledouris' orchestration.
The film has gone on to inspire other works in the genre, including spawning a whole wave of '80s Sword and Sorcery Films, sequels and spinoffs. Genndy Tartakovsky often cites Conan as an inspiration for his work, including "Samurai Jack" and the pilot of "Korgoth of Barbaria." Though, the legacy of Conan is its score.
Forty years later and Conan still inspires the works of creators. The blend of independent vision and mid-budget film spawned similar swords and sorcery features like "The Green Knight" and "The Northman."
Conan is a unique blend of history and magic that has stood the test of time. Artistic in its action and eloquent in its presentation, it truly stands out among other blockbuster films. Relive history and watch this seminal piece of American cinema.
Benjamin Ervin is a senior studying English literature and writing at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk more about it? Let Benjamin know by emailing him be425014@ohio.edu.
