Though I do consider myself (largely) a 'Child Of The 1980's,' I admit that I don't always see eye-to-eye with my peers when it comes to their film choices; and one bone of contention I've always had to pick (and defend my position) on is Albert Pyun's much celebrated The Sword And The Sorcerer.
My opinion?
Well ...
It's a perfectly acceptable B-movie opus but really not much more than that. Lee Horsley gives a solid performance as a kinda/sorta 'knight for hire' who reclaims his right to the throne once he gets his hands on a weapon of destiny. The always reliable Richard Lynch admirably chews scenery as the film's chief baddie, Cromwell; and there are a handful of recognizable faces in there worth some praise. The film's biggest asset? Kathleen Beller certainly created a sensation in those days, and her well-oiled physique definitely amps up the lite-TnA factor for those who appreciate a comely lass.
Overall, I just find the flick mired in its B-Movie roots a bit too firmly. There are no big signature action set pieces, just a few mediocre battles to fill in the gaps. It's really more of a sweaty revenge picture than anything else -- not that there's anything wrong with that -- and I guess in the 'Age of Conan' I just expected a bit more.
Though I could be wrong, I believe the film has been mired in ownership issues, and that's largely why there's never been a solid home video release for it ... but Shout Factory has come to the rescue once more. They're done a fabulous job with genre pictures over the last few years, so securing the rights to bring an all-new 4K restoration to this lesser classic should make fans of Fantasy very pleased.
At this point, I've not be able to find many details on any supplemental materials, so I'm copying and pasting what's available from a small press release I found on Bluray.com. Interested parties are encouraged to place their pre-order today via Amazon.com.
As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
My opinion?
Well ...
It's a perfectly acceptable B-movie opus but really not much more than that. Lee Horsley gives a solid performance as a kinda/sorta 'knight for hire' who reclaims his right to the throne once he gets his hands on a weapon of destiny. The always reliable Richard Lynch admirably chews scenery as the film's chief baddie, Cromwell; and there are a handful of recognizable faces in there worth some praise. The film's biggest asset? Kathleen Beller certainly created a sensation in those days, and her well-oiled physique definitely amps up the lite-TnA factor for those who appreciate a comely lass.
Overall, I just find the flick mired in its B-Movie roots a bit too firmly. There are no big signature action set pieces, just a few mediocre battles to fill in the gaps. It's really more of a sweaty revenge picture than anything else -- not that there's anything wrong with that -- and I guess in the 'Age of Conan' I just expected a bit more.
Though I could be wrong, I believe the film has been mired in ownership issues, and that's largely why there's never been a solid home video release for it ... but Shout Factory has come to the rescue once more. They're done a fabulous job with genre pictures over the last few years, so securing the rights to bring an all-new 4K restoration to this lesser classic should make fans of Fantasy very pleased.
At this point, I've not be able to find many details on any supplemental materials, so I'm copying and pasting what's available from a small press release I found on Bluray.com. Interested parties are encouraged to place their pre-order today via Amazon.com.
As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
Scream Factory will celebrate the 40th anniversary of Albert Pyun's film The Sword and the Sorcerer (1982) with a brand new Collector's Edition 4K Blu-ray, which will be available for purchase on March 15th.
Description: Meet Talon, a daring mercenary who conquers castles and dungeons alike with his lethal three-bladed sword. But when Talon learns that he is the prince of a kingdom controlled by an evil sorcerer, he is thrust into the wildest fight of his life. Can Talon rescue the beautiful princess and slay the warlock, or will he fall prey to the black magic of medieval mayhem? Lee Horsley, Kathleen Beller, Simon MacCorkindale and Richard Moll star in this action-packed adventure saga, filled with brutal battles, luscious maidens, savage monsters and more!
Description: Meet Talon, a daring mercenary who conquers castles and dungeons alike with his lethal three-bladed sword. But when Talon learns that he is the prince of a kingdom controlled by an evil sorcerer, he is thrust into the wildest fight of his life. Can Talon rescue the beautiful princess and slay the warlock, or will he fall prey to the black magic of medieval mayhem? Lee Horsley, Kathleen Beller, Simon MacCorkindale and Richard Moll star in this action-packed adventure saga, filled with brutal battles, luscious maidens, savage monsters and more!
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