The answer to the riddle of steel is "WILLPOWER". -------- It was hinted at by the opening Nietzsche quote. -------- "That which does not kill us makes us stronger." taken from the book, Twilight of the Idols: -------- Conan's father put his trust in steel, but his sword failed him when it fell from his hand. ------- Thulsa Doom trusted the flesh of his followers, but his followers couldn't save him when Conan chopped his head off. ------- Conan's will to never give in or compromise got him his revenge. -------- His willpower was unbreakable.
In the stories, Crom does not respond to prayers. His followers believe it is better not to draw his attention, for Crom is a moody god. His sole gift to his followers is the will and determination to endure.
In the beginning, Conan's father claims that you cannot trust people, only steel, and then the movie proceeds to prove him wrong. It's a surprisingly wholesome message for a movie written by Oliver Stone. :)
"Conan! What is best in life?" "To crush your enemies, to see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women." Fun Fact: James Earl Jones was a last-minute addition to the cast because of his commitments on Broadway. He and Arnold Schwarzenegger became friends on-set; Schwarzenegger helped Jones stay in shape and Jones coached Schwarzenegger on acting; so did Max Von Sydow. Silent Warrior Fact: Conan speaks very little. This was mainly because of his accent, but that forced Arnold Schwarzenegger to let his nonverbal communication to come out. No Doubles Available Fact: Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sandahl Bergman did their own stunts, as suitable body doubles couldn't be found. In fact Arnold Schwarzenegger had weapons training, martial arts training, and horseback riding lessons from specialists. He trained with an eleven-pound broadsword two hours a day for three months; each broadsword cost $10,000 and had to look weathered. He also learned climbing techniques, and how to fall and roll and jump from fifteen feet in the air. John Milius made sure all of these were videotaped, and according to Schwarzenegger, they were just as intense as training for bodybuilding competitions. The man was a legitimate fighting machine in the movie. Franco Columbu was his trainer and was rewarded with a small part in the film.
Seriously one of the greatest film scores of all time, it just complements the setting perfectly and amplifies the emotion of every scene. Huge props to Sandahl Bergman too for making Valeria one of the most badass women ever on screen, even death itself wasn't enough to stop her
Heavily inspired by Sergei Prokofiev and Carl Orf: ua-cam.com/video/xyDKezDLGTM/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/zOVP7qfWMA8/v-deo.html Not humiliating Poledorious glorious work, just to note a chain of cultural en-heritage.
Valaria came back as more than a ghost, she came back as a Valkyrie, which are amazon like warrior angels in norse mythology. The scene also hinted at her being Conan's guardian angel from there on out as well.
She promised it to him: "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."
@@elcaminante500 it is the silliest part of the movie but we have gone with human transmogrification into snakes, lusty witches enjoying pleasures then being thrown into fires and resurrection/magical healing with Conan himself. So by this point in the movie I loved it.
Nothing for nothing, I think I prefer gods who you cna tell to f off and they respect your hubris enough to directly help you, and send you a Valkyrie to cover your butt, in battle. Just sayin.
"For us, there is no spring. Just the wind that smells fresh before the storm." - Conan One of the best lines because it doesn't glorify struggle but rather reveal that it continues on for those with the strength to bear it. And that's what makes man into myth. The Conan stories are great if you ever read them. They are a different type of story that just isn't written much anymore.
@@ronweber1402 That scene wasn’t in the theatrical release. Also, in the theatrical release the epilogue scene was slightly different. The text on the screen was not read aloud by Mako and the last line was “But that is another story.” The theater was silent for a moment, and then as people realized there would be a sequel the theater erupted in applause and cheers.
Yoinked this off the conan wiki: The Wheel of Pain was a large grain mill that was powered by slaves. Their hands were shackled to the posts of the mill and they would continuously rotate the mill throughout the day. They were only freed from the wheel once they were bought, or once they gave up and died from the physical demand of the mill.
The character of Valeria was from Robert E. Howard's "Red Nails" story that was serialized (posthumously) in an issue of Weird Tales in 1936. However, many of her characteristics came from the character Bêlit in the story "Queen of the Black Coast" where she and Conan spent a few years together plundering. She was the one who said to Conan "Were I still in death and you fighting for life, I would come back from the abyss to aid you - aye, whether my spirit floated from the purple sails on the crystal sea of paradise, or writhed in the molten flames of Hell! I am yours, and all the gods and their eternities shall not sever us!" Sadly she was killed but later she aids Conan by distracting a winged creature so he could free himself from fallen debris, grab his sword, and run the creature through. He ended up setting her ship ablaze with her treasure on board as her funeral pyre.
What makes Conan's god Crom so interesting is he often hates any prayer being offered towards him and is far more likely to sabotage you in a horrible way. Crom does respect honor, valor and courage in the face of certain death so while he won't fight your battles for you, he will offer something. And thus, he sent Valaria back as a valkyrie to only give him EXACTLY enough help to win.
What is best in life? To hear Laurenn’s reviews, see her crush boredom, and hear the lamentations of all other reviewers who can not match her. By Crom !
@@LoveLaurenn here's some of my favorite movies for you to react to The Mask Of Zorro (1998) it's directed by Martin Campbell who directed two of the best James Bond movies Goldeneye (1995) & Casino Royale (2006). It stars Antonio Banderas Sir Anthony Hopkins, & Catherine Zeta-Jones. It's based on the pulp magazine character created by Johnston McCully in 1919 yes he's older than Conan by a couple of decades. The Phantom (1996) it's based on the comic strip character of the same name created by Lee Falk in King Features Syndacite in 1936. He's considered the first superhero of all time. He's certainly the first comic character in a skintight outfit. The movie that came out in the 1990s stars Billy Zane, Kristy Swanson, Catherine Zeta-Jones, James Remarr, & Treat Williams. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) based on the comic book series created by Kelvin Eastman & Peter Laird in 1984. It was until The Blair Witch Project (1999) the highest grossing independent movie ever. Hellboy(2004) it's directed by Guillermo Del Toro. It stars Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Doug Jones, & John Hurt. It's based on the comic book character created Mike Mignola for Dark Horse Comics in 1993. This character is in my top 10 comic book characters of all time. Here's my top 10 comic book characters of all time 1. Batman 2. Spider-Man 3. Hellboy 4. John Constantine 5. Spawn 6. Captain America 7. The Punisher 8. Deadpool 9. The Flash 10. Wolverine
A little trivia for you. This was shot in Spain, so Arnold became proficient enough at Spanish for day to day life. Arnie was really running from those dogs. One attacked him. He had to lose muscle bulk to be able to use a sword correctly. Arnold and Sandahl Bergman did their own stunts.
The second warrior to remove his helmet at the beginning is actor Sven Ole Thorsen, a personal friend of Arnold's and has been a supporting actor in ELEVEN Arnold movies. He also has been in at least a dozen high profile movies without Arnold as well.
The Pict scout at the beginning who was shirtless when the raiders attacked the village was Arnie's other body building friend, Frank Columbo. Frank had a few cameos in Arnold movies. He was the Terminator with the big Gatlin laser that infiltrated the human base in the first Terminator.
The Riddle of Steel is something that's never definitively answered (or explained in-depth) in the film, but you can kinda see a progression of ideas throughout. One interpretation could be: Steel is strong, but becomes brittle. Flesh is stronger, but ages and withers. The human spirit is strongest of all, transcending both steel and flesh. Perhaps Conan overcoming Doom's influence at the end is an allegory of this.
Steel, Hand, Skill, Willpower Steel is useless without the hand to wield it. The hand is useless without the skill to guide it. Skill is useless without the willpower to learn it.
The contraption Conan pushes through his early life is called "The Wheel of Pain"... But it is nothing more than a grain mil powered by slaves. The snake arrow is just a poison arrow: Thulsa Doom (AKA: Darth Vader) uses magic to turn a snake into an arrow for delivery and, on a hit, the "snake bite" delivers it's venom to the victim; so it is a much more deadly shot than a normal arrow. Not only was this Arnold's breakout role which made him a household name (Even if people would still have great difficulty pronouncing his name for years to come; never mind writing it😂), but his performance as Conan cemented the archetype of what a fantasy world "Barbarian" is suppose to look, sound and act like (The look was similar to that of the comic books from the 70s but few people outside of the comic book community were familiar with it and the character in the books was much more verbal than Arnold's Conan -Arnold made Conan a pop culture icon which everyone recognized and became the one to which all other Barbarians were compared to) Hope you will follow-up with *Conan the Destroyer* (1984): Honestly, I do not think it is as good as this one, it was an early attempt at a Lord of the Rings sort of fantasy film, but it turned out a bit more cheesy than this one. However, it is still some good "cheese" for the genre, if for no other reasons than A) It is classic Conan; and B) There wasn't that many such fantasy movies back then (But the appetite for such things clearly was there)
"Conan the Destroyer" is definitely cheesy but also fun. It's almost worth it for the call back "Camel" joke alone. The 80's spawned loads of cheesy "sword & sorcery" films, all more ridiculous than the last. "Hawk the Slayer", "Dragonslayer", "Clash of the Titans", "The Beastmaster", "Ator the fighting Eagle", "The Sword and the Sorcerer", "Deathstalker", "Krull" and loads more. I think I watched every one, some more than once. Certainly not great cinema, but if you like that sort of thing, loads of cheesy fun. And maybe entertaining "reactions"!
This was the movie that introduced me to Mako. I have loved his voice and delivery since I was a child. It was fitting that his last role was Uncle Iroh in Avatar.
"Conan, what is best in life?" "To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and, hear the lamentations of the women." My favorite movie line of ALL TIME!
The only thing I love more than being notified of Laurenn uploading a new movie reaction, is being notified of Laurenn uploading a new movie reaction to an Arnold classic... 1 year of LoveLaurenn on UA-cam!!! I'll be here for many more!!! LETS GOOOOOOOO!!! You are my favorite UA-camr, I am incredibly grateful for you and your channel.
🥺wehhhh thank you Corporal for always being here and supporting me🥰 I appreciate you so much! Can't believe it's been a year and yes many more to come😄
Basil Poledouris is one of the greatest film composers. And this is his masterpiece. It is utterly insane to me that he was never nominated for an Oscar.
King Osric at 18:11 is played by the legendary Max von Sydow. You will also remember him from your reaction to The Exorcist, he's the older priest you first meet in Iraq and than at the end (that's him on the cover silhouetted). He died in 2020 at 90 years old. You'd also most recently remember him as the Three-Eyed Raven in Game of Thrones, a sinister German doctor in Shutter Island, and had a role in the opening of Star Wars ep 7: Force Awakens. Beyond that, he had a pretty extensive and well-respected 70 year career. Everyone wanted to work with him.
Huh. This must be an extended cut or something. I never heard the "gathering blueberries with father" talk from Conan before. (and some lengthened scenes) Such a great movie. And I LOVE the scene with King Ozric! (great actor, great performance) Back from the time when Fathers were portrayed in a POSITIVE way! (unlike today) So much symbolism too. Like the Son breaking of the father's sword. The King of the Past (in the tomb) bowing his head to the "Future King".
Yeah, as far as I know, there's at least three different cuts of the film around. This appears to be the Director's Cut that was originally released on DVD several years back, which contained that scene. Then there's another Blu-Ray/Streaming variation of the Director's Cut with that scene missing and of course the Theatrical Cut.
Congrats on the year anniversary. I’m glad you got around to watching this movie. The opening score is so awesome as is the whole soundtrack. Music can really make or break a movie. I’m hoping that with Halloween coming up, we’ll see some good horror movie reactions
Basil Poledouris composed it and recorded it with the London Symphony Orchestra. Great composer! He also did the music for the sequel Conan - The Destroyer and worked a lot with Paul Verhoeven on his films made for Hollywood like Flesh+Blood, Robocop, and Starship Troopers.
While Arnold was Governor of California (2006 or 7, I think)... I was part of several schools doing a video conference with the Governors Office I was the IT guy for my school. Three classrooms in the state, and Governor Schwarzenagger was showing us around the Governors office. He had a full size movie-used prop of The Terminator from T2, and, perched tastefully over the mantle of the fireplace in the California Governors office? THAT Sword... The one from Conan. He even asked all three classes of kids if they'd ever seen Conan... 3-4 (out of about 80) kids raised their hands... Then he asked the staff.... almost ALL of us raised our hands. I don't think he was a great Governor... but, I think he was one of the nicest PEOPLE to be Governor.
He was in talks with John Milius and Universal to make a sequel, Conan the King, but then he walked away from the project to run for governor instead. I wonder what that movie would have been like.
The scene where Conan, Subotai, and Valeria sneak into the Tower of Set to steal the jewels within is very loosely inspired by a famous Conan story by Robert Howard called The Tower of the Elephant.
Fun fact, John Milius also helped Arnold with his acting and Arnold completely trusted everything that John said. James Earl Jones was so impressed by that. That he asked John to direct him that way too. Now that is real trust for any actor to have for a director.
1. Conan's mom was a serious hottie!😍😜 2. The first woman he encounters was a harpy. 3. Blonde's name was Valeria. 4. James Earl Jones is the MAN 5. One of the best endings ever. 6. "Conan the Destroyer" doesn't suck. You, "That guy had a big ol' hammer" That's what she said.🤣
I read the Conan paperback books written by Robert E. Howard when I was young (not the comic books) and when the movie came out I was insanely excited and glad that the story held very close to the book written in the 1930s. I saw it in the theater on release night and probably 5 more times after.
This movie makes me miss Mako so much (he played the crazy sorcerer that saved Conan), he was best known for being the voice of Aku in the original Samurai Jack cartoon.
As a child of the 80s thank you for watching and enjoying it. Robert E.Howard the creator of Conan would thank u. Fun fact this the first movie I ever saw and my love Arnold continued from here. He's the greatest barbarian character ever. James Earl Jones aka Darth Vader was great in this role. Conan's girlfriend was named Valeria. There's a sequel to this it's not as good as the original but check it out if like.
The answer to the “Riddle of Steel" is contained in the opening quote from Friedrich Nietzsche, “That which does not kill us makes us stronger." Conan's father told him that men and women were unreliable and that steel was the only thing that was trustworthy. Yet Conan's father was not saved by steel, and Conan managed to shatter his father's sword during his battle with Rexor. Also, Conan's friends were there for him when he needed them. Thulsa Doom told Conan that flesh was stronger than steel, yet Thulsa Doom's flesh ultimately betrayed him, as Conan was able to break free of Doom's spell and cut his head off. Conan learned at the end the the human will is stronger than steel or flesh. Steel can bend and break; flesh can succumb to age, illness, or injury; but the steel of the human will is unbreakable.
makes me wish that in the finale there was a good shot of Conan, arms extended, holding broken sword (steel) in one hand, and Doom's head (flesh) in the other...with the will of man in between.
Human will is stronger than steel? Another example of philosophers getting so caught up in their imagination that they can't even see simple reality anymore. Human will fails all the time. Every human will fails multiple times every single day. Just a deepity. Something that sounds wise or profound on the surface but turns out to be empty nonsense.
"Conan the Usurper" was the book that he becomes a king "by his own hand" which is literal. I was able to see this in theater not long after its release. It was a theater filled with majority of US Marines. For some of us, it was only months out of boot camp. You can imagine the atmosphere. I enjoyed your reaction tremendously.
I'm glad you saw the special edition with the extra character development version of the movie. Also, that contraption Arnold is pushing in the beginning is called a "Wheel of Pain". Its a grain mill grinder.
"Damn that was fucked up" ... this was basically the measurement for 80s Sci-Fi and Fantasy Films. No holds barred existential crisis as foundation for character development. Check Beastmaster, Krull, Legend, and Dragonslayer. All films with that same "fucked up" situations pushing the protagonists into the story. Love your reactions. :)
"He just sniped her with a snake-arrow? What was that?" I feel like that phrase would instantly identify this movie, and ONLY this movie, to anyone who heard it. XD
Hey Lauren, I think Conan stole the gem from the snake to offer as a gift to you to wear on your neck tattoo. I didn't know you had such pull in the world of Nordic tales and adventure. Kudos to you.
I want to thank you. Most other reviewers don't have the perception that you have. You saw the details in the background or that the broken sword was his fathers. I look reviews to see a movie through the eyes of the reviewer a second first time and you accomplished this for me. I will subscribe your channel and hope to see more like this from a person, who loves movies like myself. Thank you.😄
The guy who got killed by the trap is a legendary supporting actor and stuntman who was still buff enough twenty years later to play the veteran gladiator Tigris of Gaul in Gladiator Twenty years later.
Ah. The quintessential barbarian movie. Always a great reaction, and yours never disapoint Lauren. Loved it. I see you weren't into the barbarians cooking. What they would have done for some chickie nuggies and Chocki milk. Congratulations on a full year. Many more I hope.
You are instantly my favorite reaction UA-camr. I've been begging all the reactors I know to react to this classic and you're the first one to come through for me. Will now subscribe.
Possibly my favorite movie. The art direction is so perfect any frame could be a painting. The last movie with a literal cast of thousands and huge sets. A perfect soundtrack.
Finally someone goes back to Arnold's early years . There's more to Arnold than just " Terminator , Running Man , Total Recall ". There's also a part 2 Conan. James Earl Jones the voice of Darth Vader if you haven't notice yet 😏
There's also more to James Earl Jones than just being the voice of Darth Vader. The Great White Hope is a phenomenal film starring Jones in the lead as boxer Jack Johnson.
They got really lucky with the composer back then. No doubt. It is a cult movie and basically way better than it had any right to be. It's fun to look into the production and what the Italians did if you're into movies and how they are made too. I still enjoy the movie all those years later.
Not so much lucky; Basil Poledouris was longtime friends with writer-director John Milius. It was his gig to lose. And had Poledouris not been available, _Ennio Morricone_ was the next choice (and eventually scored this film's spinoff *Red Sonja* a few years later). It is true that a pop soundtrack was very briefly considered early on, but once they decided on a full orchestral score, they weren't going to settle for less than the best.
Arnold Noises! In all honesty this movie is awesome. Oliver Stone mixes several of the original Conan stories into this tale. And the sword he finds in the old forgotten king's tomb was recently highlighted in Stranger Things.
The vampire woman is based on Akivasha from the Conan story, Hour of the Dragon. Subutai is based on a general that was under Genghis Khan and the actor is Jerry Lopez. He was a surf buddy of the director and current owner of Jerry Lopez Surfboards.
Conan the Barbarian is more in the style of the original Conan short stories by Robert E Howard. Conana the Barbarian is more in the style & theme of the old Conan comic books of the time (not the newer Conan comic books which obviously had not been written yet but I hear they differ in tone).
Obviously Doom had magic, but i wonder if the right sized snake had enough understanding or in flight practice if it could shape and align its body to "seek" a target...? Hypothetically it "should work" 🤔🤷♂️😆
35:19 she said to him if she died, she'd come back to his side and fight. the guy he was fighting was in a berserker mode, Conan just killed his brother, and he was relentless,... so she stepped in to give Conan a chance to regain the upper hand. i'm glad you checked this one out, it's a classic for sure! another great reaction! 👍
Hey Lauren, this is why we love you as a reactor. You let the world building part of the story unfold at the begining, so that when the action part of the story kicked in you were fully invested in the world of Conan and his tale of revenge. The love of his woman Valeria was second to none and his crew of Subotai and the Wizard. You have to check out "Conan the Destoryer" I like it just a bit more than the original.
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Both Beastmaster and Destroyer were superior to Barbarian.
" Why is it green? It's like a mint green... " I think that is one of my favourite reaction video quotes for Conan. I almost spat my coffee over the keyboard. Comedy Gold 🙂
After a year of telling us to grab chiki nuggies and choccy milk... That intro was epic LOL Congrats on your 1 year anniversary on UA-cam. It's been awesome watching you conquer this journey, and I'm looking forward to all that is next. Conan is lowkey the best He-Man movie ever made. It's also wild seeing the legendary James Earl Jones in this. 13:35 After all those hours of roaming around Damascus in AC as a kid, I appreciate that reference lol P.S. Your Arnold impression's power level is over 9000 💯
"Conan is lowkey the best He-Man movie ever made." I'd argue *The Beastmaster* comes closer to the tone and feel of He-Man more than *Conan the Barbarian* does. *Conan* is very much its own thing, and very much a tribute to the entirety of Robert E. Howard's oeuvre. EDIT: That's not a knock. *The Beastmaster* is a good movie, too.
This is hands down my favourite Schwarzenegger movie and the films score is second to none. I have the soundtrack on cd and will just play it on repeat for hours especially if i'm on the xbox
Yeah, in the 80's these movies were "boys movies". You could even watch them at birthday parties if the mom organizing the party found a VHS with the nude parts censored out.
Which one? The Abrams reboot, or the classic films? If it's the latter, the director's edition of *The Motion Picture* would be the best place to start.
It's hard to convey ALL that this film IS to a newcomer, especially so many year after its release and in this new age. If you were around in those days, you had been preparing for this film your entire childhood without knowing it; you saw the gladiator films of the 50's and 60's, you saw the hard-boiled cop films and the adventure films, and maybe you even read the comic books of the same name. There is no way to accurately convey to you the impact a film like this had on the Zeitgeist of the day; it was both an anthem and a afront, to the collective sensibilities of the day. It paved the way for many a young man to go forth and better himself and taught important life lessons, like determination, courage, loyalty and faith in better days, something today's youth could use a good deal of I'm afraid.
My fav part of the film is Basil Poledouris’ score for this and the “Destroyer” sequel. have it on cd still ha ha ha. Yall recognize Mako as the wizard, might know him as Haku in Samurai Jack.
It's a chilling testament to the hypnotic or preternatural powers of persuasion Thulsa Doom possessed that even after everything he'd subjected Conan to, Conan actually momentarily wavered in that final confrontation before coming to his senses and slaying him. Small wonder he had so many enthralled cult members.
Fun little fact, even though the popularity is heavily disputed but Robert E Howard; writer of Conan, created the sword and fantasy genre. So Conan actually gave birth to Dungeons and Dragons.
Doom's henchman who got impaled by Conan's trap was played by Sven Ole Thorsen. He did several movies with Arnold Schwarzenegger. Some as an actor, others as a stuntman.
The king that hired them is in a movie that you might enjoy. Flash Gordon. He plays the Emperor. Arnolds first movie is Hercules in New York and his first western movie is called The Villain.
The screenplay for Conan The Barbarian is actually a mishmash of different stories by Conan creator Robert Howard, combining some elements from his Conan the Barbarian stories and other elements from his Kull of Atlantis stories.
Arnold was born for this role. Conan is the perfect character for his physical appearance and his portrayal was great. The universe allined... This movie is iconic.
I love how this movie is basically a D&D campaign where a barbarian meets a thief and a rogue, gets a quest from a king, is joined by a sorcerer, and kills an evil warlock cult leader.
Huge congrats on 1 year, it's very much deserved. Classic Arnold film, his early films for me are the best. Hope to have more years of your great reactions and hope you are keeping well
I love watching the reaction of women to Conan's answer to the Mongol General's question "What is best in life?", "CRUSH YOUR ENEMIES, SEE THEM DRIVEN BEFORE YOU, AND HEAR THE LAMENTATIONS OF THEIR WOMEN". Women would roll their eyes and mention something about machismo or something of that nature. Men thump their chest, let out loud grunts and yell and cheer. And before I get called out for toxic masculinity I choked up when Valeria came back like she said she would, "Even after death I come and fight by your side" she came back a Valkyrie.
Laurenn you're a ray of sunshine on UA-cam Congratulations on 1 year 🥳 Conan (old school Arnold) The villain is James Earl Jones aka the voice of Darth Vader and Mufasa in lion king. I forgot there is Human soup in this movie so Nasty!🤮 I'v been watching since the beginning. I was so impressed how classy you handled some constructive criticism I gave after one of your first videos. On top of that you seem so kind and hilarious/fun to watch. Great Job!
wehhh🥺Thank you SMav! Thanks for being a part of this community🥰I always welcome feedback and constructive criticism and do my best to use it to improve my content. Thank you for the kind words and for supporting me and my content 🙏
@@LoveLaurenn You deserve your success. I have had issues with severe depression for years and your videos really lift my mood. Thank You I look forward to seeing what's next Take care 🙂
@@smavtmb2196 Thank you🙂I'm glad my videos can be a positive distraction for you. Depression is a shitty thing to have to deal with, it weighs so heavy sometimes. You take care as well💜
The scene where Valeria comes back in spirit form was a fulfillment of her promise when she said 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.
"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."
One of my favorite movies of all time. Everything about it from Poledouris' score to the deliberately rough sets make it feel like something out of an ancient saga. Aside from Arnold, especial props to the actors who played Thulsa Doom, Valeria, and Subotai -- all are great characters with some fantastic dialogue.
My friend bought the soundtrack on cassette back in the day when we were in high school. He would give me a ride to school every morning and would come barreling out of the mist in his Oldsmobile station wagon with the windows down, blasting the score! One time the lady from across the street came out in her bathrobe and gave him an earful.
It's actually really clever that we never learn why Conan got set free. His story is being narrated by the Wizard, who serves as his bard. Thus he only knows what Conan has told him. Conan has no idea why he got set free, so we don't either.
The answer to the riddle of steel is "WILLPOWER". -------- It was hinted at by the opening Nietzsche quote. -------- "That which does not kill us makes us stronger." taken from the book, Twilight of the Idols: -------- Conan's father put his trust in steel, but his sword failed him when it fell from his hand. ------- Thulsa Doom trusted the flesh of his followers, but his followers couldn't save him when Conan chopped his head off. ------- Conan's will to never give in or compromise got him his revenge. -------- His willpower was unbreakable.
In the stories, Crom does not respond to prayers. His followers believe it is better not to draw his attention, for Crom is a moody god. His sole gift to his followers is the will and determination to endure.
In the beginning, Conan's father claims that you cannot trust people, only steel, and then the movie proceeds to prove him wrong. It's a surprisingly wholesome message for a movie written by Oliver Stone. :)
@@barreloffun10 Nice breakdown. Love it.
@@barreloffun10 yeah, crom is not a helpful God. he kinda let's things be, I think. Yes?🤔
@@barreloffun10 well it's more like if your pray for help it proves you're a weak person, which draws Crom's ire
"Conan! What is best in life?"
"To crush your enemies, to see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women."
Fun Fact: James Earl Jones was a last-minute addition to the cast because of his commitments on Broadway. He and Arnold Schwarzenegger became friends on-set; Schwarzenegger helped Jones stay in shape and Jones coached Schwarzenegger on acting; so did Max Von Sydow.
Silent Warrior Fact: Conan speaks very little. This was mainly because of his accent, but that forced Arnold Schwarzenegger to let his nonverbal communication to come out.
No Doubles Available Fact: Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sandahl Bergman did their own stunts, as suitable body doubles couldn't be found. In fact Arnold Schwarzenegger had weapons training, martial arts training, and horseback riding lessons from specialists. He trained with an eleven-pound broadsword two hours a day for three months; each broadsword cost $10,000 and had to look weathered. He also learned climbing techniques, and how to fall and roll and jump from fifteen feet in the air. John Milius made sure all of these were videotaped, and according to Schwarzenegger, they were just as intense as training for bodybuilding competitions. The man was a legitimate fighting machine in the movie. Franco Columbu was his trainer and was rewarded with a small part in the film.
Columbo, his best friend in the whole world and partner in crime!
tbf 11 pounds is incredibly massively and unhistorically heavy for a broadsword. They're normally like 3, maybe 4 pounds.
Arnold Schwarzenegger had also said that whipping that sword around like he had was exhausting due to the weight of the sword
@@karlsmith2570 Makes a lot of sense, 11lb is a lot of weight to yeet around with abandon.
@@fnglert 2-3 lbs, historically.
Seriously one of the greatest film scores of all time, it just complements the setting perfectly and amplifies the emotion of every scene. Huge props to Sandahl Bergman too for making Valeria one of the most badass women ever on screen, even death itself wasn't enough to stop her
Heavily inspired by Sergei Prokofiev and Carl Orf:
ua-cam.com/video/xyDKezDLGTM/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/zOVP7qfWMA8/v-deo.html
Not humiliating Poledorious glorious work, just to note a chain of cultural en-heritage.
Yes, Basil Poledouris is a genius
There is a YT video of an orchestra (Universal Pictures concert) playing the theme song.
ua-cam.com/video/EAFtiUoq6TE/v-deo.html
I’ve had this soundtrack in my music rotation for over 30 years (as soon as I got a CD version in the early 90s).
Valaria came back as more than a ghost, she came back as a Valkyrie, which are amazon like warrior angels in norse mythology. The scene also hinted at her being Conan's guardian angel from there on out as well.
She promised it to him:
"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."
The "Valkiries" female spirits warrior, dead collectors for Odin... Valeria became a valkirie it`s right
@@elcaminante500 it is the silliest part of the movie but we have gone with human transmogrification into snakes, lusty witches enjoying pleasures then being thrown into fires and resurrection/magical healing with Conan himself. So by this point in the movie I loved it.
She returned at the Rusult of Conans Prayer to Crom. The grim lord of the mound dont want you coming back to life then dead you stay.
@@Cau_No In the comics it was Belit who said that. Belit was Conan only true love. Valeria did exist in the comics but she wasn't interested in Conan.
Basil Poledouris knocked it out of the park with his musical score for this film, still stunning to this day!
He gets lost in the discussion of great movie composers..Granted not as prolific as Williams, Elfman, or Zimmer, he has created some iconic scores.
I love Conan's prayer before the battle. Spoken like a true barbarian. And Crom was listening.
Anyone who doubts Arnold's acting ability needs to watch that scene. His delivery of Conan's war prayer was sincere, determined, and awesome.
Nothing for nothing, I think I prefer gods who you cna tell to f off and they respect your hubris enough to directly help you, and send you a Valkyrie to cover your butt, in battle. Just sayin.
Crom is exactly like the Christian God. Doesn't give a shit about humanity
@@Aenarion28 That's the EXACT OPPOSITE of the narrative of the New Testament.
@@Thagomizer actions speak louder than words and so far the Bible is just words
When Conan says “Crom!” It’s his equivalent to saying “Oh my God!” Crom is the god of the Cimmerian Barbarians, Conan’s people.
Man, he let them down big time!
Throughout history most primitive people when confronted with something that they can't understand will blame it on a God of some sort.
@@thomasgriffiths6758 If god didn't want to be blamed, why'd he make himself omnipotent then :)
Crom it's thunder in Russian khitai it's China in Russian
or saying "Jesus!"
"For us, there is no spring. Just the wind that smells fresh before the storm." - Conan
One of the best lines because it doesn't glorify struggle but rather reveal that it continues on for those with the strength to bear it. And that's what makes man into myth.
The Conan stories are great if you ever read them. They are a different type of story that just isn't written much anymore.
What else is crazy is that (about 75% sure) this whole scene wasn't in the original theatrical release.
@@gnomesaiyan1680 I think it was in the theatrical release but it was changed from the book because he fought the dead king in the book.
@@ronweber1402 That scene wasn’t in the theatrical release. Also, in the theatrical release the epilogue scene was slightly different. The text on the screen was not read aloud by Mako and the last line was “But that is another story.” The theater was silent for a moment, and then as people realized there would be a sequel the theater erupted in applause and cheers.
yea it wasn't in the original that I watched in the 80's and then again in the late 90's and since then
@@ronweber1402 This movie has several short stories and a parts of a few books worth of plot in it.
Yoinked this off the conan wiki:
The Wheel of Pain was a large grain mill that was powered by slaves. Their hands were shackled to the posts of the mill and they would continuously rotate the mill throughout the day. They were only freed from the wheel once they were bought, or once they gave up and died from the physical demand of the mill.
Conan - possessor of the strength of twenty children!
@@LordVolkov He ate them. There were no other sources of protein available. 😋
Actually, it was just the coffee grinder for the overseer...
Thanks for droppin the knowledge! I was wondering what the was for!
@@davelister2961 Why does Conan, the largest slave, not simply eat the others?
Conan: Good idea!
The character of Valeria was from Robert E. Howard's "Red Nails" story that was serialized (posthumously) in an issue of Weird Tales in 1936. However, many of her characteristics came from the character Bêlit in the story "Queen of the Black Coast" where she and Conan spent a few years together plundering. She was the one who said to Conan "Were I still in death and you fighting for life, I would come back from the abyss to aid you - aye, whether my spirit floated from the purple sails on the crystal sea of paradise, or writhed in the molten flames of Hell! I am yours, and all the gods and their eternities shall not sever us!"
Sadly she was killed but later she aids Conan by distracting a winged creature so he could free himself from fallen debris, grab his sword, and run the creature through. He ended up setting her ship ablaze with her treasure on board as her funeral pyre.
Belit was an amazing character. "Queen of the Black Coast" (and "Red Nails") are Howard at the top of his game.
Yup
What makes Conan's god Crom so interesting is he often hates any prayer being offered towards him and is far more likely to sabotage you in a horrible way. Crom does respect honor, valor and courage in the face of certain death so while he won't fight your battles for you, he will offer something. And thus, he sent Valaria back as a valkyrie to only give him EXACTLY enough help to win.
Same thing would happen in norse myth. Odin punished a valkerie because she gave victory to the wrong warrior in battle.
What is best in life? To hear Laurenn’s reviews, see her crush boredom, and hear the lamentations of all other reviewers who can not match her. By Crom !
Oh my CROM🤣lmao this has me rolling😂Thank you Gordon!
@@LoveLaurenn here's some of my favorite movies for you to react to
The Mask Of Zorro (1998) it's directed by Martin Campbell who directed two of the best James Bond movies Goldeneye (1995) & Casino Royale (2006). It stars Antonio Banderas Sir Anthony Hopkins, & Catherine Zeta-Jones. It's based on the pulp magazine character created by Johnston McCully in 1919 yes he's older than Conan by a couple of decades.
The Phantom (1996) it's based on the comic strip character of the same name created by Lee Falk in King Features Syndacite in 1936. He's considered the first superhero of all time. He's certainly the first comic character in a skintight outfit. The movie that came out in the 1990s stars Billy Zane, Kristy Swanson, Catherine Zeta-Jones, James Remarr, & Treat Williams.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) based on the comic book series created by Kelvin Eastman & Peter Laird in 1984. It was until The Blair Witch Project (1999) the highest grossing independent movie ever.
Hellboy(2004) it's directed by Guillermo Del Toro. It stars Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Doug Jones, & John Hurt. It's based on the comic book character created Mike Mignola for Dark Horse Comics in 1993. This character is in my top 10 comic book characters of all time.
Here's my top 10 comic book characters of all time
1. Batman
2. Spider-Man
3. Hellboy
4. John Constantine
5. Spawn
6. Captain America
7. The Punisher
8. Deadpool
9. The Flash
10. Wolverine
That is good
Him saying Crom would be the same as someone exclaiming "Jesus" when shocked.
A little trivia for you. This was shot in Spain, so Arnold became proficient enough at Spanish for day to day life. Arnie was really running from those dogs. One attacked him. He had to lose muscle bulk to be able to use a sword correctly. Arnold and Sandahl Bergman did their own stunts.
The second warrior to remove his helmet at the beginning is actor Sven Ole Thorsen, a personal friend of Arnold's and has been a supporting actor in ELEVEN Arnold movies. He also has been in at least a dozen high profile movies without Arnold as well.
A true badass.
The Pict scout at the beginning who was shirtless when the raiders attacked the village was Arnie's other body building friend, Frank Columbo. Frank had a few cameos in Arnold movies. He was the Terminator with the big Gatlin laser that infiltrated the human base in the first Terminator.
Sven Ole Thorsen was the security guard in "The Running Man"
Sven Ole played the "demon" in Bruce Lees dream in the 1993 movie, Dragon: the Bruce Lee story starring Jason Scott Lee. Also a good movie imo.
Mallrats! Mallrats! Mallrats!
I highly recommend the Arnold Schwarzenegger film "True Lies"!
Yeah, but no, "AAAAaaAaAaAARGH!"
Maybe the best acting he's ever done.
It’s his best movie not named Terminator or Predator! Really good movie. PS Jamie Lee Curtis plays Anries wife!
Yes. Absolutely agree. Such a good Arnold movie
Jamie Lee killed it in this
When Laurenn realizes Thulsa Doom - James Earl Jones is the actor who voiced Darth Vader...😲
The Riddle of Steel is something that's never definitively answered (or explained in-depth) in the film, but you can kinda see a progression of ideas throughout. One interpretation could be:
Steel is strong, but becomes brittle.
Flesh is stronger, but ages and withers.
The human spirit is strongest of all, transcending both steel and flesh. Perhaps Conan overcoming Doom's influence at the end is an allegory of this.
Nice interpretation. Other aspects fit as well, such as Valeria coming back from the dead to save Conan in his one moment of need.
Steel, Hand, Skill, Willpower
Steel is useless without the hand to wield it. The hand is useless without the skill to guide it. Skill is useless without the willpower to learn it.
The contraption Conan pushes through his early life is called "The Wheel of Pain"... But it is nothing more than a grain mil powered by slaves.
The snake arrow is just a poison arrow: Thulsa Doom (AKA: Darth Vader) uses magic to turn a snake into an arrow for delivery and, on a hit, the "snake bite" delivers it's venom to the victim; so it is a much more deadly shot than a normal arrow.
Not only was this Arnold's breakout role which made him a household name (Even if people would still have great difficulty pronouncing his name for years to come; never mind writing it😂), but his performance as Conan cemented the archetype of what a fantasy world "Barbarian" is suppose to look, sound and act like (The look was similar to that of the comic books from the 70s but few people outside of the comic book community were familiar with it and the character in the books was much more verbal than Arnold's Conan -Arnold made Conan a pop culture icon which everyone recognized and became the one to which all other Barbarians were compared to)
Hope you will follow-up with *Conan the Destroyer* (1984): Honestly, I do not think it is as good as this one, it was an early attempt at a Lord of the Rings sort of fantasy film, but it turned out a bit more cheesy than this one. However, it is still some good "cheese" for the genre, if for no other reasons than A) It is classic Conan; and B) There wasn't that many such fantasy movies back then (But the appetite for such things clearly was there)
Ya definitely cheesier but still a fun watch.
Destroyer is bad in every aspect possible, a total degradation, not worth it.
then he had a bit role in red sonja LOL.. and that movie is something to behold
"Conan the Destroyer" is definitely cheesy but also fun. It's almost worth it for the call back "Camel" joke alone.
The 80's spawned loads of cheesy "sword & sorcery" films, all more ridiculous than the last. "Hawk the Slayer", "Dragonslayer", "Clash of the Titans", "The Beastmaster", "Ator the fighting Eagle", "The Sword and the Sorcerer", "Deathstalker", "Krull" and loads more.
I think I watched every one, some more than once. Certainly not great cinema, but if you like that sort of thing, loads of cheesy fun. And maybe entertaining "reactions"!
Congrats,most people don't have a clue what the Wheel of Pain was used for.
Max Von Sydow who played the King that wanted his daughter back is an awesome and iconic actor
One of my fav films ever , love the story, the score , the brutal fights , the epic scale
This was the movie that introduced me to Mako. I have loved his voice and delivery since I was a child. It was fitting that his last role was Uncle Iroh in Avatar.
"Conan, what is best in life?" "To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and, hear the lamentations of the women." My favorite movie line of ALL TIME!
The only thing I love more than being notified of Laurenn uploading a new movie reaction, is being notified of Laurenn uploading a new movie reaction to an Arnold classic... 1 year of LoveLaurenn on UA-cam!!! I'll be here for many more!!! LETS GOOOOOOOO!!! You are my favorite UA-camr, I am incredibly grateful for you and your channel.
🥺wehhhh thank you Corporal for always being here and supporting me🥰 I appreciate you so much! Can't believe it's been a year and yes many more to come😄
Basil Poledouris is one of the greatest film composers. And this is his masterpiece. It is utterly insane to me that he was never nominated for an Oscar.
King Osric at 18:11 is played by the legendary Max von Sydow. You will also remember him from your reaction to The Exorcist, he's the older priest you first meet in Iraq and than at the end (that's him on the cover silhouetted). He died in 2020 at 90 years old. You'd also most recently remember him as the Three-Eyed Raven in Game of Thrones, a sinister German doctor in Shutter Island, and had a role in the opening of Star Wars ep 7: Force Awakens. Beyond that, he had a pretty extensive and well-respected 70 year career. Everyone wanted to work with him.
Huh. This must be an extended cut or something. I never heard the "gathering blueberries with father" talk from Conan before. (and some lengthened scenes)
Such a great movie. And I LOVE the scene with King Ozric! (great actor, great performance)
Back from the time when Fathers were portrayed in a POSITIVE way! (unlike today)
So much symbolism too. Like the Son breaking of the father's sword. The King of the Past (in the tomb) bowing his head to the "Future King".
Yeah, as far as I know, there's at least three different cuts of the film around. This appears to be the Director's Cut that was originally released on DVD several years back, which contained that scene. Then there's another Blu-Ray/Streaming variation of the Director's Cut with that scene missing and of course the Theatrical Cut.
Congrats on the year anniversary. I’m glad you got around to watching this movie. The opening score is so awesome as is the whole soundtrack. Music can really make or break a movie.
I’m hoping that with Halloween coming up, we’ll see some good horror movie reactions
Basil Poledouris composed it and recorded it with the London Symphony Orchestra. Great composer! He also did the music for the sequel Conan - The Destroyer and worked a lot with Paul Verhoeven on his films made for Hollywood like Flesh+Blood, Robocop, and Starship Troopers.
Thank you McPh! I'm glad I got around to watching this too, I really liked it 😊
Do a reaction for LIFEFORCE!!!! so good!
While Arnold was Governor of California (2006 or 7, I think)... I was part of several schools doing a video conference with the Governors Office I was the IT guy for my school. Three classrooms in the state, and Governor Schwarzenagger was showing us around the Governors office. He had a full size movie-used prop of The Terminator from T2, and, perched tastefully over the mantle of the fireplace in the California Governors office? THAT Sword... The one from Conan. He even asked all three classes of kids if they'd ever seen Conan... 3-4 (out of about 80) kids raised their hands... Then he asked the staff.... almost ALL of us raised our hands. I don't think he was a great Governor... but, I think he was one of the nicest PEOPLE to be Governor.
He was in talks with John Milius and Universal to make a sequel, Conan the King, but then he walked away from the project to run for governor instead. I wonder what that movie would have been like.
The scene where Conan, Subotai, and Valeria sneak into the Tower of Set to steal the jewels within is very loosely inspired by a famous Conan story by Robert Howard called The Tower of the Elephant.
We got some readers here, I approve
The musical score is amazing
Fun fact, John Milius also helped Arnold with his acting and Arnold completely trusted everything that John said. James Earl Jones was so impressed by that. That he asked John to direct him that way too. Now that is real trust for any actor to have for a director.
1. Conan's mom was a serious hottie!😍😜
2. The first woman he encounters was a harpy.
3. Blonde's name was Valeria.
4. James Earl Jones is the MAN
5. One of the best endings ever.
6. "Conan the Destroyer" doesn't suck.
You, "That guy had a big ol' hammer"
That's what she said.🤣
I read the Conan paperback books written by Robert E. Howard when I was young (not the comic books) and when the movie came out I was insanely excited and glad that the story held very close to the book written in the 1930s. I saw it in the theater on release night and probably 5 more times after.
This movie makes me miss Mako so much (he played the crazy sorcerer that saved Conan), he was best known for being the voice of Aku in the original Samurai Jack cartoon.
he was also the voice of uncle Iroh in avatar the last airbender
As a child of the 80s thank you for watching and enjoying it.
Robert E.Howard the creator of Conan would thank u. Fun fact this the first movie I ever saw and my love Arnold continued from here. He's the greatest barbarian character ever. James Earl Jones aka Darth Vader was great in this role. Conan's girlfriend was named Valeria. There's a sequel to this it's not as good as the original but check it out if like.
The answer to the “Riddle of Steel" is contained in the opening quote from Friedrich Nietzsche, “That which does not kill us makes us stronger."
Conan's father told him that men and women were unreliable and that steel was the only thing that was trustworthy. Yet Conan's father was not saved by steel, and Conan managed to shatter his father's sword during his battle with Rexor. Also, Conan's friends were there for him when he needed them. Thulsa Doom told Conan that flesh was stronger than steel, yet Thulsa Doom's flesh ultimately betrayed him, as Conan was able to break free of Doom's spell and cut his head off.
Conan learned at the end the the human will is stronger than steel or flesh. Steel can bend and break; flesh can succumb to age, illness, or injury; but the steel of the human will is unbreakable.
Or the bad guys forgot to take the user manual (and read it) of his father's sword, so it weakened over time. Kekw.
Well I guess I know one person who's going to pass Krom's test.
Conan's will also kept him from falling under Doom's hypnotic spell.
makes me wish that in the finale there was a good shot of Conan, arms extended, holding broken sword (steel) in one hand, and Doom's head (flesh) in the other...with the will of man in between.
Human will is stronger than steel? Another example of philosophers getting so caught up in their imagination that they can't even see simple reality anymore. Human will fails all the time. Every human will fails multiple times every single day. Just a deepity. Something that sounds wise or profound on the surface but turns out to be empty nonsense.
"Conan the Usurper" was the book that he becomes a king "by his own hand" which is literal.
I was able to see this in theater not long after its release. It was a theater filled with majority of US Marines. For some of us, it was only months out of boot camp. You can imagine the atmosphere. I enjoyed your reaction tremendously.
I think when Conan says “Crom!” He’s just exclaiming, basically like “oh my god” but yes Crom is the god his father spoke of.
I'm glad you saw the special edition with the extra character development version of the movie.
Also, that contraption Arnold is pushing in the beginning is called a "Wheel of Pain". Its a grain mill grinder.
"Damn that was fucked up" ... this was basically the measurement for 80s Sci-Fi and Fantasy Films. No holds barred existential crisis as foundation for character development. Check Beastmaster, Krull, Legend, and Dragonslayer. All films with that same "fucked up" situations pushing the protagonists into the story. Love your reactions. :)
When he invokes "Crom!" it's essentially the equivilent of "Jeßus Chrißt!" or "my God!" or by etebsion...."holy crap!"
The device Conan was pushing at the beginning was a stone grain mill.
"He just sniped her with a snake-arrow? What was that?"
I feel like that phrase would instantly identify this movie, and ONLY this movie, to anyone who heard it. XD
Happy anniversary Laurenn! It's great to see your channel growing. You're so sincere and positive that it's always a pleasure to watch your reactions.
Hey Lauren, I think Conan stole the gem from the snake to offer as a gift to you to wear on your neck tattoo.
I didn't know you had such pull in the world of Nordic tales and adventure. Kudos to you.
The soundtrack of this movie is perfection
I want to thank you. Most other reviewers don't have the perception that you have. You saw the details in the background or that the broken sword was his fathers. I look reviews to see a movie through the eyes of the reviewer a second first time and you accomplished this for me. I will subscribe your channel and hope to see more like this from a person, who loves movies like myself. Thank you.😄
The "King Conan" story is long past due. I need to see that story (based on this Conan canon🤭, no substitutes). I also love Destroyer.
Just.... don't get the same director as the Jason Momoa Conan.... I like Momoa, but, that was NOT Conan!
The guy who got killed by the trap is a legendary supporting actor and stuntman who was still buff enough twenty years later to play the veteran gladiator Tigris of Gaul in Gladiator Twenty years later.
Ah. The quintessential barbarian movie. Always a great reaction, and yours never disapoint Lauren. Loved it.
I see you weren't into the barbarians cooking. What they would have done for some chickie nuggies and Chocki milk.
Congratulations on a full year. Many more I hope.
You are instantly my favorite reaction UA-camr. I've been begging all the reactors I know to react to this classic and you're the first one to come through for me. Will now subscribe.
I will always watch these movies if I see them come on. Just plain nostalgia.
Possibly my favorite movie. The art direction is so perfect any frame could be a painting. The last movie with a literal cast of thousands and huge sets. A perfect soundtrack.
Finally someone goes back to Arnold's early years . There's more to Arnold than just " Terminator , Running Man , Total Recall ". There's also a part 2 Conan. James Earl Jones the voice of Darth Vader if you haven't notice yet 😏
There's also more to James Earl Jones than just being the voice of Darth Vader. The Great White Hope is a phenomenal film starring Jones in the lead as boxer Jack Johnson.
@@samuraiwarriorsunite voice of Darth Vader is a given
I LOVE WHEN CONAN REMEMBERS HIS MOTHER THEN CUTS OFF THULSA’S HEAD
They got really lucky with the composer back then. No doubt. It is a cult movie and basically way better than it had any right to be. It's fun to look into the production and what the Italians did if you're into movies and how they are made too. I still enjoy the movie all those years later.
Agreed on the composer. If they had to settle for a cheaper, synthy score it would have hurt the movie tremendously
Not so much lucky; Basil Poledouris was longtime friends with writer-director John Milius. It was his gig to lose. And had Poledouris not been available, _Ennio Morricone_ was the next choice (and eventually scored this film's spinoff *Red Sonja* a few years later).
It is true that a pop soundtrack was very briefly considered early on, but once they decided on a full orchestral score, they weren't going to settle for less than the best.
It was Belit who told Conan she would come back to fight by his side if he needed it, Belit who came back after she was killed.
Arnold Noises! In all honesty this movie is awesome. Oliver Stone mixes several of the original Conan stories into this tale. And the sword he finds in the old forgotten king's tomb was recently highlighted in Stranger Things.
One of the most undernoticed easter eggs!
The vampire woman is based on Akivasha from the Conan story, Hour of the Dragon. Subutai is based on a general that was under Genghis Khan and the actor is Jerry Lopez. He was a surf buddy of the director and current owner of Jerry Lopez Surfboards.
Be sure not to miss the sequel - Conan: The Destroyer.
It's way sillier, but there's tons of good fun and Arnold noises to be had. And Mako returns!
Conan the Barbarian is more in the style of the original Conan short stories by Robert E Howard. Conana the Barbarian is more in the style & theme of the old Conan comic books of the time (not the newer Conan comic books which obviously had not been written yet but I hear they differ in tone).
Conan the Destroyer was but a disaster.
Painful to watch after the first one.
@@СемёнСемёнов-ы1ь I couldn't agree less, Conan the Destroyer is awesome, it's the best Dungeons and Dragons movie there ever will be :D
The hook backed mace made it worth watching.
@@raphaelperry8159 Bombata!
Fun fact is that Arnold does have the cone on sword on the wall in his office :-) what a legend
The snake arrow was just a deadly weapon, Doom used his magic to make the snake into an arrow and the snake's venom poisoned its targets.
Obviously Doom had magic, but i wonder if the right sized snake had enough understanding or in flight practice if it could shape and align its body to "seek" a target...?
Hypothetically it "should work" 🤔🤷♂️😆
@@mokane86 Since the snake didn't have any feathers on its tail, I'm going to assume the whole thing was magic... except for the venom.
35:19 she said to him if she died, she'd come back to his side and fight. the guy he was fighting was in a berserker mode, Conan just killed his brother, and he was relentless,... so she stepped in to give Conan a chance to regain the upper hand. i'm glad you checked this one out, it's a classic for sure! another great reaction! 👍
Hey Lauren, this is why we love you as a reactor. You let the world building part of the story unfold at the begining, so that when the action part of the story kicked in you were fully invested in the world of Conan and his tale of revenge. The love of his woman Valeria was second to none and his crew of Subotai and the Wizard. You have to check out "Conan the Destoryer" I like it just a bit more than the original.
Both Beastmaster and Destroyer were superior to Barbarian.
" Why is it green? It's like a mint green... " I think that is one of my favourite reaction video quotes for Conan. I almost spat my coffee over the keyboard. Comedy Gold 🙂
After a year of telling us to grab chiki nuggies and choccy milk... That intro was epic LOL Congrats on your 1 year anniversary on UA-cam. It's been awesome watching you conquer this journey, and I'm looking forward to all that is next.
Conan is lowkey the best He-Man movie ever made. It's also wild seeing the legendary James Earl Jones in this.
13:35 After all those hours of roaming around Damascus in AC as a kid, I appreciate that reference lol
P.S. Your Arnold impression's power level is over 9000 💯
"Conan is lowkey the best He-Man movie ever made."
I'd argue *The Beastmaster* comes closer to the tone and feel of He-Man more than *Conan the Barbarian* does. *Conan* is very much its own thing, and very much a tribute to the entirety of Robert E. Howard's oeuvre.
EDIT: That's not a knock. *The Beastmaster* is a good movie, too.
This is hands down my favourite Schwarzenegger movie and the films score is second to none. I have the soundtrack on cd and will just play it on repeat for hours especially if i'm on the xbox
And now imagine being 4, and getting to see this movie.
You understand now why the "offended" world of today makes no sense to us.
Yeah, in the 80's these movies were "boys movies". You could even watch them at birthday parties if the mom organizing the party found a VHS with the nude parts censored out.
Ugh, you're such a victim.
"Crom!", is Conan speak for "oh my God". He says that whenever he is amazed.
Please watch STAR TREK. 🖖
Which one? The Abrams reboot, or the classic films? If it's the latter, the director's edition of *The Motion Picture* would be the best place to start.
@@reidmason2551 Always start at the beginning!
It's hard to convey ALL that this film IS to a newcomer, especially so many year after its release and in this new age. If you were around in those days, you had been preparing for this film your entire childhood without knowing it; you saw the gladiator films of the 50's and 60's, you saw the hard-boiled cop films and the adventure films, and maybe you even read the comic books of the same name. There is no way to accurately convey to you the impact a film like this had on the Zeitgeist of the day; it was both an anthem and a afront, to the collective sensibilities of the day. It paved the way for many a young man to go forth and better himself and taught important life lessons, like determination, courage, loyalty and faith in better days, something today's youth could use a good deal of I'm afraid.
1980 I saw this movie at the age of 12. It was life changing. This and Excalibur are my markers for fantasy adventure
My fav part of the film is Basil Poledouris’ score for this and the “Destroyer” sequel. have it on cd still ha ha ha. Yall recognize Mako as the wizard, might know him as Haku in Samurai Jack.
"Princess Leia Vibe" Well The Sorcerer Thulsa Doom who transforms into a serpent Was James Earl Jones /The Voice of Darth Vader.
It's a chilling testament to the hypnotic or preternatural powers of persuasion Thulsa Doom possessed that even after everything he'd subjected Conan to, Conan actually momentarily wavered in that final confrontation before coming to his senses and slaying him. Small wonder he had so many enthralled cult members.
He is saying Crom like people used to say Jesus when things surprised them or caught them off guard.
Fun little fact, even though the popularity is heavily disputed but Robert E Howard; writer of Conan, created the sword and fantasy genre. So Conan actually gave birth to Dungeons and Dragons.
Doom's henchman who got impaled by Conan's trap was played by Sven Ole Thorsen. He did several movies with Arnold Schwarzenegger. Some as an actor, others as a stuntman.
The king that hired them is in a movie that you might enjoy. Flash Gordon. He plays the Emperor. Arnolds first movie is Hercules in New York and his first western movie is called The Villain.
7:27 historically they were grind stones, but in the movie I believe its just called the wheel of pain
The screenplay for Conan The Barbarian is actually a mishmash of different stories by Conan creator Robert Howard, combining some elements from his Conan the Barbarian stories and other elements from his Kull of Atlantis stories.
Arnold was born for this role. Conan is the perfect character for his physical appearance and his portrayal was great. The universe allined...
This movie is iconic.
I love how this movie is basically a D&D campaign where a barbarian meets a thief and a rogue, gets a quest from a king, is joined by a sorcerer, and kills an evil warlock cult leader.
Huge congrats on 1 year, it's very much deserved. Classic Arnold film, his early films for me are the best. Hope to have more years of your great reactions and hope you are keeping well
I love watching the reaction of women to Conan's answer to the Mongol General's question "What is best in life?", "CRUSH YOUR ENEMIES, SEE THEM DRIVEN BEFORE YOU, AND HEAR THE LAMENTATIONS OF THEIR WOMEN". Women would roll their eyes and mention something about machismo or something of that nature. Men thump their chest, let out loud grunts and yell and cheer.
And before I get called out for toxic masculinity I choked up when Valeria came back like she said she would, "Even after death I come and fight by your side" she came back a Valkyrie.
Valeria was amazing in this. So much of the movie's emotional weight and resonance comes from her character.
@@Don-ol8ze One of the few Actresses who actually looked like she was trying to kill people in eighties fantasy films.
I particulary love the music score of this film, is really beautiful and also subestimated.
23:18 'Poor Conan... Jesus' she says, about the crucified man.
I wonder if anyone has looked at a crucifix and proclaimed, 'Poor Jesus... Conan!'
Laurenn you're a ray of sunshine on UA-cam
Congratulations on 1 year 🥳
Conan (old school Arnold) The villain is James Earl Jones aka the voice of Darth Vader and Mufasa in lion king. I forgot there is Human soup in this movie so Nasty!🤮
I'v been watching since the beginning.
I was so impressed how classy you handled some constructive criticism I gave after one of your first videos.
On top of that you seem so kind and hilarious/fun to watch. Great Job!
wehhh🥺Thank you SMav! Thanks for being a part of this community🥰I always welcome feedback and constructive criticism and do my best to use it to improve my content. Thank you for the kind words and for supporting me and my content 🙏
@@LoveLaurenn You deserve your success. I have had issues with severe depression for years and your videos really lift my mood.
Thank You
I look forward to seeing what's next
Take care 🙂
@@smavtmb2196 Thank you🙂I'm glad my videos can be a positive distraction for you. Depression is a shitty thing to have to deal with, it weighs so heavy sometimes. You take care as well💜
The scene where Valeria comes back in spirit form was a fulfillment of her promise when she said 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.
"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."
One of my favorite movies of all time. Everything about it from Poledouris' score to the deliberately rough sets make it feel like something out of an ancient saga. Aside from Arnold, especial props to the actors who played Thulsa Doom, Valeria, and Subotai -- all are great characters with some fantastic dialogue.
Poledouris was one of the best composer of all time. That score is legendary.
Wohoooo my comment made it in the video✌️😬
I love Conan and your videos are great! Gratz for your first anniversary and keep up the good work!
wehhhh thank you Sveigar😊I loved Conan too, Arnold with the long wavy locks was awesome lol
My friend bought the soundtrack on cassette back in the day when we were in high school. He would give me a ride to school every morning and would come barreling out of the mist in his Oldsmobile station wagon with the windows down, blasting the score! One time the lady from across the street came out in her bathrobe and gave him an earful.
6:59 It is most likely supposed to be a grain or flour mill (basically the same machine).
Mako plays Akiro, the wizard of the mounds, I find him fascinating
It's actually really clever that we never learn why Conan got set free.
His story is being narrated by the Wizard, who serves as his bard. Thus he only knows what Conan has told him. Conan has no idea why he got set free, so we don't either.
While Arnold doesn’t have the same dark hair as the book Conan, I must admit he really embodies the role.
The music was AMAZING for this movie. It was just as much a part of the movie as everything else. I loved your reactions!
Great Review and Happy Anniversary! Can't wait to see what you got coming, especially for October.