Krull (1983). Don’t Be Krull, To A Heart That’s True.
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- Опубліковано 5 жов 2023
- Stam Fine Reviews looks at the 1983 fantasy film Krull, directed by Peter Yates. On the planet Krull, Colwyn (Ken Marshall) has to rescue his fiancee (Lysette Anthony) from the clutches of The Beast. Also stars Freddie Jones, Francesca Annis, Liam Neeson, Alun Armstrong, Robbie Coltrane, Bernard Bresslaw.
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I really thought as a child growing up that Quicksand would play a much bigger part of my life! LOL
I was afraid to go the beach for years after watching this as a kid lol.
Whoever said that originally certainly resonated with us GenXers
Yeah every tv show had quicksand in it growing up in the 70's and 80's so spot on @@M2Mil7er
lol true. im still expecting to get stuck in it some day
I am sure Quicksand is sneaking around somewhere and when I least expect it boom...lol @@Tacsmoker
I'd argue that Krull is far from forgetable, especially for kids into genre movies growing up in the '80s VHS rental heyday.
FACT
Agree, the visuals alone are utterly unique and otherworldly. I saw it when I was 8 in the theatre, and it's still one of my favorite guilty pleasures.
Meh, I forgot all about it.
I loved Alun Armstrong's line about "Fame is an empty purse. Count it and go broke. Eat it and go hungry. Seek it and go mad." That's deep, man!
genuinely a very powerful line, I'm glad I stopped seeking fame.
This is one of my favourite movies. My wife still screams in horror from me putting it on replay too many times
Love Krull. My dad was at school with Alun Armstrong, who plays Torquil, leader of the bandits. They were in school plays together, and my dad employed Alun years later, when dad worked for the BBC.
Alun was gracious enough to call me last month, when he was informed my dad was on his deathbed. He's an absolute gentleman
Wasn't he in bridge to far
The Widow of the Web is the best scene of the movie. The gravitas of the performances, the spider effects, and James Horner's amazing score combine to make this a standout moment of the movie. One of the first Horner scores that really caught my ear.
That bit scared the crap outta me. Loved it though.
That sequence was definitely right up there with Artax's death in The Neverending Story and Justin the Rat saying "Damn" in the "animated kids' movie," The Secret of NIMH as scenes from films in the early '80s that permanently etched itself into my brain.
@@GoldenfoxxPrimenice comparisons.
It's pretty much the same score Horner used for Wrath of Khan.
Love Krull. Good acting and great scenery. I watch it at least once every couple of years. High quality B movie. Lysette Anthony is one of my many movie crushes. 👍👍
Thanks... spat my drink at "Delta without her Bannermen"
No words are enough how much I have always *loved* this movie, and not in spite of its vaults, but because of them, and not in an ironic "so bad it's good" way. It's up there, for me, with Wrath of Khan, Back to the Future, Gremlins, Ghostbusters, as one of The iconic movies of the 80s. It was required viewing for me and my old D&D Red Box group, and we would have it playing on VHS in the background during our sessions (binged with Hawk the Slayer, Conan and Dark Crystal). And it is far from "forgettable."
Yes, its reach exceeds its grasp, but it reaches so high. A high fantasy, swashbuckling adventure with elements of sci-fi and some horror. The score, by a still young and developing James Horner, is the epitome of a rousing action and adventure theme. The production design is very unique, taking familiar medieval D&D costumes, settings and weapons, and giving it an otherworldly feel. And although the world building itself is sparse, there's just enough clues dropped here and there for you to pick up and fill in yourself (for example, Ynir and Lyssa, the Widow of the Web. I've always played around with my own lore that the son they talk of, is actually The Beast (if you ignore the part where she said she killed him, but hey), and all that's happening is ultimately Ynir's fault, and giving his life is the price he must pay. Torquil, the leader of the outlaws, once served in the army of King Turold, Colwyn's father, but rebelled against him for some wrong, then his honour was restored through his adventures with Colwyn).
Is it one of the greatest movie ever made? No. Does it have its faults? Yes. Is it boring? Absolutely not. It's still one of the best rainy Saturday afternoon Bacon Roll and a Blunt matinee, when you can just throw it on, sit back, and switch off for an hour and a half.
I had a girlfriend who used to run track and field. I also liked her because of her vaults.
The shrouded woman at the centre of the web, the red sand representing the victim's life, the bells ringing to alert the spider, the gruesome end.
That scene, from the first time we rented a VHS through to this Stam Fine review, is still with me. Absolutely tense and superbly realised.
I still love this movie, warts and all. James Horner soundtrack is marvelous.
Childhood guilty pleasure that I have no shame in admitting that I absolutely love it alongside masters of the universal, blue thunder, and the wraith
haven't seen blue thunder yet, recently heard about it, is it any good?
@@AbrasiousProductions
It's personal preference but I recommend watching it at least once 😊👍
@@alanmike6883 wow.. that poster sure is foreboding and I'm a shameless slut for atmosphere so I think I'll give it a watch!
I've always loved Krull but the thing that shocked me the most about re-watching it over 20 years later was how short the film's running time is. Should have been longer, somehow; and yet, I cannot say it would have survived it.
It took me decades to finally watch this movie. My chief memory of this story is from the Alan Dean Foster novelization - which was actually quite good!
This film was always a guilty pleasure of mine. It isn't good but if you watch it in the right mood you can really enjoy it.
I was born in 2003 but raised on predominately 1970s-1990s media and my mom introduced me to this film when I was a toddler, I used to call the film "Crawl" 🤣I still cherish this film to this day, even though I'm a critic and I'm almost expected to mention it's flaws, I couldn't ever bring myself to hate it, there's a magic in films like these that I can't really explain, it's just there❤
I always loved Alun Armstrong's character and performance in this.
"If we succeed, unlock them. Otherwise, I'll die with 'em."
I remember watching as a kid, I remember Lysette Anthony was so incredibly beautiful that I remembered little else from the movie. She litereally stunned me.
Krull is great and it's been great every time I've watched it - it's so great Alun Armstrong even had hair!
This is the epitome of a movie that I love in spite of how much it sucks. It's not 'so bad it's good', it's just a movie that really doesn't work that I think is one of the greatest things ever. I watch it every Christmas for reasons I can't adequately explain.
I grew up with this movie, I love it, it was a huge influence on what I like in my fictions and I saw it a few months ago and I even went to the Rifftrax Live show for it. Ergo the Magnificent, short in stature, tall in power, narrow of purpose and wide of vision, is a favorite character.
I really liked the "Commander Eddington" arc from DS9.
And if you think about it sisko contaminated an entire world AND did a false flag operation to Get the Romulans into the war.
😊
Edit entire MAQUIS world
He really should have held onto the Glaive. It would have come in handy when he defected to the Maquis and was fighting the Cardassians.
@@All2Meme
😂😂
I remember I waa obsessed by Kroll as a 12 year old. I likely haven't seen it since the mid-80's. I think I'll leave it like that as I don't want to ruin another childhood memory.
The crystal spider was one of the most beautiful pieces of work ever made.
Rell the Cyclops is the prime example of a noble hero sacrificing himself.
Krull has aged very well as a fantasy epic.
I was a big fan of this back in the day, and some of the deaths stuck with me--the quicksand, the guy getting slowly impaled, and Rell the cyclops getting squished.
This movie was so awesome. It will live on for eternity.
Krull is great fun.
The horse sequence is especially cool, the cast is great. The music is really top notch.
Liam Neeson standing on the Fire Mare's back as he rides It always makes me laugh. 😄
I remember liking the horse sequence and the Cyclops guy. Also the DS9 connection was a genuine surprise. Even as a kid I wasn't a big fan of the alien bad guys. I might like it more now, actually, but I'm not sure I want to spend money to find out.
The James Horner score is a banger. Forty years later and I can still whistle the trumpet refrain from Ride of the Fire Mares.
Absolutely Love this Movie!!! What a Fantasy World they created!!!
To be fair, Ergo was one of the better comedy relief characters of the era, and even had an arc of sorts.
I love Krull (last watched aged 44) and along with Hawk the Slayer, it's a classic entry in Bernard Bresslaws Carry On contributions.
Fun fact: Lyssa's tine with the beast was submitted as evidence on the Harvey Weinstein trial.
“Carry on being painfully crushed by a rock”
Bernard Bresslaw was always worth the price of admission. A great character actor.
The production design, atmosphere, and costumes, and the Glaive itself is enough to watch it as a kid who loves fantasy/adventure.. I saw this as a kid in the theater, and Dragonslayer before that..
I bought the marvel comic book back in the day. looked at it once then never thought of the movie ever again.
I saw Krull when I was young.
I loved Krull back then.
And I Still Love Krull Today.
I don't care what anybody says, I love this movie!
Hell Yes Krull. I love this movie
I saw this long ago and didn't realize that was Bernard Bresslaw!
Story time... When I was a grad student I went to London for an international conference. I did what every visitor to London does and went to a few plays. One was Run For Your Wife, a silly sex farce. Bernard Bresslaw was the policeman who shows up mid-play. Filmmakers have techniques to minimize size differences between actors (cough cough, Tom Cruise...). But that all disappears on stage. Bernard was a HUGE man and when he made his appearance I heard the audience gasp because he towered above the other normal-sized players like a giant 😆
Krull is what you'd get if you made the movie Legend, took out Tim Curry's Devil character, and replaced him with a guy in a rubber monster suit. And also made the script make 50 percent less sense. My biggest gripe was that the Glaive was criminally underused. You can't introduce a cool weapon like that and let it sit on the heroes' belt for 95 percent of the movie. Imagine if He-Man never used his sword or Xena: Warrior Princess never used her flying chakram. Sad.
I'll take Krull over Legend any day and I own both. Tim Curry is about the only really good actor in legend, as his tendency to ham it up animates the heavy makeup appliances. Other than that, Cruise is a bland hero, Mia Sara was more interesting in Ferris Bueller (and she is barely a character in that) and the rest looks like a bad pantomime, by an over-indulgent ridley Scott, cementing his reputation for overdoing things and having a contentious relationship with cast and crew. Plus, they nearly burnt down Pinewood. Krull is better fantasy, with structural issues and need for a better villain visual. Legend is dull whenever Tim Curry is not on screen. The European cut of it was far better than the American, as it made more sense and, fit more into folkloric traditions. Krull definitely needed the search for the glaive carry through the second act and it needed to be more of an element in the finale. However, it has a plot that at least drives the story. Legend has them stumble around, searching for a driving factor to link up scenes of little consequence, beyond what happens in the moment. it lacks an over-arcing structure, because Scott was all about the visual and not the story. Yates was better at focusing on story and not production design.
@@jeffnettleton3858 Totally agreed. Legend has always left me cold.
I loved and love Krull. Fabulous.
I saw Krull in the cinema as a kid and loved it. I havn't seen it since tho! 👍
Krull is the kind of movie just like the 5th element where I don't seek it out but if I'm flipping channels and it comes on, I watch it.
The only movie in my life I actually just got up and walked out of 30% through, and didn't look back.
I love this movie, and have since I saw it as a kid. I own a copy of it.
Your humor was very funny. Thanks for reviewing an old classic. 👍
A chortled at your "What aged did you see it?" comment. About 40 bloody years ago. I loved it but its seldom been repeated and I never got round to getting it on DVD. Another great review sir.
I watched it when very young on a Sunday afternoon and it scared the crap out of me, I think the repeated scenes of mass death for the heroes/goodies really did it for me, it was also the first time I had encountered the idea of quicksand, and then the bloody spiderweb scene! Having got very attached to the cyclops I assumed that having decided not to die, he was going to live as he was the likable weirdo character, unlike everyone else who seemed to have be dropping like flies. I was then heartbroken when he got squished holding the closing rock door thing, I think I actually cried (I know, at Krull). I found the assembled gang far more interesting than the leads, not then appreciating the male lead would become the diabolical Commander Eddington who I would enjoy so many years later, which I didn't find out until right now, so thanks for that! Another top review!
Was on every xmas for years in the UK and I'd always switch on the TV and catch the ending. I think I've only seen it once properly.
HOLY EFFING $#!+, That is Miachael Eddington!!?? Damn, there was always a tiny, tiny seed in the recesses of my mind where I thought I had seen him before DS9!
And what a great job he did in that role.
Used to watch this all the time back in the early 80s when it was on HBO all the time
Saw this on VHS back in the eighties..Lysette Anthony is my fondest memory of it.
Krull got a lot of mentions in my uni days in the 90s - but then so did a lot of sword and sorcery 80s films!
I loved this movie when it came out. I still love it today. Also enjoyed playing the video game that came out in arcades.
Ergo was one of the best characters. I saw it in the theater and remembered it well and finally got the DVD around 2005.
The last time I saw this was in the theater in ‘83…I remember it being entertaining but the friend I saw it with kept comparing it 1-to-1 with Star Wars…he was more entertaining than the film. 👍
I saw this film on tv at some point in the mid-80’s. Actually forgot it even existed until this video appeared.
Loved this movie. I remember watching this Christmas when it was premiered!
I always wait for the end. Never fast forward with Stam Fine videos. Kra-la-la-la-la!
Perfect review, btw.
I love this movie. A hidden gem
Krull was a movie created because of the strong passion for the income stream of another movie.
I saw this in the PIX cinema in Geelong when i was about 5 or 6 years old. What stuck with me was the Slayers when they were killed 10:39 and those worm things came out of their heads. Nightmare fuel. Also had a good chuckle when I saw the glaive make an appearance in "Ready Player One".
The soundtrack sounds like the Wrath of Khan soundtrack was put in a blender. Anyway, I like this movie because of how different it was, and that it got a Atari 2600 game! Just a fun footnote in my childhood.
I saw this several times on VHS as a kid. I remembered practically none of it. Turns out, for good reason.
Last time I watched Krull I was 25 or 26. I was showing it to my university's nerd club as part of an MST3K night.
This was a perfect school holiday TV movie. Aah the 80s....when TV could pleasantly surprise.
I remember reading the novel of the film as a child... havent seen the film again since the 80s, so very pleased you did this review. Delta and the Bannerman.. lol
Another absolutely spot on review. A movie title that is easy to recall with forgettable content.
Considering how much I loved Conan the Adventurer (1997-1998), I'm sure I would have loved this move as a kid. Watched it recently and I thought it was alright.
I haven't seen this movie in 30+ years it doesn't enough credit was a fun adventure .
I watched this film as a toddler and I know the writing is bland, I know the characters aren't the most interesting and I know the plot is obscenely derivative but I physically cannot hate this film, there's such charm in it, personally I'd rate it a 7/10, thanks for introducing me to this film mama❤
We had this on VHS for some reason. I watched it so many times i’m pretty sure I could recite it.
I saw it opening day in 70mm. They had moved Jedi and put this in its place, two weeks later Jedi was back on that screen. I didn’t much care for it but it always stayed in my mind and whenever it would show up on cable I’d watch it and a couple of years ago I grabbed the no frills Mill Creek BR (5-10 bucks on Amazon) and I enjoy it. The thing I love the most is Peter Shusinsky’s Cinematography, he shot Empire Strikes Back, makes on wonder how Jedi would’ve looked if Lucas had kept him. I highly recommend for his cinematography alone. I love James Horner’s soundtrack but, like John Berry, they all sound the same. This video didn’t mention the arcade game now THAT was awesome!!😂
I saw it when it was released and I bought the US region-bound BD 27 (?) years later. I love revisiting this film although haven't considered it all since I stopped drinking a couple of years ago...so thanks for the reminder! One of the reasons I've remained so attached to it is through my love both of Bullit and The Dresser. Curiously I didn't register the score and yet I love Horner, something to consider when I look at this again very soon. Thanks again.
I was 16 when I first saw Krull, and I was very aware of its shortcomings even then... but I was still entertained then, and I'm still entertained now. Much of that may be nostalgia, and if it was a new movie released today I might hate it... but it has some unique elements (such as the creepy Slayers with bizarre brain-creatures that burrow into the ground when the body is "killed") and a quality cast that sets it apart from the usual dreck.
"Krull, it sounds like a dessert."
- Gene Siskel
A fine review. Saw this in the cinema when it came out. I was fifteen. Even then I remember thinking it was a bit of a mess and a missed opportunity. Nevertheless, it had a few good scenes, and Lysette Anthony…
I first watched this film when I was about 10 and I still get nightmares from the doppelganger wizard dude.
Also, that screaming noise of the aliens is the same as the S.O.D. scream from An American Werewolf in London.
I only know this movie as a joke from 'Spaced', but it looks good! I'll check it out.
I enjoy this quite a bit. Sure, it's a mash up of several other story beats and character cliche's, but it also introduces new concepts and several actors whom we know better from more recent, successful films. The one overall tone this film has is 'British Theater'. If one can imagine sitting in one, while the story plays out on stage with some spectacular effects for that medium, one should find this most entertaining.
A bit like Avatar Krull promised much but are largely forgotten.
I liked the movie, still do. It's not the best movie of all time but it has some unique bits that set it apart.
Loved that movie as a kid...even got the book. The girl was such a dream girl....so hot, Liz Anthony. In the theater I remember the cyclops was asked what he wanted, and someone in the audience shouted "another eye"....damn the laughter. Looking at the hero now, looks like Doctor Strange guy.
Oh wow. I had forgotten the fire was at the start as well!
As a kid, when this film came out I got the comicbook adaptation (popular things back then for folks who, like me, were stuck out in the American suburban sprawl without a movie theater nearby; I read comic versions of Little Shop of Horrors, Dune, Return of the Jedi and several others long before I finally got to see the films). I remember this because the comic ended with a one-page text appendix about "Krull-Mania," an alleged run-away fandom sparked by the film (illustrated by crude sketches of Halloween costumes and pinball machines, notably in place if real pictures of such). Even my child-brain that had liked Krull could tell that "Krull-mania" was total hogwash.
Did I just see Jenkins from Grange Hill in there for a second?
This is genuinely a very good movie. I wonder how many have not even heard about it...? It still holds up after all these years.
This is a very fun review! Yeah, it's an uneven film... but if you were a preteen Dungeons & Dragons player, this flick was amazing! I think comparing this to Hawk the Slayer is a bit unfair, as Krull, if nothing else, aims higher in its scope, and thus is wildly more imaginative. Anyway, great video. Subscribed!
I never knew that krull ds9 guy was the same dude. cheers lol
Far out, saw this at the cinemas back when it came out and it seemed really awesome. For christmas that year i got a board game based on the movie which no one could work out how to play... that's all i remember
Great review. I'll defend the film - not for being a great movie that hangs together, but for having just enough memorable scenes to stick in the mind (scar kids for life? The Spider scene, the Changeling in the quicksand?). Also... Ergo is the best character in the film! David Battley was almost the best character in Willy Wonka, too!
James Horner loves pillaging his own scores...
I saw this as a kid and liked it well enough, but I forgot about it pretty quickly thereafter. I do remember there was a Krull arcade game that was pretty good, so at least we got that out of it.
This was the first video I played on my shiny, new Betamax video recorder. Neither movie or player were great.
I love this movie. I don’t currently own it mind you. Something I must rectify immediately!
Don’t forget the Soundtrack
Outstanding
Yes, I watched Krull once and really forgot everything about it. Then again, I've seen both Schwarzenegger Conan films and don't really remember anything of those either. Beastmaster is more memorable to me for a couple of things (Tanya Rivers or the ferrets, your choice _wink_ ). But honestly, I have more vague recollections of the arcade game than the movie itself.
Nice that you put in the little clip from Spaced. That whole episode is on point.
Say what you will, this film had some stunning sets, particularly the interior of the Black Castle. It's up there with Barbarella for bizarre alien architecture.
My sister liked this movie enough that my niece is named Lyssa, so there's that..... ;-)
Yeah, even as someone who loves classic fantasy and sci-fi, I was always pretty "meh" on Krull. Except for the spectacular score, which is still among my absolute favorites from the 80s. Like you said, there are a lot of good elements, but it doesn't come together as a film. It's just two hours of Stuff Happens! with no emotional impact, and without enough cool to run on rule-of-cool either.
I will always, unabashedly, love this film! I got to see it in the theaters when I was 7 and it blew me away! My favorite character remains Ergo the Magnificent! And, can we all agree that the Glaive is one of the coolest things ever?
Another great early 80's movie HBO played 90 million tomes.