Naturally, I watched the scene immediately after posting this video (the theatrical release, mind you, so I don't have to watch Gandalf the White get just easily slapped down by the Witch King, instead of Tolkien's terrific "You cannot pass here!")
So glad you included Deathstalker 2. I saw it for the first time last summer while on a sword and sorcery movie binge, and was pleasantly surprised by its lighthearted comedic approach. It's very different from the first Deathstalker movie as you said, and I enjoyed it more than the first one. I saw D2 on Tubi and it's still there for anyone who is interested.
"Rages in stop motion" - HAH! These comments are GOLD - I'm roasting Grammaticus and MKV, they're roasting me, and everybody in the Comments is roasting me and everybody else! No wonder the FilmBros are so testy!
I've seen something very similar of the final scene from "Immortals" in "The Prophecy" (1995). I think you are missing the best one: "Ronal the Barbarian"
I knew I wasn't the only one who liked Pathfinder, or Ravenous, I wouldn't call them Sword & Sorcery, but I know not to argue. After seeing some of the strangest choices on these lists, surprised no one even mentioned Your Highness.
I'm sorry Steve but I love Excalibur. I'll give you Ladyhawke and The Princess Bride both excellent picks.The best Sinbad films are the ones with Doctor Whos in - Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger and The Golden Voyage of Sinbad. I'd put the 13th Warrior in as my dodgy not actually much Sorcery choice. I'll give Pathfinder a watch as it sounds right up my street.
I actually think that Solomon Kane might be the best sword and sorcery film I’ve ever seen (Im not going to count fantasy like LOTR), and I saw it before I’d ever read any Solomon Kane story in any medium. However I couldn’t agree more with many of your criticisms- especially against Excalibur and Arnold’s Conan (Milius shoots pulp material as if he were making War and Peace). I’m also going to try many of your picks that I’ve never seen before including Death Stalker 2. My fondest wish? That you would do movie reviews as a somewhat regular feature. Wouldn’t have to be daily or weekly and you wouldn’t have to review new films either. Discussing some underrated favorites or skewering sacred cows- I would be there with bells on!!! Bells on, I tell you!!!
I love Excalibur. The special effects are very dated, but forgivable. I adore Nigel Terry as King Arthur. It needs a HD digital upgrade; I watched it the other day and it sounds like a scratchy vhs tape. If they can upgrade Buffy the Vampire Slayer they can upgrade Excalibur. I'm tempted to ask chat gp to do it, just for personal use.
Ravenous is an inspired pick 👌as was A Princess Bride. However, leave Sinbad alone and Excalibur for that matter. I propose a Big Trouble in Little China sword based drinking game, there are so many swords you will throw up those calzones. As outside picks I throw in Robin Hood Prince of Thieves (don’t know why there’s sorcery in it but there is 🤷🏻♂️) and Black Death with Sean Bean as well as several wire based Chinese fantasy movies.
Finally I'm not the only one perplexed by the large cult following Highlander has. It was just alright. Ladyhawke should have the beastial love scene it deserved. All the recipes were there at the end of the movie. Almost a masterpiece.
Totally agree with you about Deathstalker II, Steve! You and I can be friends after all... :) I don't know if you're familiar with the late fantasy author David Gemmell but it's preposterous that none of his novels have been adapted for film or series. Don't know who owns the rights but if done well (with love and respect for the source material) I'm almost certain that a film (or series) adaptation of Waylander or Druss would crack lists like these one day...
If we talk about swrod adn sorcery, we talk about brutal man fantasy all about power, masculinity, barbarians, swords, evil sorcerers and brutal world. LoTR - as great as movies AND the books are, are mythological fiction, can be classified as fantasy, but is NOT sword and sorcery. Excalibut, Legend about Camelot or any other Arthurian legend (unless it would be some weird version where Arthur would be Conan - esque character) is NOT sword and sorcery. Ravenous is definately NOT sword and sorcery. What are you doing people?
Not to cut bunnies (or split hares) but the Lord of the Rings has pretentions to High Fantasy, which precludes it from slumming with the Low Fantasy of the Sword and Sorcery types. You can bend things to the breaking point - but if so then I'm sure Pirate / Swashbuckling examples or even things involving Connecticut Yankees could be included (Possibly in space). Sword and Sorcery is Fantasy but not all Fantasy is Sword and Sorcery. Hope that is pedantic enough for you...
We really need you, Grammaticus, and Michael K. Vaughn discussing these movie lists in a livestream.
May this series never die!
Some of the comments are cracking me up! But ... would I break Grammaticus if I suggested ROM COMS?
@@saintdonoghue Hmmmmmm......
I was very surprised that Grammaticus left out 'Ladyhawke'. That is a movie I would watch over and over again. At any time.
For a King Arthur movie, I’ll take _Monty Python and the Holy Grail_ over _Excalibur_ any day of the week.
The moment the Rohan theme kicks in as they start their charge will cause goosebumps every time.
Naturally, I watched the scene immediately after posting this video (the theatrical release, mind you, so I don't have to watch Gandalf the White get just easily slapped down by the Witch King, instead of Tolkien's terrific "You cannot pass here!")
So glad you included Deathstalker 2. I saw it for the first time last summer while on a sword and sorcery movie binge, and was pleasantly surprised by its lighthearted comedic approach. It's very different from the first Deathstalker movie as you said, and I enjoyed it more than the first one. I saw D2 on Tubi and it's still there for anyone who is interested.
Lady Hawk and The Princess Bride are both great movies.
It says here "Remember to keep comments respectful". Steve just said Harryhausen was overrated and I'm supposed to hold back?! [Rages in stop motion]
"Rages in stop motion" - HAH! These comments are GOLD - I'm roasting Grammaticus and MKV, they're roasting me, and everybody in the Comments is roasting me and everybody else! No wonder the FilmBros are so testy!
"The Weird Bene Gesserit effect" ~Yes! Awesome stuff Steve!!! (Lady Hawke...I did miss on that one!)
Aladdin…by the bloody bones of Crom…he picked Aladdin…..
@@michaelk.vaughan8617 And Death Stalker!!! DS2 admittedly but still.....
History will vindicate me!
you seem overly concerned with things like "acting" "competency" "not being bad" "actually fitting the prompt"
I've seen something very similar of the final scene from "Immortals" in "The Prophecy" (1995). I think you are missing the best one: "Ronal the Barbarian"
I'd have to give a shoutout to The 13th Warrior.
I knew I wasn't the only one who liked Pathfinder, or Ravenous, I wouldn't call them Sword & Sorcery, but I know not to argue.
After seeing some of the strangest choices on these lists, surprised no one even mentioned Your Highness.
I'm sorry Steve but I love Excalibur. I'll give you Ladyhawke and The Princess Bride both excellent picks.The best Sinbad films are the ones with Doctor Whos in - Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger and The Golden Voyage of Sinbad. I'd put the 13th Warrior in as my dodgy not actually much Sorcery choice. I'll give Pathfinder a watch as it sounds right up my street.
I actually think that Solomon Kane might be the best sword and sorcery film I’ve ever seen (Im not going to count fantasy like LOTR), and I saw it before I’d ever read any Solomon Kane story in any medium. However I couldn’t agree more with many of your criticisms- especially against Excalibur and Arnold’s Conan (Milius shoots pulp material as if he were making War and Peace). I’m also going to try many of your picks that I’ve never seen before including Death Stalker 2. My fondest wish? That you would do movie reviews as a somewhat regular feature. Wouldn’t have to be daily or weekly and you wouldn’t have to review new films either. Discussing some underrated favorites or skewering sacred cows- I would be there with bells on!!! Bells on, I tell you!!!
I'm tempted to make my own list now.
Yes! Thank you for pointing out that the Outlander tv series was infinitely better than the movie. The sword fighting scenes were outstanding.
The definitive list includes Immortals!? If I'm wrong I don't want to be right. I do appreciate the inclusion of Ladyhawke.
I would vote for "Brotherhood of the Wolf".
OK, that's not a bad pick ...
I love Excalibur. The special effects are very dated, but forgivable. I adore Nigel Terry as King Arthur. It needs a HD digital upgrade; I watched it the other day and it sounds like a scratchy vhs tape. If they can upgrade Buffy the Vampire Slayer they can upgrade Excalibur. I'm tempted to ask chat gp to do it, just for personal use.
Ravenous is an inspired pick 👌as was A Princess Bride.
However, leave Sinbad alone and Excalibur for that matter. I propose a Big Trouble in Little China sword based drinking game, there are so many swords you will throw up those calzones.
As outside picks I throw in Robin Hood Prince of Thieves (don’t know why there’s sorcery in it but there is 🤷🏻♂️) and Black Death with Sean Bean as well as several wire based Chinese fantasy movies.
Finally I'm not the only one perplexed by the large cult following Highlander has. It was just alright.
Ladyhawke should have the beastial love scene it deserved. All the recipes were there at the end of the movie. Almost a masterpiece.
Totally agree with you about Deathstalker II, Steve!
You and I can be friends after all... :)
I don't know if you're familiar with the late fantasy author David Gemmell but it's preposterous that none of his novels have been adapted for film or series.
Don't know who owns the rights but if done well (with love and respect for the source material) I'm almost certain that a film (or series) adaptation of Waylander or Druss would crack lists like these one day...
I, too, like the Immortals. You were right the first time, it was Stephen Dorff.
I’ll have my revenge… and Deathstalker too!
I like your choices for the best sword & sorcery movies.
Steve, Thank you so much for this very interesting video.
Steve is always Wright.
Sword and Sorcery for the Broadway musical set!
I was mostly lost throughout this entire video, but I did enjoy the brief name drop of Roderick Spode's line of ladies' lingerie. Eulalie!
Ahem... I've rewatched the extended version of Fellowship of the Ring at least three times and I don't think it's a very bad movie...
IMDB will be busy today.
I grew up with "Clash of the Titans" and remembered loving it. I watched it again recently and man is it dull. Kudos for the Medusa sequence though.
That's the thing about Harryhausen movies: the stop-action sequences are pretty good - but they're surrounded by oceans of boring movie!
@@saintdonoghue I like The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad! And Jason and the Argonauts. They seem to have a lot more life than Clash.
@@Tolstoy111 I agree Seventh Voyage of Sinbad is by far the best Harryhausen.
I've never seen Deathstalker II but I just watched the official trailer and there's a lot of skin... ooh la la.
At least the first two Deathstalker films are streaming on Tubi.
Ravenous is great movie, but to put it into sword nad sorcery is a real stretch. If anything - it is a western with supernatural in it.
ravenous is an outstanding movie, but it is absolutely not ‘sword n sorcery’, it is a western, or more specifically ‘fantasy/western’.
If we talk about swrod adn sorcery, we talk about brutal man fantasy all about power, masculinity, barbarians, swords, evil sorcerers and brutal world. LoTR - as great as movies AND the books are, are mythological fiction, can be classified as fantasy, but is NOT sword and sorcery. Excalibut, Legend about Camelot or any other Arthurian legend (unless it would be some weird version where Arthur would be Conan - esque character) is NOT sword and sorcery. Ravenous is definately NOT sword and sorcery. What are you doing people?
Not to cut bunnies (or split hares) but the Lord of the Rings has pretentions to High Fantasy, which precludes it from slumming with the Low Fantasy of the Sword and Sorcery types. You can bend things to the breaking point - but if so then I'm sure Pirate / Swashbuckling examples or even things involving Connecticut Yankees could be included (Possibly in space). Sword and Sorcery is Fantasy but not all Fantasy is Sword and Sorcery. Hope that is pedantic enough for you...