it is finally so absorbing because it plays like a lyrical road odyssey that’s also a detective story.

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

John Milius's Conan the Barbarian is a gritty visceral epic which kickstarted the "swords and sandals" sub-genre in the early 80s. Arnold Schwarzenegger is in top form in a film that catapulted him into the stratosphere and a year later he would go onto star in the Terminator, cementing his arrival as leading man. Milius is such a good director and it seems war and moral codes are running through his veins. The cinematography is good as is the score and one scene in particular- the kitchen orgy sequence is awe inspiring in its outlandish transpiring. If you like historical epics, then Conan the Barbarian is a great film to wind down with.

Conan was my first epic S&S movie experience. I can still hear my Dad saying: "Hide your eyes, boy!", during the naughty parts. He was one for the parental discretion. As a result, I grew up well adjusted, and we have a great man-to-man relationship in my adulthood.Conan the Barbarian, is like a teleportation into the canvases of Frank Frazetta's art. It is the best movie on the, Robert E. Howard, character and world of the Hyborian Age.This movie injected me into literature at 11 years old, and I found something strange occurred I have yet to experience in any other novels I have read.In those books I had to struggle to imagine a concept that when realized on film, often never lived up to my own mind's visual.With, Howard, I didn't have that dilemma. I could see Conan and many of his companions. I could see, smell, and hear the settling without a need to imagine beyond the scope I had seem already.As a man, I watch it often and it is a cinematic masterpiece. Brutally honest, gender serving for both sexes, and visually perfect for fans of, Howard. The effects are not over the top, and believably done. The blood splashing is iconic, and Johnathan Earl Jones, is as great in this as Star Wars.Not to be missed in life. This is, Conan, as nothing after it measures up.The 2011 remake made me think they were just trying to sell a climactic Play Station ending for the game they'd release on the title. I love the actor who played, Drogo, but he is, Drogo, not Conan, I'm sorry....

Robert E. Howards' pulp hero got envisioned for the big screen in a majestic way, with this initial starring vehicle for champion weightlifter and future action icon Arnold Schwarzenegger. Its extremely impressive production values, and vivid storytelling, make it absolutely tops for its genre, and indeed superior to many of the imitative sword and sorcery epics that it spawned. Conan is orphaned as a boy when evil cult leader Thulsa Doom (James Earl Jones) and his minions slaughter the people of Conans' village, including Conans' parents (played by Nadiuska and the legendary movie tough guy William Smith). The film charts Conans' odyssey from young slave to pit fighter to thief to avenging hero, giving him some faithful companions in the form of Valeria (Sandahl Bergman), Subotai (surfer Gerry Lopez), and the Wizard (Mako, who also serves as narrator).With a screenplay credited to director John Milius and Oliver Stone, "Conan the Barbarian" is grand in its scope. Excellent location shooting (entirely in Spain) helps a great deal in creating the atmosphere, along with eye popping production design by Ron Cobb and cinematography by Duke Callaghan. Unlike some of its imitators, "Conan the Barbarian" is definitely a fantasy feature for adults, with a fair amount of female skin bared and some effectively nasty violence. Milius keeps optical effects to a minimum, and employs some enjoyable practically done effects along the way. The action scenes are nicely executed. But soaring above a lot of the other assets is the grandiose score composed by Basil Poledouris. It is simply perfect for the material.Arnold is of course an ideal choice for the title role. His physical prowess, and physique, are on full display. The supporting cast is also up to the task. Jones is a wonderfully odious, yet charismatic, villain. Bergman is not much of an actress, but she too shows off an effective athleticism. Lopez (who is actually dubbed by actor Sab Shimono) is engaging, and Mako a hoot as he so often was. Smith is seen much too briefly, but Max von Sydow makes the most of his limited screen time, relishing a rare opportunity to ham it up. Arnolds' weightlifting associates Franco Columbu & Sven-Ole Thorsen, and football player Ben Davidson, play assorted heavies. Cassandra Gava makes a memorable appearance as a witch. Expatriate actor Jack Taylor, a familiar face to fans of European horror and exploitation, has a cameo as a priest.If one is looking to delve into this genre, they simply can't do better than this.Nine out of 10.

There is no point in complaining that artworks don't succeed in being what they are not trying to be. A lot of people seem to want this picture to be what it isn't. It is in fact a very straightforward "Bildungsroman", and/or an "Odyssey", where the hero grows up and travels through many trials and tribulations towards his triumphant revenge. Just like Odysseus.Visually it's tremendously effective, and it certainly doesn't need special acting skills. The hero just has to grow up to look like a hero, and he sure does. All the stars in this movie have what it takes, and how. Arnold looks great --- yes, that's the word; and so does Sandahl, a Valkyrie personified; and the rest all fit perfectly. What's to knock, or dislike ? It's just a comic, or what these days they call a graphic novel. A tremendous coming-of-age. The baddies get truly thumped, just like that nosy camel. Luckily, I've never read anything by Howard.