My favourite S&S movie is 1982’s The Sword and the Sorcerer, which was released just one month before that other S&S epic Conan the Barbarian. No doubt this low budget ($4 million) film was rushed into production to scoop the much anticipated Conan blockbuster ($20 million), and it actually matched the bigger film in domestic gross numbers ($40 million). Much reviled by the critics at the time, today the film enjoys a fairly strong following and cult status amongst fans of the genre. But I loved it from the first time I saw it at my local drive-in back in ’82.

But why? It’s pretty cheesy, the story is kinda generic, and some of the dialogue and acting is rather poor. Because it has heart, a sense of humour and it goes all out to tell a fun, bloody and swashbuckling good tale. It’s like the writers said “ Hey, there’s a Conan movie coming out soon. Let’s throw something together and do it better than the big studio can!” And so they did.

First of all, they cast some pretty good actors in the main roles, with Richard Lynch in the juicy role of Cromwell, the main antagonist. Lee Horsley as the hero Talon wasn’t exactly Conan-like, but he had a kind of Errol Flynn, devil-may-care, swashbuckling vibe that really worked. And there were a few familiar faces that added nicely to the cast; Simon MacCorkindale, George Maharis and Richard Moll. For the most part the cast took their roles seriously and gave it their all, and likely had fun doing it.

The makeup effects were overall excellent, with a cool, slimy sorcerer, a gory transformation scene and some really good blood and violence sequences. Sets were okay, and the lighting was used in ways to maximize mood and effects; remember, this was a pretty low- budget movie that looks way better than it should. There is a cool skull-split-to-the-teeth scene during one of the main combat sequences; it’s the only one I can recall seeing in a S&S movie back then. Decapitations are common, but why do we not see more cloven skulls, in the REH tradition?

Speaking of Howard, this movie has more ‘Howardian’ moments in it than the much ballyhooed Conan the Barbarian. 1) The resurrection of Xusia the sorcerer. This scene is ripped almost intact from the opening chapter of The Hour of the Dragon (O Sleeper, Awake!). If it had been poorly done, I would have not have cared, but damn, they nailed it. Super creepy and blood-slimed, it’s a treat for the eyes! 2) The resurrection is closely matched with a gory scene of Xusia giving a demonstration of his power by ripping out the heart of a witch using his sorcery from ten feet away, and have the still pulsing organ plop into his malformed hand. Right out of “The People of the Black Circle!” 3) Talon is not physically the same as Conan, but much like the Cimmerian, he is a mercenary leader of a rag-tag group of outlaws and rogues, and was also a pirate in the past. 4) Talon brains a fool with a beef bone he was gnawing on. 5) Talon gets crucified. Yeah, I know Conan did in that other movie too, but he fainted. Talon rips out the spikes HIMSELF, grabs a sword and leaps into a full-on melee, hacking and slashing in red wave of fury. How Howardian is that?

And now it appears that the film is getting the royal treatment on home video with a Blu-Ray/4K Ultra HD collector’s edition coming in the New Year, and I can’t wait to get a copy to go with my movie tie-in novel by Norman Winski. Want the best Conan movie made that doesn’t feature a character named Conan, but out-Howards the Milius flick? Now’s your best chance.