RED SONJA

US, 1985, 89 minutes, Colour.
Brigitte Nielsen, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sandahl Bergman.
Directed by Richard Fleischer.

Red Sonja is a sword and sorcery film in the vein of Conan the Barbarian and Conan the Destroyer. Red Sonja comes from a comic strip created Robert K. Howard creator of Conan.

The film looks quite handsome with intriguingly designed sets and with special effects. The film is directed by Richard Fleischer, a director of a range of films for over 25 years and director of Conan the Destroyer.

Brigitte Neilsen is n tall and strong Sonya. Arnold Schwarzenegger makes a characteristic appearance as the hero. Sandahl Bergman, who appeared in Conan the Destroyer as Conan's lost love, appears here as the evil Queen.

The film is a piece of comic strip nonsense, co-written by George Macdonald Fraser, author of the Flashman series.

Tongue-in-cheek, entertaining nonsense.

1. The popularity of these sword and sorcery films? Comic strip adventures brought to the giant screen for comic strip entertainment?

2. Production values: the elaborate and intriguing designs and sets? Special effects? Stunt work? Rousing score? location photography? Use of the wide screen?

3. Red Sonya as comic strip heroine? larger than life? Her athletic strength, prowess with the sword? Red hair, strength and beauty? Her experiences with Queen Gedren, the family slaughtered, the rape, her being left for dead? The importance of the apparition, the gift of strength? The condition about the fair fight with a man before love? Her training, the continued activity of Queen Gedren, the encounter with Wlidor, Sonja hearing the truth from Gedren's sister, Varna? Her going on her adventures, her being followed by Talidor, the inconclusive swordfight? Linking up with Prince Tan and his bodyguard, Falkon. The adventures on the way, the Land of Perpetual Light, the giant, the Lizard Men, the mechanical fish? The confrontation with Queen Gedren, the urgency of the mission because of the end of the world? The talisman and its power and weakness? The final confrontation with Gedren, the death of the sorcerer, Gedren and the talisman thrown into the darkness? The reconciliation with Kalidor?

4. Kalidor and Arnold Schwarzenegger's style, his accompanying Sonja, the swordfight? Helping with the adventures? The final fight and embrace?

5. Queen Gedren as arch villain? Her troops, the murder of Sonja's family, the stealing of the talisman, the sounding of Varna? Her tyranny? The sorcerer and his help? The collapsing castle? The fight and Gedren lost in eternity with the talisman?

6. Prince Tan and his mission? His being accompanied by Sonja? Falkon and his help with Ton? Participation in the adventures?

7 The sword and sorcery incidents? The initial attack? The testing with the Swordmaster? The attack on the Temple of the Talisman? The perpetual night, the giant, the mechanical fish, the lizard men?

8. Enjoyable action, comic strip heroics?