THE SWORD AND THE SORCERER

US, 1982, 99 minutes, Colour.
Lee Horsley, Kathleen Beller, Simon Mac Corkindale, George Maharis, Richard Lynch, Richard Moll, Barry Chase, Anthony De Longis, Robert Tessier, Nina Van Pallandt, Anna Bjorn, Jeff Corey, Christopher Carey, Peter Breck, Jay Robinson.
Directed by Albert Pyun.

The Sword and the Sorcerer was a popular costume and sorcery epic of 1982 - in the wake of Excalibur and along with Conan the Barbarian and The Beastmaster. It has a large cast with quite a number of names in supporting roles. However, the film was made for a very small budget - and relies for its atmosphere of sorcery at the beginning and end of the film. The central section is more like any Universal Tony Curtis B-budget supporting feature of the '50s with similar action and dialogue except for a greater permissiveness in sex and violence.

The mediaeval past in which the film is set has a mixture of many periods from the Dark Ages to the High Middle Ages and names to match: Cromwell, Xusia, Alana, Talon etc. The film has its moments but they are merely the framework for routine action.

1. The appeal of this kind of action adventure: Dark Ages, myth, adventure? Heroes and legends? How successful an example of its kind?

2. The popularity of this kind of film in the '80s? Cinema traditions, especially from the 150s? The literal presentation of mediaeval action adventure? Poetic touches? Adaptation for a widely popular audience? The visual impact? Music? The influence of various genres: magic, action, romance? The importance of the editing? The special effects - especially as regards the sorcerer himself and his being raised, his manifesting himself at the end, the magic three-pronged sword?

3. The conventional action material and the lack of imagination? The visual competence of set pieces - the cities, sieges, the battle line on fire, the crucifixion of the hero etc?

4. The impact of the prologue and the atmosphere of myth? The narration and its aura of the past? Cromwell and his evil quest for power? King Richard and his goodness? Cromwell and the raising of the sorcerer? The sarcophagus of anguished faces, the witch, the ugly rituals (echoes of Macbeth)? The initial battles and their visual impact? Richard's defeat and his defiance? His wife and her beheading? The children witnessing this and the build-up for a vengeance theme?

5. Talon becoming the man of legend: witnessing his parents' death, the magic three-pronged sword, his wandering the outlands and becoming a legendary hero, his motivation for revenge, his mercenaries and their strength? A big man, his swaggering style, his pursuit of Alana and saving her in the town? His involvement with her? His commission to save Mikah? The attacks and his heroics - especially setting fire to the soldiers? The tongue-in-cheek comic touches? His race through the palace (Luke Skywalker-style of swinging from balcony to balcony etc!), his being caught, the crucifixion during the banquet, his removing the nails by his strength? The battle in the banquet room, the alliance with the friendly kings? His leaving the heroine behind - after her fulfilling her sexual promise? His going off to further adventures? The build-up to the final confrontation with Cromwell, the long fight, the death of the sorcerer? A suitable hero for this kind of film?

6. Cromwell as villain: ambitions, raising the sorcerer, having him in his power, using him to defeat King Richard, trying to destroy him? His wanting to marry Alana? His capturing her, the betrayal of Mikah by Macchelli? Plan for the wedding, his power over the kings? The sorcerer seeking him out? The confrontation with the transformed Macchelli? His death? A larger-than-life villain and personification of evil?

7. Macchelli as the smooth adviser, his double standards and betrayal of Mikah and Alana, his plans for taking over the kingdom, the special effects for his being transformed into the sorcerer?

8. Mikah and Alana as rightful heirs to the throne? The plan for Mikah to become king? Macchelli's betrayal of him? The gruesome torture? Alana and her quest, being rescued by Talon, the sexual promise, her being caught, the build-up to the marriage ceremony, her being rescued again -and the only partly happy ending?

9. Talon's mercenaries, their style (parallel with the cowboy groups of the West following the leader)? Their adventures, their skills? Their being caught, tortured? The final victories?

10. Cromwell's henchmen and the villains? The torturer and his sadism, his death? Elizabeth and her role in the court, her aiding Talon and Alana?

11. The emphasis on violence, deaths, battles, fire, the siege of the friendly kings, the castle, the final slogging out battle and the magic sword?

12. The blend of the level of myth and imagination with conventional adventure? Potpourri of adventure?