Conan the Destroyer: Standard Special Edition - 4K Ultra HD] [4K UHD]

CONAN THE DESTROYER [1984 / 2016] [Warcraft Fandango Cash Version] [Blu-ray] The Most Powerful Legend of All is Back in a New Adventure!Arnold Schwarzenegger returns with a vengeance in the sword and sorcery adventure ‘CONAN THE DESTROYER.’ The powerful hero Conan [Arnold Schwarzenegger] has been commissioned by evil Queen Taramis [Sarah Douglas] to safely escort a teen princess [Olivia D'Abo] and her bodyguard Bombaata [Wilt Chamberlain] to the magic Horn of Dagon. Conan soon discovers, however, that the queen plans to sacrifice the princess when she returns and inherit her kingdom. Now Conan and an unusual group of allies, including the eccentric Akiro “The Wizard” [Mako Iwamatsu] and the wild woman Zula [Grace Jones] must defeat both mortal and supernatural foes in an epic, sword-wielding battle with the fate of the entire world at stake and the extinction of mankind. The action is large scale, the plot suitably fantastic, and the climax, a fight to the death between Conan and the evil god Dagoth [André the Giant] brought back to life. The monster was designed by E.T. creator Carlo Rambaldi.FILM FACT: Deleted Scenes: In the film, a camel is knocked to the ground, and after struggling to get back up, its hind legs are drawn forward with wires so that it is forced to sit down before falling to the ground. This sequence was cut from the U.K. version, as is a double horse-fall in the opening battle. There are a number of deleted scenes from the film, confirmed by actress Sarah Douglas, including Conan and Queen Taramis love scene, Taramis slapping Bombatta, extended battle scene between Conan and the Man-ape, and more graphic action scenes.Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Grace Jones, Wilt Chamberlain, Mako Iwamatsu, Tracey Walter, Sarah Douglas, Olivia d'Abo, Pat Roach, Jeff Corey, Sven-Ole Thorsen, Bruce Fleischer, Ferdy Mayne, André “The Giant” René Roussimoff (uncredited), Angel Ashley (uncredited), Matt Conner (uncredited), Erik Holmey (uncredited), Terry O'Neill (uncredited) and John Sabol (uncredited)Director: Richard FleischerProducers: Dino De Laurentiis, Raffaella De Laurentiis, Edward R. Pressman and Stephen F. KestenScreenplay: Stanley Mann, Gerry Conway (story), Roy Thomas (story) and Robert E. Howard (character)Composer: Basil PoledourisCinematography: Jack CardiffVideo Resolution: 1080p [Technicolor]Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 [Pamavision]Audio: English: 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and French: 2.0 DTS-HD Digital SurroundSubtitles: English SDHRunning Time: 101 minutesRegion: All RegionsNumber of discs: 1Studio: Universal Studios Home EntertainmentAndrew’s Blu-ray Review: Arnold Schwarzenegger returns with his breakthrough role as ‘CONAN THE DESTROYER’ the mythical muscle-bound hero but the kitsch magic of the John Milius original is missing this time around. However, the requisite number of ugly villains, beautiful temptresses and doe-eyed heroines are present and correct, Arnold Schwarzenegger doesn't have much acting to do and director Richard Fleischer keeps the often violent action flowing smoothly. Look out for Grace Jones as a lethal warrior.In the career of Arnold Schwarzenegger, it’s fair to say he’s had two great roles were ‘The Terminator,’ the unstoppable killing machine that eventually turns kind of good with ‘Conan the Barbarian.’ The Austrian born bodybuilder wanted to become a Hollywood star, and was very smart about building his career, but those early films were where he shined brightest. The two Conan films have now hit Blu-ray, and it’s a lot of fun to go back and watch him do what he did best.John Milius is the perfect director for the material; John Milius is slightly obsessed himself and is always geting off on this sort of thing. But that means John Milius stages the film brilliantly, and I love the look and feel of this world. It doesn’t come across as stage-bound or cheap, the money shows up on the screen, and it’s better than all of the imitators that followed, though I must admit like anyone who grew up with these types of films, I have a soft spot for ‘The Beastmaster.’This ‘CONAN THE DESTROYER’ film does not have the scale of the last film, but it does have more money than the Italian imitation knock-offs that came around this time, and though Arnold Schwarzenegger is not as well used in this film, but despite this Arnold Schwarzenegger is still perfect for this role. Watching it again, after watching on my inferior DVD, I realise that whenever I think of an open wound, or missing tooth, I think of the image of the final monster’s removed horn, looks even more realistic on this re-mastered Blu-ray disc. Some of images I witness years ago on the DVD have a staying power that is transcendent of one’s initial viewing. Watching it again, that moment will still grip you.There's a lot of talent in this film. Jack Cardiff's elegant photography lends all the more impact to the striking landscapes and gives the palace scenes something of the quality of the great Greek-set sword and sandals epics. There's still that thrilling Basil Poledouris composed music score and there's some great creature work by Carlo Rambaldi. The one good aspect of the film is the presence of singer Grace Jones in one of the handful of film appearances she made in the mid-1980s. Grace Jones is not a particularly good actress but whenever Grace Jones is on screen projects a raw savagery, like she is like a wild animal that needs to be caged. Although the filmmakers, though seemingly somewhat daunted by such a strong female presence, have to sadly dumb her down with a sexist scene where she screams at the sight of a mouse.‘CONAN THE DESTROYER' makes exceptional fine entertainment for all fans of Arnold Schwarzenegger and especially if you enjoy films of violent, simple-minded genre of this calibre. Moreover, there are monsters and wizards and clanging metal weapons ringing to the tune of Basil Poledouris brilliant film score music that stays with you long after you’ve forgotten the story. ‘CONAN THE DESTROYER,' which presents more “mature” storytelling and filmmaking. Richard Fleischer and Jack Cardiff make this fantasy film more enjoyable, and most watchable, which to me is total “guilty pleasure” viewing experience of a B-Movie fun. Like when Conan and his adventuring party venture into the desert and find a temple hewn into the side of a mountain, a world of fantasy awaiting them underneath the white, sun-bleached rocks, ‘CONAN THE DESTROYER' is a rollicking and imaginative film that’s been buried beneath nearly 30 years of bad press, but has now been resurrected for a new generation to really this fantasy film to enjoy and especially now in a totally stunning remastered glorious 1080p image experience.Blu-ray Video Quality – Universal Studios has once again given us a stunning remastered film in glorious 1080p encoded image transfer to give us a new lease of life with this 1984 film and on the whole, looks excellent with high definition Blu-ray. The transfer displays outstanding clarity with distinct details of fine lines and textures throughout. With the close-ups, facial complexions appear healthy and natural with plainly visible blemishes and pores. The picture comes with spot-on contrast, giving the movie a youthful and energetic appeal. The colour palette is bold and full-bodied, adding to the overall quality of the image. Black levels are also accurate and true with strong shadow detailing, except in a couple scenes with slightly poorer resolution. Noise reduction has been applied to clean up the transfer a bit, but used very sparingly and barely worth mentioning. Film grain remains thinly intact and consistent, providing the movie with a great cinematic appeal.Blu-ray Audio Quality – Universal Studios has once again done us proud and given us a totally new experience with this 1984 film with the upgraded awesome 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio experience. The dialogue is for the most part well positioned and perfectly intelligible; however, there are minor moments when the voices of actors don't quite match their lip movements, like with the conversation with Wilt Chamberlain, Olivia d'Abo's voice suddenly echoes while out in the open, riding on horseback and probably stems from the original recording. Again the 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack exhibits a clean and sharply-rendered dynamic range with a healthy low-end. It's a front-heavy presentation with great balance and fidelity, providing the imaging with an attractive, spacious feel. Once again, Basil Poledouris composed music score makes best use of the surround mix, filling the soundstage with warmth and brilliant differentiation of the orchestral instruments. The music also bleeds very lightly into the back speakers, making this a nice and satisfying soundtrack to a fantasy-adventure favourite, so overall it does its job effectively and efficiently.Blu-ray Special Features and Extras:Special Feature: BD-LIVE: Explore more bonus features where you can access even more through your Internet-connected player to watch exclusive content, the latest trailer and even more! Powered by BD-LIVE!Special Feature: HOW TO: View these user guides to get more out of your Blu-ray Experience.Special Feature: MY SCENE: Universal Pictures MY SCENE feature makes it easy to create your own personal collection of favourite scenes while watching the film on your Blu-ray player. Using the remote control or the Dashboard button, press the GREEN button to add a bookmark.Special Feature: WHATS’S NEW: Check out the latest trailers, exclusive content and more! Powered by BD-LIVE!Special Feature: D-BOX MOTION CODE: This Blu-ray disc is enabled with D-BOX MOTION CODE. If you are equipped with a D-BOX integrated motion system, you will be able to experience a whole new dimension while watching this film.Special Feature: Pocket BLU app: Use your tablet or smartphone to control the Blu-ray features and watch content on-the-go anywhere and anytime! App available for iPad, iPhone, Android and more!Theatrical Trailer [1984] [480i] [1.37:1] [1:32] This is the original Theatrical Trailer for the film ‘CONAN THE DESTROYER.’ Unfortunately it is not presented in the film’s original 2.35:1 aspect ratio.Finally, ‘CONAN THE DESTROYER' is the sword-and-sorcery sequel with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Mako Iwamatsu reprising their roles. Sarah Douglas, Grace Jones, Wilt Chamberlain, Tracey Walter and Olivia d'Abo join the fantasy quest to defeat a religious cult from awakening a demon god and ruling the world. Directed by Richard Fleischer, this film is full of fun escapism but falls somewhat short of offering the same engaging level of adventure as its predecessor. The Blu-ray arrives with an excellent video presentation and good audio, though it also comes with one or two minor weaknesses. On the whole, this bare-bones package is better suited for the high adventures of the bargain bin, but if you are a massive fan of Arnold Schwarzenegger, like me, then this is the film for you and one you should upgrade from previous Blu-ray disc releases. Highly Recommended!Andrew C. Miller – Your Ultimate No.1 Film AficionadoLe Cinema ParadisoUnited Kingdom

What can I say - it’s an awesome movie!!

Best 4k of 2024

THE STORY: Muscle-bound sequel has the mighty Conan & a ragtag band of erstwhile heroes escorting a young princess who's been sent on a quest to retrieve a magical object that will supposedly bring peace to the world. However, sinister forces close to the throne are determined to ensure that neither he nor the princess survive the journey. It will take all of the legendary barbarian's strength, skills and cunning to protect his young charge and see himself & his companions safely through this dangerous adventure.THOUGHTS: The first Conan film is a classic of the genre and takes its soul from the pulp stories of the 1930's by Conan creator, Robert E. Howard. Though modified heavily for the screen, the power & purity of the character remained intact. This sequel scoops its bright candy flavors straight from the Marvel comics mags, as evidenced by story contributors Roy Thomas & Gerry Conway and a technical advisor credit to 1980's Conan novelist L.Sprague DeCamp. The movie is alright from a fantasy film standpoint, but when held next to CONAN THE BARBARIAN it pales so much as to almost be transparent. In many ways the lighter tone and down-scaled feel of this 1984 sequel place it soundly in the same company as the wave of rip-offs its predecessor inspired, such as "Ator: The Fighting Eagle," "Beastmaster," "Sword & The Sorcerer" and the incredibly inept "Yor: The Hunter From The Future" among others. CONAN THE DESTROYER has three things going for it that place it above its wannabe brethren: the brand recognition of the Conan name, Arnold Schwarzenegger's then-rising action star status, and another outstanding, thundering musical score from the late, great Basil Poledouris. Regrettably, director Richard Fleischer goes too often for the laughs, giving entirely too much screen time to dingbat sidekick character Malak, played by Tracey Walter (who made a career portraying such simpletons). The other casting choices, from basketball legend Wilt Chamberlain to avant garde music artist Grace Jones are odd and intriguing to be sure but surprisingly they do a pretty serviceable job. Sexy Sarah Douglas (Superman II's Ursa) & the beautiful Oliva D'Abo pump up the eye candy factor and help round out the cast.The film has an overall substandard look, given much to the fact that many props and costumes were recycled from the first film, often with only minor modifications performed in a thin attempt to hide said fact. Too, the other props, such as the high priest of Shadizar’s four-sided Cyclops staff, (one of the hokiest looking things I’ve ever seen. It has a plastic look to it that just smacks of a shopping spree at the local Halloween costume emporium), cheapen the atmosphere. The creature Dagoth is too rubbery and spongy looking to truly frighten. (My wife said it looked like a flabby burnt chicken soaked in motor oil. LOL.) The wizard of The Temple of the Horn is also played too comical, though his battle with Mako's "Akiro" is admittedly amusing. That said, Mako’s return is a welcome one, though his wizened wizard feels extremely one-dimensional, and even less fleshed out than he did in CONAN THE BARBARIAN, much like the majority of characters in this film. Some attractive location scenery and extravagant full-scale sets (Shadizar Palace, Temple of The Horn) help offset the otherwise retread feeling a tad. CONAN THE DESTROYER is a mostly harmless time waster that entertains and is more or less safe for all but the youngest viewers. Please be aware that there is still a fair amount of blood letting sprinkled throughout the picture. Director Richard Fleischer seems to have given little or no motivation to his actors and it looks like a lot of what we see are first takes. Arnold comes across very wooden and ham-fisted, though he was never exactly a high brow thespian in any of his pictures. On a side note: I have to confess that perhaps one of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s coolest badassery moments in all of his prolific action career takes place in this film, during the sword fight between Conan and palace guard Togra (Sven Ole Thorsen). When Arnie wields that massive Atlantean broadsword, both on horseback and particularly mano-a-mano, it is a jaw-dropping display of incredible skill, precision & discipline - truly an impressive moment.THE BLU-RAY: Universal's hi-def presentation of CONAN THE DESTROYER looks & sound pretty good. There's some artifacting & pixelation, and a TON of snowy noise in the night time scenes, particularly the sequence where the adventurers are breaking into the palace of Shadizar through a tunnel behind a waterfall. Otherwise, the film looks very nice. (Hey, at least they didn't pummel the film with a heap of unwanted DNR!) The sharpness is crisp and the overall soundmix and volume balance is steady & even. The only real extra in this thin Blu-ray offering is the theatrical trailer. In summation, I quite like this Conan film, even though it is very different from the first movie. At least it is head & shoulders above the countless imitations the original CONAN THE BARBARIAN spawned. 4 STARS.

This spectacular 80s film stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, who's never looked hotter, in a standout acting role as Conan, who entices the Princess, frees a bonded woman, saves the life of a potential victim, and takes this troupe (along with a comedian) in his journey to find the "Key" and destroy the monster. It's a fun ride, and the Blu-ray makes it look almost 3D. Only problem is the sound distortion problem with the sound system I have. I wish I knew how to solve that because apart from that this is WELL WORTH THE COST!!!