I always listen to this part, it makes me think of my Dad. He introduced me to Conan when I was little, for the longest I actually thought Conan was Arnold Schwarzenegger's name lol. I'll always remember eating boiled eggs with one in my right hand, and salt and pepper in my left hand while watching this film with my dad. He passed a year ago from cancer, I miss you Dad🕊️👑
@@jasonstephenson4275 RIP to your Dad, cheers to your memories. For most fathers back then, films were a great way to connect and bond. I'm glad you shared an experience similar to my own, thanks for sharing that 🙏🏾
4 minutes, 1 spoken word. Set design and music showing the audience the history of the world, and showing a sea change in the main character's persona. Master class.
Yes, So much this! This scene is a masterclass in visual storytelling . I especially enjoyed the very next few seconds, when the scene changes, and we see Conan with a scabbard cloak and boots made from wolf pelts....
This scene has so much wonderful symbolism, and puts the whole quest into perspective. It shows there was another empire so long ago nobody remembers it, hinting at the eventual futility of all of man's struggles for power. They live in a world where physical strength and might is key, but once the armour of the old king comes off, there is just the skeleton of a fragile old man underneath. Conan takes the symbolic sceptre of the sword and assumes the mantle, but leaves the cave a wiser man as well.
"There comes a time, thief, when the jewels cease to sparkle, when the gold loses its luster, when the throne room becomes a prison, and all that is left is a father's love for his child." King Osric
During production, the producers and Milius argued over the cost of this setpiece. The producers wanted to save some money and just have an underground vault or cave. Milius insisted on a proper tomb, one that looked historically correct. It's fortunate that he prevailed. It's one of the most memorable scenes in the entire film.
@@roseslasher If memory serves the old king used to be regent of a long-lost insular kingdom. Which is why the sword is so-named the Atlantean sword. . .
Dude i know u just don't see movies like that anymore u just don't and I use to watch it and Conan the destroyer as well man I really wish that they put those old movies on dvd.
Anybody notice that the Atlantean king on the throne is much bigger than a normal human? Look at his hand compared to Arnold's. Man this movie is an absolute classic.
3:40 I love this shot. Makes it seem like the old king is hearing his sword ring out across the ages. And he "bowed" to Conan to let him know he was worthy of it.
I always liked how this scene was shot, as if the Atlantian King had been waiting for centuries for the right heir to his sword, and once claimed, could finally rest.
Kull the Conqueror was from Atlantis but became King of Valusia. His catch phrase: 'With this axe I rule!' I wonder if that was the unnamed king in the tomb with this sword still clutched in his bony hands.
Conan didn't just grab the sword, he took it with respect. When the king bowed to him, (implying that Conan was worthy) he bowed back. The respect and honor he gave is one of the most important parts of this scene.
In the DVD audio commentary by Arnie and Director Milius, they say after Conan took the sword: *Milius:* "He's defeated" *Schwarzenegger:* "Now he can move on"
@@NordLife I think it was meant to be intentional to show that it wasn't an ordinary run of the mill sword. I mean, he flat out cuts his iron shackles off with it right after in one strike
There is so much depth and subtleties to this movie....why can't script writers and producers make stuff of this quality anymore? I mean, even the 'Riddle of Steel' has to be figured out by the viewer, the movie never outright tells you then answer! ....although Conan figures it out at the end when he has killed Thulsa Doom and is sitting on the stairs reflecting on the riddle's answer.
I know the imagination of our minds is soposte to make up or create all kinds story's and just emagen... eh I just kinda wish What kind of men were theyse men how there armor looked what they did how they faught I love a good back story to what have happened to theyse men I always whonder WHY or what happened to them...... always thaught well if they were great thieves did the live the rest of there lives till old age kicked in and before they died they just went where they was soposte to stand in guard till they DIED?
This scene.. Man, it captures the essence of a once mighty civilisation, now gone, and it's Ruler waiting for thousands of years for a worthy successor to wield his sword. Nobility, honour, a sense of reverence, and Basil Poledouris' score make this scene one of the best ever committed to Fantasy movies
That ruler is Kull the Atlantean, and Conan is his direct ancestor. This is basically a really cool scene to show that Conan sort of stumbles upon his inheritance as king of Atlantis.
I love this soundtrack as well. It's perfect. In what I believe is a nod to Poledouris, the band Queens Of The Stone Age has extended instrumental outros at the end of two of their albums, Songs For The Deaf and Lullabies To Paralyze, that are strongly influenced by his orchestral style.
Yeah when I studied music the Head of the school said he saw it in theatre and always spoke super highly of it. Was so odd for a funk and soul musician.
And to think that we could have a trilogy if the producer would have listened to the Director, but no they wanted to cut cost for the sequel. And we got that trash instead
"In their fury, the gods forgot the riddle of steel and left it there on the battlefield. And we who found it were men. Not gods. Not giants. Just men."
I remember that. Conan was told that as a young boy by his father before the adults of his village (including his parents) were slaughtered by Thulsa Doom and his followers, and Conan himself and the other children were taken to the north by the Vanir.
This was the moment that Conan finally took control of his own fate. Gifted by an Atlantean king his sword became the symbol of his freedom. From that moment Conan’s reign began, with that steel he was given he made the most of it. With it he avenged his family, his lover, and his friends. This was the moment the Atlantean king who gifted him the sword knew what he was capable of as he deemed Conan worthy of his gift. The cutting of the chain was symbolic as Conan would kneel before no man ever again. This was the defining moment of his life and the moment he truly became free to live his life
Very well said. He went in the crypt as puppy chow, but left as a king with the means to create his kingdom. You might notice a scene later, that Conan is well dressed in wolf fur lol
The comments section here is excellent. Loads of interesting points and observations. It's like a small pocket of intelligent people got together to discuss a classic movie. I've actually learned something about the movie's production, core narrative, the mythology of Conan and actual history. Maybe the world is worth saving.
There's a certain feeling that, as a fantasy gamer, I've been chasing for decades - in the Ultimas, the Baldur's Gate series, the Elder Scrolls games, and many others. I think this scene encapsulates that feeling better than anything else in movies.
No CGI, no computer animation, no giant buildings falling down... I will take this over any of that DC or Marvel stuff. Not to mention, best movie poster EVER
This scene is one of the best examples of how a musical score can elevate the story to a frightening epic standard that marks us deeply and willingly...
Because this was Annie’s first major role, Milius wisely let the music do most of the heavy lifting in the earlier scenes and he delivered in spades. One of the best scores ever written.
What makes this scene so powerful is that it is a simultaneous revelation. We see it the same time Conan does. The Crypt. The servants. The King on his Throne. His wonder is our wonder. The music paints this so well. So hauntingly.
It foreshadows everything from the fire to the luster of the sword to the giants that once lived there. No one lives forever. Conan knows he’s not immortal. So he’s going to take everything while he can. He's a thief. All kings are thieves.
Everything in this tomb looks real and appropriately showing it’s age. Really amazing how realistic it appears as if they actually found a real burial mound
Running from the wolves of this world, he claims the sword of the Ancient King. As if he was awaited, reclaiming a lost heritage of valor. With sword in hand he brakes his chains of slavery and slays the wolves. This is a beautiful metaphor.
@Mike Fisher. Well If you were trained as an elite Warrior Since you were a boy, and had a 4 foot master sword in your hands, the dogs probably wouldn't stand much of a chance.
This is one of my favorite scenes because it shows Conan as a man with a strong will to survive, something that Crom admires. Conan is in the dark, literally and figuratively, but he sees the seated Atlantean King Crom, and his powerful looking sword. They are face to face. The god/king bows at his successor even ages beyond death after Conan takes the sword and cleans it. Conan takes the supernatural sword and bows for the first time ever, in reverence and respect to knowledge and power. And then Conan crawls out of the darkness into the Light and smashes his earthly shackles away. Awesome scene.
What gets me about a scene like this is the realization that nothing lasts forever. The dead king was once a mighty ruler, now he's bones and dust. The music underwrites this particular scene perfectly.
It’s the moment where Conan becomes his own man and takes his life into his own hands. He is no longer a slave to man or beast, he is now in control of his own fate
Never have I loved a movie as much as this movie. I saw it as a little boy in the 80s. A black and white version on a VHS cassette. Time stood still. Never forget it. I am deeply moved when I think about it. A religious experience.
I often wonder if the Atlantean king buried here is actually Kull of Atlantis, another of Robert E. Howard's characters who chronologically lived in the age before Conan's.
This scene occurs in the books, except the skeleton comes to "life" and Conan has to fight it for the sword. I don't remember if there is any indication of who it was, however.
@@SuperRayW Yeah, from "The Thing in the Crypt" short story. I just googled it. I've only read the original stories by Robert E Howard. I should read the ones from Lin Carter!
Aren't those hounds, though? That belong to the slavers? I always thought that, after his owner set Conan free, the other slavers were trying to recapture him. That was my take, at least.
the movie plays out in a bible fashion = Time passed, with out telling you it passed. This story telling of passed time in present, is in the second film also :). You fill in the part of, hmm how long was Conan traveling through the hills/sand.
For those of you who've not read the Marvel-published black & white graphic novels from the 70's & 80's, I'm telling you that this scene captured a great segment of the awe and fantasy elements that I took in as a reader. The kings, the statesmen, the barbarians, the gangs, the wizards, all of it, compiled a universe that was easy to follow, but complex in characters.
I love how cryptic this is, the musical score, the flame lighting ambience as if you were there, the sense of loneliness from all of the passed souls. This was so well done.
This scene is my savior. I watch this every time I feel that life is against me 0:07 and the end is invitable. When I fall to the darkest depths in my mind 0:30 and am about to just give up. This scene reminds me that even in the darkest corners there is always a spark of hope 1:08. With that hope you see things more clearly 1:37 because in a time of desperation things always seem more dark than they actually are. With that spark you can light a guiding torch 2:06 and that will lead you to the solution 3:02 The trust in your solution 4:08 will give you the strength to rise back up 4:15 break the chains that lead you to the darkness 4:22 and become confident in yourself 4:26
never in the history of movie making music matched the scenes and the overal feel of a story so much as in Conan; I will never get tired of watching this masterpiece
Poledouris' music score is nothing short of epic here and one picks up the echoes of Crom's past glories and victories but he's now just a forgotten warrior to which he passes the torch to Conan. Perfect and without ANY dialogue, explosions, flames, or CGI-gasm.
Love every single one of the themes from this but this has to be one of my favourite movements from the score, this scene - so haunting, and full of promise. God, Basil you were a legend - taken from us way too soon and sadly missed. The fact that one of the last public things he did, even weakened by his illness as he was, was conduct an epic concerto of the Conan score showed how much passion and love he still had for it. RIP.
Not probably, but certainly the most underrated film ever. That film is a miracle. Their was heroic fantasy films before ... and after Conan. He influenced so many, even with the music. Perfectly used in that scene. Music is a character in that scene. Tells all you have to know without a word. Now that's a movie. The moment when with the sword he destroys his chains and then breaks the third wall ... seriously breaking the third wall ! Crazy ... and it works. Look at me i'm a free man now, and my look on the world has changed. No more fears.I have the power of steel, i'm no longer a slave. They will pay. No word ... just a look. You feel it. And even the (fake) wolfs feel it.
@PROUD AFRICAN you're right. Most people, think it's just a B movie. It's not. Oliver Stone made sure it would not be. There's a lot, and i mean realy A LOT of hiden symbolism in that film. And that's why the remake was indeed a B movie. I think a lot of people don't get why they love the first Conan and not the others (especialy the last one with better cgi, action, and let's be honest acting, except for james earl jhones, and the king etc ...). I think that hiden symbolism is the key. The things that made that movie great and universal. Something that anyone can connect with. A boy becoming a man the hard way. Who could not relate to that ?
When I was a kid I thought that Crom was that dead king, because Conan said Crom. Conan saw that his god was dead and leaving him his sword. Even giving him his blessing from beyond the grave, by bowing to him. Later on I thought Crom shape-shifted into that witch, when she was thrown into the the fire, I thought that was Crom’s spirit testing his wisdom, laughing at him for not recognizing the danger as he flew away. That’s why he said Crom, it was later I figured out each time he said Crom. He was really like saying OMG.
I collected comics in the 80s. Conan comics and graphic novels released monthly. Both are different, comics don’t have nudity like the graphic novels does. Crom was the God of his people in Cimmeria.
I used to make the same mistake. I thought 'Crom' here was not an interjection but Conan saying the name of the dead king. It's just the way the inflection sounds. Since Crom is a god it obviously doesn't make a ton of sense and Milius cleared up the skeleton's identity in the Conan DVD commentary.
And let's not forget that at the very end of the film we see an aged but still vibrant Conan, now the King of Aquilonia, sitting on a throne that looks exactly the same and wearing the exact same armor. From one king to another, the steel went to the one who deserved it. This is almost the exact opposite of Excalibur: that was a sword divinely given to a boy who then gave it back to another divinity. Here we have a man who defies death to bestow the sword to the man who has already proven himself worthy and that man carries it until his own death. We see this same theme play out when he prays to Crom: it's all about his will, and not divinity. If Crom won't help him, than to hell with Crom. And finally we see it again when he kills Thulsa Doom, the Snake Priest: his will as a man strikes down the self-proclaimed agent of divinity. And to close it all up the film itself started with the famous Nietzsche quote "what does not kill me makes me stronger." This film was really well directed. I also encourage everyone to read the original Conan stories by Robert E Howard, as well as "Imaro" by Charles Saunders, the latter being very much an African version of Conan that's the only think that really comes close to Howard's level.
In my hypothesis, the sword was coated with wax, and the wax itself was a suspension for such toxins as tannin and bug repellent. This ret-con would explain why the sword is perfectly preserved in that encrusted shell that only "looks like" rust, but is actually just a wax sealant. Thus when Conan hits the sword against the aged-brittle encrusted wax, the coating breaks off, revealing the preserved sword within.
4:10 The reverence and respect portrayed is fantastic. As if he is showing gratitude for being deemed worthy by the long gone king. Another commenter mentioned the symbolism of the kings head coming down as if to acknowledge Conan as a successor. Such a well done movie.
I noticed also that when they first meet, Conan is kneeling/bowing to the king when he first sees him. Really a great transition to one another and says so much dialogue without even one word spoken
extremely POWERFUL scene... you need not know ANYTHING else in terms of context here, and it STILL resonates. Masterful storytelling carried by its score.
When you just began a new game in Skyrim and found a legendary sword in a dungeon. But, jokes aside... even though I was born in 93, this was still one of the main movies of my childhood. I remember that I was a bit scared of the skeleton back when I was a kid. But now it gives me chills, the atmosphere, the music... Feeling like this is not just a movie.
It is a genuinely beautiful scene and emphasises the importance of Steel as a substance _and_ commodity in Conan's time. The steel of this Atlantean sword is far superior even to that forged by his father which is the focus of the film. The Atlantean sword breaks Conan's 'Father Sword' and so the child--with help from the technologically superior past--eclipses the parent. Part of me loves the silent, reverent nature of the scene as produced but part of me would also have liked to see the animate skeleton as described in the script. However that would have run the risk of trivializing the bond of respect and favour that is shown to exist between Conan and the long-dead Atlantean general. A hard choice.
@TomeOfBattle Really? You had to go make it political? Dont worry the nasty sjws wont harm your poor sweet barbarian, your childhood is safe snowflake. WOKE WOKE WOKE WOKE BOO!
I never noticed but Conan was unintentionally prostrating before the king when he was making that fire. And the Atlantean sword was coated in something like clay that Conan breaks off which is why the sword was in such a pristine condition.
The skeleton of the dead king also seems to turn his head, from facing right ahead, to facing Conan to his left when he's breaking the clay off the sword. And when he bents over and his helmet falls off, it almost looks as if he's passing on his crown, his legacy to Conan and is bowing to him. Seriously, the attention to detail in this movie was insane!
@@joshuasantana685 If it was rust the blade would have been very corroded, but it looks excellent, rust also just wouldn't come of that easily. I think it's the old leather scabbard that rotted over time, that's why it was so easy to remove and that's also why the blade still looks so good, the scabbard protected it from moisture.
Essa cena é fantástica pela trilha sonora, e por mostrar um vislumbre do futuro de Conan, destinado a ser rei.Muitas vezes não escolhemos nosso destino, é o destino que nos escolhe
The music was very powerful and went with the scene so well. The power of the music as he's taking hold of the sword is like foreshadowing, telling us this object might not be just a rusted piece of scrap. And when he knocks the dirt off, that's a great moment.
La película es un clásico total, desde el picto en cuclillas al inicio hasta Conan recupeŕandose en el atardecer con las olas detrás, la música de Basil Poledouris se mezcla mágicamente con el guión, la vi en su estreno, vivirá por siempre en las retinas de los que la vean
*The old Conan the Barbarian franchise had some of the best soundtrack to date, it's just phenomenonal and really takes us back to those days of golden Hollywood era & our childhood*
The faint howling of the wolves really added to the atmosphere as the camera focuses on the the skeletons. By Crom it gives me goosebumps to this day decades later....
It really is beautiful. This place of death and timelessness is a brief refuge from danger, but the danger looms over you still, and you cannot stay here forever. Recharge and regroup, then go and face the world and all the perilous things therein.
What a beautiful piece of filmmaking, no dialog needed except for Conan's single utterance of "Crom". Perfect editing, visual design and, of course, the music.
I've loved this movie, from it's amazing music, wonderful cast, and awe inspiring world building ever since I first saw it back in 1985. I've since rewatched "Conan the Barbarian" at least 10+ times over the years and this scene, amongst many others, always gets me. As if I was watching it for the first time as a kid again. This movie is definitely one of my all time favorite movies, and it's sound track is by far the best. I listen to it all the time when I do my art. Inspiring.
Dec. 1, 2019---Thanks for the video clip as it's been a LONG time since I've even watched this movie. Anyone notice how Conan RESPECTFULLY removes the sword from the hand and not just grabbing and yanking it free?
Whatever you thought of the movie, this had my favourite piece of music ever. I listen to the soundtrack every few months and Basil's work never fails to impress me.
Seeing Arnold so young is really Amazing. What's even more amazing is how he eventually went on to becoming not only one of the biggest names in Hollywood, but also an accomplished politician as well. Just like the character Conan that he portrayed, he really did become a King by his own hand.
One thing I really enjoyed about the '82 movie compared to other flicks is the props. Those skeletons in the ancient throne room crypt look authentically old to me, they got the cobwebs, gunk, dust, etc just right, and the armor, weapons and architecure look like they could've belonged to unknown cultures that actually existed. The main big sword itself is an example of that, too, EG the design, and I also liked the symbolism on the pommel - the skull under the mountain represents not evil, unlike what we would most often associate it as meaning, but rather the inevitability and absoluteness of death and acceptance thereof and that the only true immortality is carving out an incredible legend that will never die because your achievements will be so great that no one will ever be able to forget or not have heard of them. I think it also goes with the idea some people have that Conan was saying that the skeleton on the throne is supposed to be Crom; in other words, he was just an ancient warrior-king so great that he eventually became revered as a deity after his death, like the ideas Snorri Sturlusson and I think either Nietzsche himself and/or Freud had that the legends of ancient gods and giants in places like Norway, Greece, etc were actually exaggerations based around the stories of the exploits of guys like Conan (which would also allow men like Siegfried and Achilles to distantly be descended from them and would explain how that could work, since the ancient written mythologies often had their heroes be the offspring or descendants of deities). Such details and others like magic being rare but definitely existing and etc give it a sense of realism, yet simultaneously also fantasy, that the mythological things indeed were around, but magic doesn't take up the whole story and background, instead leaving proper room for the characters. Magic isn't some corny ability to shoot bolts of lighting but is deep-rooted, intuitive and primal. This movie had a very earthy, gritty, living, organic (of course not in the sense of organic foods bullshit) quality that's strong but not quite overdone and you can't find it made in movies that showed up after this time period. I wouldn't want an exactly novel-accurate Conan movie because this one is the way it should be.
When I watched the film for the first time (I had only read the books, and they where amazing), I didn't like it much... but this scene! This scene oh my god! It gaves me chills. It is full of symbolism, of images that evoke something truly specials for me (as an Elder Scrolls player, and an admirer of Howard's books, and fantasy in general). Accompagned by the awesome work of Podelouris, this scene is one of the best I've ever seen, by Crom! Thanks for uploading it in HD
The sword is the only thing that has survived through the time. It means that while men die the good things they did prevail. What conan sees when the king's skull falls is MEMENTO MORI . This film is pure stoicism
I would not mind at all another movie about Conan's reign as king...even if it is only about his final days and is the story of how he passes on his legacy...this legacy of the Atlantean Sword.
@@AFatWhiteShark I was going to call troll bs but after a quick search, turns out king conan is a possibility. My only fear is the possibility of butchering the memory and fondness we have for the original conan movies. Watch conan pass the torch to some teenage girl and her bffs. 😞😭
I've always loved this movie. People never understood it. It's actually one of the greatest and saddest love stories ever told. A boy who lost everything he loved and lost everything all over again (as a man.)
God, I love this scene. In his lowest moment, he tumbles into a tomb. Surrounded by ancient, fallen warriors, he finds the Atlantean Sword, still grasped by a long dead king. He takes the sword, hammers the rot off the blade only to find it still gleaming and sharp, and then the long dead king bows his head, in death, honoring Conan as the inheritor of his sword. All this, and Conan only utters a single word; Crom. Beautiful cinematography and wordless story telling.
