I adore Krull. Such a cool concept of an alien invasion movie on an alien planet mixing sword and sorcery and scifi fantasy. Plus great design, score and visuals and cast. And Lysette Anthony as Lyssa, a long standing crush since I was a lad.
For my 10th birthday, in December '85, I went ice skating, to chuck e cheese, rented Krull on Betamax, and played Atari until 7am. Epic! The cyclops, the emerald seer, the princess.. 👍
I love the score though you can tell Horner was still influenced by Wrath of Khan. This score almost sounds like an alternate version for that movie. This movie was bold to merge fantasy and sci-fi. It is too bad it wasn't a tighter script though I still love it. The arcade game may have been a bigger success than the movie. You have to love Robbie Coltrane, Liam Neeson and Alun Armstrong at the beginning of their careers. I didn't realize that was Coltrane until years later because I never saw him that skinny.
As a whole, it had its flaws, but it had good actors, and enough great scenes that I still love it. (The seer-doppleganger in the swamp, the widow of the web, the cyclops knowing he would die brutally and painfully if he helped the others but still choosing it,...)
Yeah, I always thought you could tell Horner recycled some of his stuff. You can even hear some Wrath of Khan stuff in the latter half of Aliens as well.
I saw this in theaters as a young kid when it came out. LOVED it! The only way to fully appreciate it is to take your adult self out and enjoy it from your kid perspective! FUN! These are the films that shaped entire imaginations in childhood!
@@mikerodgers7620Lifeforce only really worked because the French babe who played the main part was naked for most of the beginning of the film. It was fair vampire film, but no better than this.
@@daveofyorkshire301 Krull was dumb and poorly made. It was a rip off of other fantasy and sci first films. At least Life Force was original. Life Force is a better film.
I'm glad you finally recognized Robbie Coltrane (aka Hagrid). I was preparing for all the comments to point him out. I'm glad you liked the score for the film. It was written by my favorite composer James Horner. He wrote it (and several other film scores) between Star Trek II and III. Of course he's even more famous for film scores like "Glory", "Willow", and "Titanic" He sadly passed away in 2015 in a plane crash. He was only 61.
So the thing about Rell the Cyclops is that he didn’t know that he was gonna die at the Black Fortress. He had his time to die and then chose to disregard it by going to help his friends. The young boy said if he opposes it he’ll bring great pain upon himself, and that’s what happened in the form of him being slowly crushed to death by a stone door.
1. I haven't seen this in 35 years. Thanks for the review. 2. "Willow" is a fun fantasy movie as well. (Directed by Ron Howard) 3. "The Sword and the Sorcerer" rocks too.😎 4. The first "Clash of the Titans" and "The Beastmaster".
My mum took me to see this at the cinema when I was a kid. Always had a soft spot for this movie. Great reaction to the spider - I struggle with that bit too!
DragonSlayer from the 80's is another good one if you like sword and sorcery. Also, a movie that gets overlooked alot is 'John Carter' from 2012, which is a sci-fi fantasy. Both are from Disney, if I remember correctly
This came out when I was 12. I was so in love with the characters that I saw this 3 times in the theater. I find that I barely remember any of the first act, but each act of sacrifice along the way is emblazoned upon my psyche.
thank you. i took my 4 year old to see this at the drive-in, and being flush with the brilliance of the just ended star wars trilogy, i was less than impressed. but in those vcr days, my daughter insisted this be one of the first tapes we owned, and so both of us can recite it practically word for word. i discovered i loved it, especially the music. done by the exceptional late great James Horner, who also did 'wrath of kahn' and borrowed heavily from it, among a list of incredible blockbusters. we lost a great talent when he passed in 2015. watching you watch this brings back the fun. i haven't watched it in years and years, altho my daughter got a glave tattoo on her leg. watching it with you again is a joy!
"Excalibur and Star Wars had a baby." -Anybody who comes at you for that take should know that when the movie was made that's exactly how it was marketed.
Add The Beastmaster to the list :) Also, what a great list of movies there! Krull is an absolute favorite; Last Starfighter is way up there; Highlander is classic, of course. Also, if you like MST3K or RiffTrax, the RiffTrax guys did Krull. It's a great follow-up to watching the original :)
another 80s classic. LOVED this movie. so many famous faces before they were famous. the weapon amazed me as a kid. as a kid thinking use the force to control it. lol
"In spirit"? But this score _was_ the work of Master Horner, the year after he broke into the big time with the second *Star Trek* film (and would follow this with #3)! 😲
Just in case you may have missed it. But I love how the symbol of the Glaive is incorporated subtly into the background design of this world, like in the castle. It’s in the stain glass windows, architecture etc… It is so ingrained in their culture now as symbol. Like Christian Cross. It’s true nature or function has been forgotten to Legend. By mostly everyone! Simply brilliant. I just love this movie! 😊❤️
THIS was definately THE BEST "Move First Time Reaction Watching" I've had for a long time!!! - THANKS TO YOU, JONATHAN!!! I remember that movie (KRULL), when I saw it on it's premiere... And (for that what we knew of movie-making in those "good old days"), boy, we were THRILLED!! Such a good time and such a lot of fun!! - Oh, and YES, the scene with the "widow of the web" ... absolutely GREAT!! ... THANK YOU AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN, JONATHAN! Please, keep on the good work!!! - Heartfelt greetings from Germany!
What a great 80s sci-fi fantasy movie, a sword and sandal movie with the twist of alien invaders. Also, one of James Horner's underrated scores. I was 5 when this came out and the 2 weapons every kid wanted was a light saber and a Glaive. The 80s was a great time for sword and sandal movies. Dragonslayer (1981) The Sword and the Sorcerer Willow Deathstalker Barbarian Queen
As far as I remember, this one, Dune, Flash Gordon and Conan the Barbarian were produced by the Dino De Laurentiis company and directly produced by Raffaella De Laurentiis, his daughter. Great time watching this with you, thanks!
A movie that is always overlooked but is truly fantastic is “Ladyhawke.” Great script, wonderful acting, beautiful story, and a soundtrack that has no business being in a fantasy movie but works PERFECTLY.
My mother obliviously dropped me (6 years old) and my brother (8 years old) off at this PG-rated movie in a discount mall theater at matinee time in 1983 as she shopped. My brother had to cover my mouth to stop my shrieks when the aliens came out of their body suits and slid into the sand Alien-like, and when the Widow of the Web comes out all decrepit while the translucent spider advances like some kind of horror monster. A few years later, I got a second-hand Playtime VHS copy from a video store that still had scratches and pops from the film transfer and wore that baby out on my Magnavox VCR while watching it over and over with my fantasy and sci-fi loving friends at sleepovers. I still quote the amazing script of this film, especially the thief Torquil's inspired monologue in the swamp, Liam Neeson and Robbie Coltrane's loveable rogues, and Freddie Jones ' Shakespearean gravitas as he intones his lines. The days!
Oh my f’ing god! You’re the first I’ve seen react to this movie! Same for Flash Gordon! I hope to god you win the lottery :) Pls react to The Last Starfighter and The Best of Times. Thank you so much.
You are describing 'The Heroes Journey'. Joseph Campbell spotted story commonalities in a large variety of folk tales and distilled them down to a series of steps that describe a classic tale.
If any movie would be well served by a reboot, it's this one. The concept was great, but it was so limited by the budget and the state of practical effects. Even a few years later they had been markedly improved
So bad, it’s good!! I loved when I saw Krull at 12 years old. This is right along the caliber of Flash Gordon. A trippy, sci-fi, over the top, pulls no punches and makes no apologies film! Star Wars meets Prince Valiant. You also need to watch Time Bandits! A very well done, but also wildly trippy film. Sean Connery is in it!
I'd just call it "good". There's no choppy editing, terrible acting, lack of microphones on set, etc. that typify the "so bad it's good" movie. Everything is done very competently. It's just a classic trippy sci-fantasy movie.
Was 12 when this came out saw it in the theatre (being a huge sci fi /fantasy fan ,so many kids were making throwing stars out of paper and popsicle sticks the next day lol
Also, Ergo the shapeshifter was David Battley, who also played Charlie Bucket's teacher in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Might be a sneaky reference in there when Ergo talks to the boy about candy.
The film wasn't shot in Scotland or NZ - the exteriors were shot in the Italian Dolomite mountains (the first half), in Spain, and I believe in Ireland for the forests, with soundstages in London for the sets.
A sure fire 80’s knights and swords film for Jonathan: Ivanhoe 1982 with Anthony Andrews and Sam Neill (among many others, oh and Lysette Anthony). Glory to the brave!
For the longest time, when I saw this as a kid, I thought when the Cyclops said he’d wish for “ignorance” I thought he said “fig newtons”…. To this day when I eat a fig newton I think of that scene…
the sand and time scene.... reminds me of the thief in The Egyptian, "Every grain of sand you see here, has outlived every man who ever was, and every man that will ever be. Eternity, hah..... I hold it here in my hand... all the little grains of sand...."
You wonder of the location film - not New Zealand, or Scotland, fine guess' -yet, it's northern Italy. The mountain range, part of the Alps, is named The Dolomites. This ragged mountain range, peaks at 7k-9k, is where in the First World War, Italy fought the Austro-Hungarian Empire (with allies Britain and Germany providing military help) I went on a tour of the battlefields and graveyards in these mountains in 2002. There were concrete forts, with cannons on some mountains. Trenches were made out of rock even at 7,500 ft. Cannon's were brought up in pieces on ropes at cliffs, or donkeys. Ernest Hemingway volunteered with the Red Cross, and drove ambulances up to certain altitude for medical camps. We were based in the town of Asiago -where the cheese is named for. Cows eat grass and herbs at altitude. Cheese we have in America is from Wisconsin -different than the true Italian. You can go down the mountains, and visit Venice -that area of Italy. These mountains filmed, after Krull - Slav' Stalone's "Cliffhanger", and two Star Wars, Attack of the Clones (part of Padme's home planet) and Solo, where the train heist in the winter, and casino was set. The young princess Lysette A' was British,....for whatever reason, she was reduced by an American Actress, a few years older. It would be fine if her original dialogue existed, and they could reduce, a new version of this film. The old mentor, and the Lady of the Web, both would act in David Lynch's "Dune" (1984). As others have noted that the hero Ken M' would have a significant role on ST:DS-9. And, the Director, Peter Y. had directed Steve McQueen in "Bullitt" a decade before.
This is a total blast from the past for me. This movie is one of the movies that influenced the stories I write now. And I'm with you on the spider. It's a full blown phobia for me now. If you haven't seen it, I recommend Willow. Another good fantasy movie.
This was one of my favorite movies to rent as a kid but kept forgetting the name of it lol. So I was always called it the spinning boomerang movie XD I love this movie still and own it finally. The fire mare scene never gets old and captures that fantastical element. And oh if they did a prequel with the old man and the black widow, I would be there opening day. Glad you enjoyed it and it was great hearing your thoughts! Ladyhawke is another great mixture and the old school greek mythology like Clash of the Titans or Jason and the Argonauts.
Comparing this movie to D&D is apt because that's exactly what it was meant to be: a generic D&D movie. That's why it has all the classic heroic quest elements, because that's exactly what it is. When they needed a name for the MacGuffin they looked in the weapons table from the old Player's Handbook and picked the name "Glaive" because it sounded cool. In real life, a glaive is a kind of French pole arm.
56:50 "If look can pull an X Wing out of the swamps of Dagoba, you can pull that freaking thing out of his chest." Luke was not able to pull the X Wing out fo the swamps of Dagoba. He failed and Yoda had to do it.
Hahah, right on, was kinda in a bit of a funk, the intro score snapped me right out of the dang funk...... loved this show, thanks for posting vid, great to share it with someone who hasn't seen it. My dad gave me a ride and 3 bucks to see it, when we had a theatre. Was perfect.
It's rather common to refer to a certain flavor of space opera as a "space Western" - and this is one of the few examples which (thanks to the environment, the protagonist's character, and most especially Elmer Bernstein's rollicking score) successfully captures the ambience of actual old Westerns. 🤠
Glad indeed you found this one so delightful! (Hard to believe it failed - or maybe not so hard, considering *Return of the Jedi* was its box office foe.) Spread the word among your colleagues, won't you? This one can _always_ use some favorable word-of-mouth. 😊
Your knocking out some great hidden gems from the 80's, once you get a bunch more under your belt, you should watch/re-watch Ready Player One and you will get a hell of a lot more references!
I get that this is considered not a great film but I have soft spot for it from when it was first released! High fantasy and great idea, I think it could have been great, but it will always be good in my mind!
I still have the DVD, not upgraded to Blu' - the DVD has a viewable extra of the Marvel Comics adaptation of KRULL, by frame and page. Like Your Got' "Hodor" reference, near the end 🙃
A very under appreciated film, loved it as a kid and still do. Great reaction to this! My favorite under appreciated flick of the 80s is Buckaroo Banzai, you should check it out.
7:35 Worst castle security ever! There's no outpost warning, outer gates, or murder room? They just wait until they walk right up to the single door? If these knights are being paid in food then the king should still demand a refund!
