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"The Beastmaster" was released just a few months after the Arnold Schwarzenegger classic, "Conan: The Barbarian." That film was pivotal in defining Arnie´s career as an action hero icon, but over the years, "The Beastmaster" has become one of the greatest cult classics of all time and helped reinvigorate the B-Movie market. Though its initial success was probably hindered and handicapped because of Arnold´s tremendous biceps, over the years "The Beastmaster" has become a mainstay of cable television and perhaps even seen more airtime than John Milius´ take on the Conan mythos.
"The Beastmaster" is about Dar (Marc Singer), a prince who had the misfortune of being the chosen one to defeat an evil sorcerer, Maax (Rip Torn). Maax does not want to be defeated and has his band of witches remove the unborn Dar from his mother´s womb. Dar is saved from sacrifice by a farmer and raised as the son of that farmer. As he grows up, Dar sees his clan and family destroyed by a roving horde of barbarians who share a tie to Maax. He survives the attack and vows to avenge the murders. Along the way he meets a slave girl, Kiri (Tanya Roberts of "Charlie´s Angels" fame).
Dar is not just an excellent fighter and swordsman, but he has a strong sense of animal husbandry and is able to communicate with animals and see what their eyes witness. Joining Dar and Kiri is a pair of ferrets, a black tiger (dyed and painted black, of course) and a hawk. Along with a few other travelers, Dar gains a force large enough to travel across the land and battle the evil Maax. This group eventually includes his brother, who has also fled the evil Maax and in discovering his own identity, Dar now must save his true father.
"The Beastmaster" does not benefit from an award winning story or acting, and the dialog and situations are cheesy and humorous, but Marc Singer must be given credit for being in excellent physical shape and for acting alongside some potentially dangerous creatures. The mix of action and beasts make for a fantasy film that is unlike anything previously done. The look and feel of the movie is decidedly low budget, but the look works well for a film that takes place during the Bronze Age and the simplicity and lack of wealth the people that lived in this ear dealt with. Loincloths and straw huts are certainly cheap and easy to replicate and though the film is low budget, it is fitting for the content.
This is a film that has a larger audience than would care to admit. Technically and artistically, "Conan: The Barbarian" is the superior film. It is far better acted and visibly more pleasing. However, "The Beastmaster" gives it a run for its money in the entertainment department. Had the film been released before "Conan," it would be interesting to see where it stands today. I´m not sure it would have been any greater a success, but it could have taken some thunder away from Arnie. I certainly could see the B-Movie roots of "The Beastmaster" and would never consider it a great film, but it was fun and would be an excellent way to kill a rainy Saturday afternoon.
Video:
"The Beastmaster" is not the best looking film available on DVD, but it is easily one of the best films considering its age and budget. The film is riddled with grain and the style of the film does not allow for the strongest colors, but the print is generally clean of any source defects and digital errors. Edge-overenhancement is also evident in some scenes. Colors are solid and contrast is perfect, allowing for true flesh-tones. Black level is good, but some night scenes are not as dark or true as they should be. The film is presented in an anamorphic 1.85:1 transfer the correctly replicates its original theatrical aspect. The time and effort Anchor Bay has put into this title is certainly apparent. "The Beastmaster" has never looked this good on video and it may never have looked this good in cinemas.
Average user rating (1-5):
[release]8180[/release]