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Steel isn’t strong, boy. The Behind the Scenes Pic of the Day is stronger!
Ahoy, squirts! Quint here with today’s Behind the Scenes Pic!
I know we just featured Conan The Barbarian a couple weeks ago, but today is a special day. Thirty years ago this weekend Conan was unleashed upon hundreds of screens and a legend was born. Sure, Schwarzenegger was around before this movie, but that moment when young Conan dissolves to grown at the wheel of pain, when Arnie raises his head and stares at us, the audience… that’s when the icon was born. Everything that came after began in that moment.
I just watched the movie on glorious 35mm at the Alamo Drafthouse’s Summer of ’82 event that celebrates the very best cinematic summer on record. This is a big screen movie in every sense of the word. It’s not afraid to be larger than life. In tone, in violence, in score, in scope, in performance… Conan really goes for it and John Milius is the primary reason for this.
Today’s images celebrate this film and the best one features Milius looking like he’s having all the fun in the world making this insane film. The second, tinier shot, shows Arnie, Sven-Ole Thorsen, Gerry Lopez, Milius and a few other crew members hanging in front of a trailer. Click the Milius shot to enlargen!
If you have a behind the scenes shot you’d like to submit to this column, you can email me at quint@aintitcool.com.
Tomorrow’s pic goes under da sea!
-Eric Vespe
”Quint”
quint@aintitcool.com
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Click here to visit the complete compilation of previous Behind the Scenes images, Page Two
Readers Talkback
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but I never understood those that love this film. To me it is good but not great.
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Fuck Mamoa.
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That movie is still one of my all time favorites. That Momoa one was a freakin joke.
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Conan with a cane!
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Weird flick. Milius is such a goob. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBGOQ7SsJrw
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May 12, 2012, 12:07 a.m. CST
Subotai has got to be the coolest best friend evah. He won't cry, so I cry for him.
by MiggsFacial
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so so epic...
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C'mon, do it!
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if that guy layin on the ground wasn't sticking his hands down his pants. Reminds me of the scene in Semi-Pro where that guy is watching Woody Harrelson bang his wife.
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Conan just has so much heart, and discipline, style, and unique mood. Just saw the Avengers, and while it has the greatest humor in it's Whedon character moments, and the most fun joke cuts and scene stingers, it didn't break out of the stale feel of spectacle movies these days in which the spectacle could be interchangable with a Transformers movie or a Battleship movie. The one part where The Avengers truly did break free of the cliche was in the intro to the transformed Hulk where it's played like a bit of horror in that cat and mouse situation. Avengers doesn't have that jaw dropping, heroic mooment of utter coolness like in Conan when he tips the human soup bowl to the main theme and does his fighting sword dance stances while the heavies recognize him. I think Avengers needed one more writer who is totally fresh with the adventure/action aspect of a plot.
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Without the score, this movie is just a bunch of ridiculous Arnold with some great lines by Darth Vader
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May 12, 2012, 12:58 a.m. CST
It wouldn't be Conan with a cane, it would be Conan on the damn throne, as KING
by Jaka
And in my heart I'm starting to believe that if the slew of movies Arnold is doing are successful, it will happen. Believe or not, people pay attention to what us "geeks" are saying, to what we want. More of "the money" than you would imagine frequent this very site. So be clear and be loud - we want Arnold as King Conan.
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May 12, 2012, 1 a.m. CST
thelordofhell - I wouldn't go that far, but I agree that the score adds to it greatly
by Jaka
The score is special - this can't be denied. It's a great suite of music on it's own, away from the movie. But even without the score, Conan The Barbarian is as true a hard fantasy movie as we will likely ever see. Not once does it stray from presenting you with a "real" world that those characters inhabit. Not once does it break form and poke fun at itself for BEING a fantasy film. The score just makes that even more enjoyable.
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May 12, 2012, 1:04 a.m. CST
Awesome pics btw - you could do a Conan BTS pic once a week and I'd be happy
by Jaka
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May 12, 2012, 1:11 a.m. CST
Arno;d should have cosplayed as some neanderthal warrior.. oh wait, he did.
by CodeName
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May 12, 2012, 1:12 a.m. CST
Arnold.. and how did I type a hyphen in tn place of a letter?
by CodeName
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I went straight to the theater after work and.....fell asleep during the movie. It was the first time I had ever done that, but not the last. Ok, maybe some of it bored me, but mostly I was tired and should have waited for some other time than opening day to see it. And no, I don't think it was a great movie by any stretch of the imagination. But I do like the photos--a nostalgia trip.
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"I have no tongue for it. No one, not even you, will remember if we were good men, or bad. What we lived for or why we fought. No, all that matters is that two stood against many. Battle pleases you Crom, so grant me one request. Grant me REVENGE. And if you do not listen, then to HELL with you!" That's from memory so excuse any errors. What a great movie. It's like an old Bible epic (especially the score).
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May 12, 2012, 1:50 a.m. CST
@ufoclub1977 - Totally agree...bottom line most movies made within the system just plain lost the art of visual storytelling-
by kenchun24
-that many older classics,golden era classics,and my generation (I'm 35 so maybe yours too) classics of the eighties. Avengers did good.But heck most the time I find way more interesting and satisfying movies in most genres from foreign film makers (which of course the systems tentacles get a hold of the property and re-makes within months). And I'm so glad you mentioned the similarities to crap like Transformers/Battleship.Since when did the SAME damn baddie character model (you know...the boring robotic/organic gunmetal colored enemy) become the staple for EVERY movie villian(s). Conan rocks.It did when my dad took me in 1982 and still does.Especially the opening.Just the score and sweeping visuals with zero dialogue.Gave me everything I needed to take the ride with Milius and Arnie.
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May 12, 2012, 2:01 a.m. CST
Are you kidding? "Hercules in New York" was when we all knew he'd be a star.
by IronEagle74
Okay, not really. For me, it wasn't until "Commando" that we saw the true charisma and personality that led Arnie to being a big-time action star.
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May 12, 2012, 2:18 a.m. CST
One of my favorite films...there is genius at work here...
by conspiracy
...a film so well done it would almost work without a word of dialog...not that there is much of it anyway....in fact the scant dialog ads to the charm...these are characters of action, not exposition. Everyone is given a moment to shine...and if you don't LOVE Mako and Max Von Sydow and James Earl Jones...then fuck you in your barely beating heart. And the score...Never has a score so fit the imagery. It is perfect.
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And hello to all bastards too.
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I thought this was a picture of the Shaq movie Steel. I am dissapoint.
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Love it.
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King Conan needs to get made, maybe if Arnold commited to do it with Milius now he is out of politics they could get it made.
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It was the remake's script and overall vision that didn't work so well. Obviously Arnold is the more iconic Conan, but he's so much older now that besides Milius making King Conan, Arnie is too old. If the remake had been better I wouldn't mind a sequel with Momoa again as Conan, with Arnie as the villain. It isxa shame that instead of the remake, we didn't get a Conan of Cimmeria* HBO or Showtime series. Adult oriented with blood and nudity sprinkled throughout the adventure. Conan would work better in this formula, as a series. It would allow them to adapt a lot of the shorter Conan stories instead of being beholden to a 2 hour feature film running time. Momoa was awesome as Khal Drogo in HBO's Game of Thrones, and Milius has experience with television as he wrote and produced on HBO's Rome. Teaming up these two for a Conan series on HBO or Showtime would have been epic. They'd grab not only Conan fans, but the Game of Thrones and Rome fans as well. * I'm thinking Conan of Cimmeria would have been a better title for a Conan TV series, as it would differentiate the show from the Conan the Barbarian film, which is awesome in its own right.
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Fuck yes. Conan the Barbarian RoboCop The Hunt For Red October Starship Troopers Epic scores for all those, which are all awesome films as well.
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Could you repeat that in English? Ground? Groan? Grown?
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May 12, 2012, 6:25 a.m. CST
@ufoclub1978 and kenchun24 -- they don't make movies like they used to
by lv_426
Amen. Now, I'm no hater of movies made nowadays, but we've definitely lost some of the magic of films from the 70's and 80's. Taxi Driver Jaws Close Encounters THX1138 Star Wars Raiders Alien, Aliens Terminator Conan the Barbarian RoboCop Die Hard Apocalypse Now Blade Runner These are just some that immediately pop into the the old noodle... but these are films that had a texture to them you know? They were gritty, and felt real. Dare I say it, as cliche as it is, but these types of genre films had BALLS and a string and distinctive director's voice behind them. It seems stuff is less distinctive and too clean these days. Studios are more controlling, effects cost way too much now, everything has to be digital now too. Digital cinematography is a great tool, but it is starting to feel too clean and crisp more often than not. Now with the push for everything to be not only 3D, but possibly 48fps and later 60fps, I can't help but feel a bit bummed out by the current state if American cinema. People were talking about it in the AICN show thread about Harry's interview with Douglas Trumbull. The idea of how back in the pre-digital era, they'd shoot miniatures with tons of thick smoke to give the illusion of weight and atmosphere. I miss that look in films. I think that is why us children if the 70's grit and 80's genre golden ages will never be won over by the ever more clinical looking movies if the present day. Sure there is some rose tinted nostalgia at play, but it is what it is. I'll admit it.
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If only my excitement for practical effects and all the great films of the past hadn't given me a cinematic boner, I might have been able to not write about it like such a tard.
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it IS crap like transformers. I'd rather watch Conan '82 100 more times than sit through more shitty strung together CGI shots with bad dialog.
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So unliked Conan.
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Terribly boring movie. Not one ounce of love in my heart for this overrated flick. Sweeping visuals, good score but nothing else holds anything.
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Good. Less fuckheads in the theatre for when the rest of us are enjoying Avengers, which is miles different than that other shit. That you can't see that makes you a twat.
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CROM DEMANDS IT!!!
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May 12, 2012, 7:38 a.m. CST
KRUSH YUOH ENEMEEZ, SEE DEM DIFFEN BEFUOH YUOH, AND HEER DE LAMANTATIONS OF DE WIMMEN!
by Nasty In The Pasty
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...with Basil Poledouris dead, you just KNOW they'd hire one of Hans Zimmer's "pets" to shit all over this. :(
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Please Krom, make them make this movie. King Conan is the only Schwarzenneggar picture I really want to see. He's too old for any other kind of action, and what else can he do? He can't really act, so what does that leave him? It leaves him King Conan, that's what.
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That actually makes me not sure about King Conan after all. Actually, simply the fact that it's a new era in film makes me not sure about King Conan, no matter how many of the originals are involved. Those who do not understand the masculine greatness that is Conan The Barbarian can perhaps be forgiven in this age of gender-obfuscation. But you are lacking a rather large and important piece of your soul.
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ha ha, didn't mean to totally steal your comment. Every time I want to write something on here I notice that someone else said the same thing at the same time. Anyway, Crom be praised.
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May 12, 2012, 8:13 a.m. CST
Wachowskis almost made king conan with milius. What we got instead was worse than not having more Conan movies
by UltraTron
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May 12, 2012, 8:17 a.m. CST
Tellin ya Gerard Butler was supposed to be the new Conan. With a beard and those blue eyes he is king Conan.
by UltraTron
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There is young Conan, there is a dissolve, he is now grown. YOUNG Conan dissolves to GROWN Conan/
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May 12, 2012, 9:08 a.m. CST
CONAN THE BARBARIAN is legendary, bring on ARNOLD as KING CONAN
by ABking
Nice small write up Quint. You guys at AICN should seek out Milius once again and plee with the man to do KING CONAN. Fan support alone would make the film gross mega millions. Milius owes it to the fans and himself (he ain't doing anything worth while right now) to do KING CONAN. Arnold is signing to every film possible right now, so why no the # 1 film his fans really want....KING CONAN. If Milius doesn't want to direct, he should get PAUL VERHOEVEN to direct while he is a hands on producer. Come on Harry, Quint etc....get more talk going on KING CONAN. AICN can get Milius back on this epic film. We need a direct sequel to CONAN THE BARBARIAN.
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May 12, 2012, 10:31 a.m. CST
If there is a CROM...please make KING CONAN before it's too late!!!
by marineboy
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Your dad took a 5 year old to see this? And you remember? Calling bullshit
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Not Howard,still fun,....
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May 12, 2012, 11:07 a.m. CST
KING CONAN! KING CONAN! KING CONAN! THE KING IS DEAD! CONAN KILLED HIM! LONG LIVE KING CONAN!
by Stereotypical Evil Archer
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May 12, 2012, 11:08 a.m. CST
Yeah, now the new Conan's over Milius and Arnold should finish his trilogy.
by Mr Nicholas
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Great stuff.
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May 12, 2012, 11:27 a.m. CST
Soh niize tew zee duh suhpohrt dere fohr Kink Honan frum duh fahnz. Ah'd liike tew do anuddah vun boht jew see ah nohw
by UltraTron
loohke liike duh buhrlahlp sahk fihll vit dried dohnky cocks dere.
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May 12, 2012, 11:50 a.m. CST
@harrigan - No BS.My pops is movie buff.Lots of people exaggerate over the net but why lie about fun childhood nostalgia...
by kenchun24
I turn 36 on May 24th so I don't remember the exact release date of Conan in 82' but I'm pretty sure it was that summer (which I would have been 6) anyways...all of them classics - Conan,The Road Warrior,The Thing (my dad was stationed in Antarctica for awhile,Navy.So watching The Thing was a must) Sure my parents took me to see ET of course but only my dad took me to the classic R rated fare of that era.Heck,my mom tried to cover my eyes during the heart rip out scene of Temple Of Doom! Speaking of R rated movies...
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May 12, 2012, 12:10 p.m. CST
@lv_426/ufoclub1978 and harrigan - Hit the nail on the head lv_426.Rose colored glasses of not-they don't make em' like they used to...
by kenchun24
For example.My sister is ten years younger than me.A movie buff like me and my dad and she always asks for movie recommendations from me and my era.She was thrilled after I recommended her seeing The Road Warrior,First Blood,Blade Runner,The Thing,Robocop,Total Recall,Die Hard etc...even she agrees that those films are better than the stuff pumped out nowadays.She also asks when me when a movie is coming out nowadays..."Brother,is this ____ movie a re-make from your era?" Hah! Speaking of...R rated list of movies I saw back in the day (most crappy/some classic) because the pimply faced theater dude or the wannabe Madonna theater chick did not give a crap that me and my best friends were not with an adult. (I did some with my dad,but most were with my best friends Glen and Sundance)... 1986 - age 10 Highlander,The Hitcher,Maximum Overdrive,F/X,Cobra,The Fly,Stand By Me (why was that rated R BTW?),Aliens and Platoon both of which I saw with my dad on the Naval Sub Base Bangor, WA Military movie theater.Still remember how much fun it was to watch Aliens with a packed house of Jarheads screaming back at Ripley and The Space Marines! 1987 - age 11 Wisdom,The Hidden,Hamburger Hill,Creepshow 2,Prince Of Darkness (that Carpenter flick gave me nightmares),The Lost Boys,Running Man,RoboCop,Predator,Lethal Weapon (awesome summer eh?) Planes Trains and Automobiles, The Untouchables and Mannequin(Kim Cattrell super hot back in the day). 1988- age 12 The Blob,Clean and Sober (my dad was starting AA at the time and me and my mom went to see this) Bloodsport (for my b-day-back when Cannon/Golan-Globus released their action fare in theaters) I'm Gonna Git You Sucka,They Live (Carpenter rules) , Johnny B Good,Above The Law, Action Jackson, The Serpent And The Rainbow,Red Heat,The Dead Pool,Midnight Run,Rambo 3,Coming To America and finally Die Hard. 1989 - age 13 Dead Calm,Deepstar Six,Leviathan (scary sea creature summer)Kickboxer,Cyborg (love Kickboxer,"Nok soon kow!!!" but Cyborg sucked even at 13),Next Of Kin,Shocker,The Fly 2,Glory,Road House,Major League ("Up your butt joo bu"),Harlem Nights, TANGO & CASH!!! Pet Cemetary (nightmares of lil' Gage and his razorblade) Born On the Fourth Of July and Lethal Weapon 2. 1990 - age 14 I Come In Peace,Hardware,Nightbreed (nightmares),Pump Up The Volume,Graveyard Shift,Revenge,Lord of The Flies,Adventures of Ford Fairlane(love that stupid Andrew Dice Clay vehicle),Death Warrant,NAVY SEALS!!! Jacob's Ladder (nightmares) Predator 2 (still love that movie),Robocop 2 (that one as well),Hard To Kill,Misery, Die Hard 2:Die Harder, and of course Total Recall. 1991 - age 15 Rush,Harley Davidson And The Marlboro Man (pre-Sin City/The Wrestler Mickey Rourke),Body Parts,The Perfect Weapon (whatever happened to Jeff Speakman?),Toy Soldiers,Highlander 2,Hudson Hawk (love that box office bomb), Ricochet,Lionheart,The People Under The Stairs,Double Impact,Freddy's Dead:The Final Nightmare (in 3D BTW) Out For Justice,Point Break (first parent accompanied date with Miss Melissa Chambers...so maybe this doesnt count),Thelma And Louise,New Jack City,Boyz N The Hood,Backdraft and finally Terminator 2:Judgment Day(7 times that summer). 1992- age 16 Malcolm X (history class field trip)Dr Giggles,Jennifer 8,Trespass,American Me,Rapid Fire,Freejack,Juice (Tupac's acting debut I think?),Candyman (nightmares),Sleepwalkers,Universal Soldier,The Lawnmower Man,Mo' Money,Passenger 57,Alien 3 (I like that one still..mainly because of Charles Dutton),Scent of A Woman,Boomerang,Last Of The Mohicans (wanted to run in the woods forever after that one),White Men Can't Jump,Patriot Games,UNDER SIEGE!!!, Bram Stokers Dracula 1st no parents date with high school crush Dawn Cain during the 1 month period she broke up with her boyfriend...they are married now and have 2 kids.Go figure.I should have taken her to...The Bodyguard (2nd no parents date with a senior chick, Miss Jennifer CaDiente,first kiss!) A Few Good Men and Lethal Weapon 3. 1993- age 17 the age of R rated eligibility Ghost In The Machine,Fortress,Dazed And Confused,The Dark Half,ARMY OF DARKNESS!!! True Romance,Judgment Night,Man's Best Friend (love Lance Henrikson),Body Of Evidence (had to see Madonna nudity at a legal age...even though she's was showing it all most my childhood), The Crush,The Vanishing (Jeff Bridges rocks) Needful Things,A Bronx Tale,Sniper,Nowhere To Run (boobies of Rosanna Arquette) Poetic Justice,Menace 2 Society, Hard Target,Point Of No Return,Sliver (more Sharon Stone nudity), Alive (rated R for frozen human butt eating) Carlito's Way (one of DePalma's good movies) Falling Down,The Good Son (young Frodo vs psycho Home Alone kid!), TOMBSTONE!!! Demolition Man (er...Brave New World rehash), Rising Sun,Cliffhanger, In The Line Of Fire,Indecent Proposal and Schindler's List (history class field trip). Damn.Lawnmowing money went far back then with matinees being $3.50 a pop.Well that about sums it up.What a trip.
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May 12, 2012, 12:26 p.m. CST
The icon of Schwarzenegger was born when Terminator came out…..
by maxcherry
Conan the Barbarian was a decent movie, but it's not the classic that some people claim it is. Terminator is the movie that really put Arnold on the map.
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I have to agree with the above sentiment: THE AVENGERS isn't particularly great. The plot and action IS almost identical to BATTLESHIP or TRANSFORMERS. The thing that DOES separate THE AVENGERS from the typical Hollywood corporate filmmaking is the characterization. Joss Whedon and Marvel got Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, and The Hulk all very right. But the actual story itself? Generic as hell.
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May 12, 2012, 12:35 p.m. CST
@brobdingnag, if you don't want to listen to bad dialog, then you wouldn't want to watch Conan the Barbarian
by maxcherry
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May 12, 2012, 12:40 p.m. CST
It's too late for King Conan with Arnold, the movie wouldn't sell and it would just make Arnold look pathetic….
by maxcherry
we all saw how bad Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls was with an old Harrison Ford. I don't think anyone wants to see Conan being played by some one in their sixties. King Conan with Arnold is about 25 years too late.
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May 12, 2012, 12:43 p.m. CST
The Avengers is nothing like Transformers, if you think that….
by maxcherry
you are just pre determined to call any movie form big studios shit. The Avengers was fucking great and if you were so pre determined to hate on it that you didn't like the film, then I pity you.
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Conan really had it all; great story, great pacing, awesome score, solid cinematography, sword fights, sorcery, nudity! And it did it all with such style and grace. Game of Thrones comes close when its not bogged down with politics. LOTR comes close when its not being sickeningly sweet...but Conan really deserves another Milius moment!
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Whedon took the basic Bayformer formula and made it 200 times more heartfelt, clever, funny and exciting. Saying they're the same is a sign of complete blindness. You should get your geek card revoked for even suggesting such foolishness. Choose your battles wisely. Don't bash movies that make an honest effort to elevate the genre and that succeed on many levels.
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who didn't compromise anything other than the story outline, which the story outline was perfectly fine. And Joss Whedon understands and actual cares about the genre Avengers comes out of. If you can't enjoy that, then you are just predetermined to hate on anything.
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May 12, 2012, 1:32 p.m. CST
agree with darkplanet, except about great story and the sword fights
by maxcherry
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May 12, 2012, 2:58 p.m. CST
CGI blood? Are they kidding us? <--- THAT is the main reason why the remake is retarded. And no Baisle Polederis score. And no Arnold.
by MENTALDOMINANCE
But still... Even with all those last elements I spoke of... You just DO NOT USE CGI BLOOD. It's the stupid and lazy. And of course, all the other crap CGI in the movie.
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And I so wanted the new one to measure up, but nothing really does these days - except The Avengers. Hopefully The Avengers shows people how to make genre pictures again. I'm generalizing, but movies like the first Conan, and just about everything that came out in the summer of '82, had a touch of greatness. Films that were shot for the films sake, almost made in-camera, not the editing room like today. Music video directors have ruined the fundamentals of filmmaking, though there are some that find their way, but again, I'm generalizing.
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The swordplay was great in Conan. I might not use the term "sword fights" as there are no great duels, per se, compared to something like The Duelists or Rob Roy. But the use of swords is very effective and well executed. They are used as tools to kill, quickly. Valeria's dispatching of the last two guards as they escape Thulsa Doom's mountain is a particular favorite -- she wastes no time and completely circumvents her opponents' weapons to deal killing blows.
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May 12, 2012, 3:48 p.m. CST
Great film with a sense of epicness. In fact, I think Ima watch it again tonight...
by Astronut
What is best in life?!! Truly one of the most well put-together films in the genre. To this day.
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May 12, 2012, 3:58 p.m. CST
I didn't hate THE AVENGERS. I liked it. It was a lot of fun.
by one9deuce
But it's not a classic or anything. You're both so quick to defend it, but neither of you DEFENDED it. Tell me, what was so great about the story? I'll give you something specific to defend: What exactly was that alien army trying to accomplish? It was just a lot of fighting. Just a lot of fighting with no story elements is BORING. What BESIDES the great characterization/characters was so awesome?
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I don't think anybody will argue that.
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RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK with some generic character instead of Indiana Jones is STILL an interesting movie because it's got a great story. With a character as fascinating as Indiana Jones it's a masterpiece.
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the alien army was fighting on behalf of Loki, who wanted to take over earth. What was so awesome about the movie, was the different personalities coming together to fight a common enemy. Plus all the bad ass action scenes, plus a group of super heroes fighting together. You said there were no story elements. Well there were. The Avengers coming together and learning how to get along. Loki hellbent on taking over the world, and manipulating people with his powers to try to achieve his goals. Those were the story elements. If you couldn't see that, then it must be hard for you to find story elements in any movie. Simply put The Avengers is one of the best super hero movies to date.
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When the lottery got up to 640 million, I was going to use a good chunk of that money to finance "King Conan." But...alas...I didn't win.
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May 12, 2012, 6:45 p.m. CST
I was thrown off during my first viewing of The Terminator by the fact he played the villian
by Turingtestee
Without Schwarzenegger, I don't think it would be quite the classic it is today.
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Buddies and buddies and buddies and buddies. wowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowow
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That's exactly why it WOULD work. The guy on the throne at the end of Conan The Barbarian is NOT supposed to be a young man.
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one9deuce, I agree with you. I enjoyed the Avengers, but the story is like most James Bond movies. Doesn't make it bad, but doesn't make it great. The individual movies of Captain America and Iron Man are better, because there was a story and real character development. Raiders Of The Lost Ark is vastly superior to Avengers. Again, I enjoyed the film. It was what I expected. A fun smash em up good guys take on bad guys, but there was no real overriding theme to the story. Roger Ebert's review nails it perfectly. I agree with it. Avengers is fun. But I can't call it a great film.
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Weird but true.
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Before that he was still a bit of a joke. This includes Conan. I mean, he suited the role, but he was still regarded as a bit of a lunk with a funny accent. Without The Terminator he probably would have gravitated towards low-end movies and (later) straight-to-VHS fare. He owes an awful lot to James Cameron. Although, in his defence, Cameron hired him for The Terminator in part because he felt Arnie was making a lot of intelligent suggestions about the part and the movie.
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...I am commenting on how Arnie was being talked about in the press after Conan came out, not on his performance in the movie, which I have never seen...
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Proper, solid, first-rate movies? I would say The Terminator, Total Recall and T2. (I personally dislike T2, but it's clearly a triple-A movie.) Anything else? Predator has always seemed a bit too cheesy to qualify.
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'For me, it wasn't until "Commando" that we saw the true charisma and personality that led Arnie to being a big-time action star.' Whilst I don't think Commando is a very good movie, there's something to what you say. Commando is in many ways the first 'Arnie Movie', i.e. it set the template for most of the movies that would follow: deliberately cheesy one-liners, unrealistic but enjoyable action bravado etc. It's the first of his movies to push the humour pedal down pretty hard, which was a staple thereafter (and not just in the overt comedies).
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I went and saw this with a few friends the night this thing came out. It was one of the most enjoyable experiences I ever had at the theater. I was floored by the action, the photography, the production design, and the music. Especially the music!
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Thats where Arnold is pregnant and having a baby and then he marries Danny Devito. Its soooooo funny movie.
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I remember my brother saying after seeing Conan. "..I feel like I painted someone's fence." Conan has to be viewed a 2nd time to appreciate it for some. It worked out of the gate for me. Conan the Destroyer I also saw in the theater and I felt dipped in nacho cheese. If the abnormally good character actor Tracey Walter who played the comedy side kick Malak was like his character in Repo Man, more burnt out, sarcastic and somber instead of coked up, creepy and annoying...the movie would have been 40% more tolerable. To me Conan the Destroyer was Conan VS Beastmaster 2. Arnold terminated the Conan films after that.
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Two mister d's. Its a mystery. Heheheheheheheheheh.
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May 13, 2012, 12:02 a.m. CST
Conan the Barbarian received an X rating several times before getting an R. Lots of people don't know that. It is a masterpiece though.
by Cureguy
People who don't get it, do not understand film. Everything works in this movie. Actors, action,cinematography, and amazing score.
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Yeah, I understood that Loki and the alien army were coming to "take over the world", which is EXACTLY my complaint: It's the most generic overused threat possible. It's been done over and over and over and over. It's fucking boring to anyone who has seen even a small sampling of the last century of movies. An alien race coming to our planet to take us over is really dull. An alien race coming to our planet acting like they're our friends, but secretly they're taking our water and harvesting humans for their food? THAT is interesting, which is why the 1983 miniseries V was so compelling. Why is GOLDFINGER a classic? Because it has a great story. If you had written the screenplay it would have Goldfinger's master plan be to steal all the gold from Fort Knox. Very straight forward, very unimaginative, very boring. Luckily the actual story is that Goldfinger actually plans on setting off a nuclear bomb in Fort Knox, destroying the U.S. economy and making the value of his significant amount of gold skyrocket. The other story element you pointed out was "they come together and have to learn to be a team". And there you have the second most cliche, overused story element. Do you know how many hundreds and HUNDREDS of times that's been used? Start with every single sports movie ever made. Then follow with every buddy cop movie ever made. I'm not saying you can't like THE AVENGERS. It's a very likeable movie. But don't try to elevate it to something it isn't.
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...it truly crushes it's enemies, sees them driven before it, and hears the lamentation of the women. Many films are as great, no film is better. And it ABSOLUTELY made Arnold a movie star. Even if he never made another film he would still be the Christopher Reeve of the fantasy genre. And yes, I would gamble on King Conan. They already churned out Conan the Destroyer, Red Sonja, and a shitty remake. The real thing can not be soiled.
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May 13, 2012, 2:02 a.m. CST
After watching 13th Warrior, Vladimir Kulich needs to be Conan
by chien_sale
just dye his hair brown/black and we're set
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God. He certainly loves guns. How many times can you stop a tech scout, to check out gun stores? He loves to tell stories, which is awesome...but sometimes the timing was WAY off. Also, he insists on having a room to smoke cigars on-set. That can be difficult - he intimidated MANY a property owner, ranting about his cigars. Fun times.
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May 13, 2012, 2:51 a.m. CST
Who cares if Avengers doesn't have an overly complicated story
by Nerd Rage
It's still one of the best summer movies in years and elevates the superhero genre.
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The kid who is wronged that grows up to be a big strapping warrior and kill the guy who wronged him is SOOOOOOOOO original.
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You can both watch cartoon movies. There's enough seats for everyone.
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May 13, 2012, 11:22 a.m. CST
I MADE A FILM. PLEASE WATCH FOR FREE! IT'S CALLED THE WOLFMAN'S HAMMER
by Brad Elmore
Look, I know this is spam. But I've been coming here since before gordon had a beer and cheated on his wife, and before Kiera Knightly was a sexy tomboy beanpole. I'm a fan of film and film culture and I'm throwing my hat into the ring. I made a film. For 10 grand. Its up for free on YOUTUBE in glorious 1080P. All I ask is that you give it a shot. I can best describe it as white trash Shakespeare. Its a grim little character drama about a heavy metal loving/guitar shredding meth dealer and his flunky cousin who inhabit a trailer in central oregon. It's called THE WOLFMAN's HAMMER. You can see the trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfKochjSsus and the full film here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjLWrxRlmXE I know this is a hustle but it's an honest one. I'm 26 years old and this is my first feature film and I can guarantee that it's one of the best looking, most emotionally effective movies made for that budget. Thanks and take care, -Brad
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Roger Ebert thought Conan the Destroyer was more entertaining than Conan the Barbarian.
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May 13, 2012, 2:20 p.m. CST
@misterdeath - awesome character actor Tracey Walter,his daughter lives in my apartment building out here in L.A. -
by kenchun24
- came home from work one day and his daughters apartment is right by the entrance.As I was getting my mail I was like..."Huh? Is that the dude from Conan The Destroyer?" After my double take he said hello and started talking about Van Morrison.He was taking his daughter to a Van Morrison concert that night at the Hollywood Bowl.I never got to talking about movies with him,but I'm a music buff too so that's all we talked about.Cool dude Tracey Walter.
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I watched the trailer. Ok, I'll give the movie a shot. Wish you the best.
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Right on. That's all I ask. If you like it spread the word, if you hate it let me know, I can take it. Just give it a shot, man. Thank you, sir.
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May 13, 2012, 4:15 p.m. CST
Roger Ebert is a hack, FACT!!! He gives two thumbs up to some of the most forgettable movies ever made, FACT!!!!!
by maxcherry
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it was Loki using an alien army to take over the planet. Again use your brain. Name me a movie where superheroes come together, get past their differences, and defeat a common enemy. You can't, because this is the first live action movie to do that. Yes I am elevating to a Classic super hero movie because it is. You don't have to think that, but a majority of the people who saw it do.
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Sorry, but it's true. Pretentious, borderline-retardo, cartoon-macho pseudo-mythmaking. The classic Howard Conan definitely was a superstitious primitive, but he wasn't a savage oaf, either. He was SMART, just not in a cynical wiseass 21st Century-Hollywood way. He was capable of figuring out a situation, instead of simply butchering his way through it. However, Ahnuld played him as he was written: A muscle-bound dope with fighting chops, a five-year-old's boy's ideas of manliness and honor and not a fuck of a lot else going on between the ears. All the faux-epic camera angles, swollen musical scores and stilted "classical" dialogue in the world couldn't hide that. I'd LIKE to see a revisionist, "realistic", SMART version of the Conan character - Certainly not one designed to play to the arrested-development-11-year-old "Oh-Boy-blood-&-tits" crowd. Hmm. Shit, I wish I could think of somebody other than Nolan or Cuaron or John Sayles to take a swing at it, film makers with a more nuanced view of male codes of conduct and whose esthetics aren't still ruled by their hormones, but I'm running late for work. Have fun with that, folks.
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They are not interested in being buddies. They just want to argue and argue.
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"A movie where superheroes come together, get past their differences, and defeat a common enemy"...Spiderman 3, Blade 2, Blade Trinity, Batman Returns, Mystery Men, Fantastic Four 1 + 2, Batman and Robin, X-Men 1, 2 + 3, X-Men First Class, LXG, Hellboy 2, Watchmen...need I go on?
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Ok - that makes sense now - but you'll agree the original statement is poorly worded. "...dissolves into A GROWN MAN ..." would be so much better.
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May 13, 2012, 6:55 p.m. CST
That second Conan movie with Grace Fuckin Jones and Arnold fighting the big plastic monster...
by mdk
..that was some rank 80's whit right there.
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Kudos to you! If you run into Tracey Walter again, tell 'em "John Wayne was a fag...he was too you boys, I installed two-way mirrors in his pad in Brentwood and he came to the door in a dress." Also Tracey Walter needs to star in one decent feature film as all great character actors have done in their careers.
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May 13, 2012, 9:23 p.m. CST
I wonder if Sláine will ever get the Game Of Thrones treatment?
by Nerfee
Brainbiter is coming...
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...in 1982. Few movies succeed in transporting you to a different place and time in such a magical fashion. The incredible score, direction, scripting and casting make Conan one of the greatest and most memorable cinematic experiences of all time.
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xmen first class would be the only one to qualify for that and the horrible LXG. Those two, I totally forgot about. Shouldn't have forgot about xmen first class. Completely understandable about forgetting about the horrid LXG. Watchmen is a completely different beast, as they had been allied in the past. Batman Returns didn't have a superhero team up, since Batman isn't a superhero. Batman has no super powers. Blade 2, doesn't count either, as it was he was the good superhero teaming up with his enemy to defeat a tougher enemy. Blade Trinity, Blade is still the only superhero, who he teams up with our ordinary human beings. Hellboy 2 had nothing to do with superheroes teaming up, the only thing you could be referring to is Abe Sapian's crush on the twin sister. Mystery Man is a parody, not from an actual superhero comic book. Fantastic 1 & 2, didn't deal with their differences, it dealt with how they handled having those powers. So there, you have 2, one good and one terrible.
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May 14, 2012, 1:05 a.m. CST
I would like to see a Conan movie made that is closer to Robert E Howard's Conan
by maxcherry
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And disputing them is pointless maxcherry, because you're trying to use characterization to do it. Again, it's the same old story. And you can't see it, and probably won't ever figure it out but I'll try to help you anyway. Pop over to the ROCKY behind the scenes pic of the day thread. There is some very sharp insight into the masterpiece that is ROCKY. Why it's a classic. Why the sequels aren't. If you can't figure that out you're hopeless. Here's a hint: the original ROCKY is not even a boxing movie. It's a very complex romance and character piece. He doesn't even win the fight, and why he doesn't/can't is the films theme. The sequels are just boxing films with Rocky triumphant in the end. They have some interesting themes woven in, but they're pretty straightforward. Not com
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not complex. Very much like THE AVENGERS. A type of film that the studios love: the crowd pleaser.
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since you since you obviously don't understand story in any real way. Here's an example that seperates a typical good guy(s) fight the bad guy(s) and then the good guy(s) win storyline that Hollywood uses A LOT: Christopher Nolan's BATMAN TRILOGY. On the surface Nolan made an origin story, a Batman vs Rhas Al Ghul story, and a Batman saves Gotham story with BATMAN BEGINS. But the movie he really made is about FEAR. Everything in it from characters to dialogue to shot composition is in service of making a movie about FEAR. On the surface Nolan made a Batman vs The Joker and Two Face story and a Batman saves Gotham (again) story with THE DARK KNIGHT. But the movie he really made is about ESCALATION. Again, everything is in service to making the movie he wants to make with the theme of ESCALATION. What will the theme of THE DARK KNIGHT RISES be? We'll find out soon. All I know for absolute sure is that it will be significantly more complex than Batman and Catwoman set aside their differences to team up against Bane and save Gotham. Not to you maxcherry because you seem to only see surface story/themes, but to a lot of us THE DARK KNIGHT RISES will be an atypical summer movie. Because it will actually be complex.
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May 14, 2012, 6:37 a.m. CST
'Batman Returns didn't have a superhero team up, since Batman isn't a superhero. Batman has no super powers.'
by loafroaster
So Iron Man isn't a superhero then?
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Hellboy 2 had the BPRD teaming up with Johann Krauss In Fantastic Four 2, they teamed up with Silver Surfer to defeat Doctor Doom. Mystery Men was based on a Dark Horse comic series. The first X-Men; superheros gathering together to fight a common enemy. So there's 5 for starters; X-Men, X-Men 2, X-Men First Class, Hellboy 2, Fantastic Four 2, Mystery Men. And not counting Batman because 'he doesn't have super powers' is idiotic.
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...by the "things were better in the past" brigade. Face it...you're just out of touch. I'm 38, no spring chicken, but I never lost touch with new music/art/film etc. I can see that there's more amazing culture out there now than ever. It's just there's more shit, too. You have to learn how to find the good stuff...it's not found in the mainstream. So yeah, next time you feel like shitting on modern culture. Don't. You're just making yourself look like an ignorant dinosaur who spends his/her time reminiscing about your youth. Oh, and Conan's OK, I guess.
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...a little Italian guy.
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The technical side of it's release. If this movie was so "huge and awesome," why the hell did Milius choose to release this movie in just 35mm and monaural sound. How not awesome can you get. At that time, everyone was doing their best to release their films in 70mm and 6-track sound! What a big letdown for a "Huge" movie to be released...optical mono. Yheeccch!
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ROCKY is a romance with boxing in it. Yeah, no shit, there is boxing in the movie. But the relationship between Rocky and Adrian supersedes the boxing aspect at EVERY STORY POINT. Watch the finale again if you're still confused. The announcement of who wins the fight is in the backround and barely audible on the soundtrack because the main and most important narrative is Adrian telling Rocky she loves him for the first time and him saying it back. The movie ends with them in an embrace. Do the sequels have boxing as the main narrative thrust? Yes, they do. Are they as good as the original? No, they aren't.
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You definitely live up to your user name. Yes, things were better then. There wouldn't be a constant (CONSTANT) recycling of the past if that weren't true. Is there still good stuff around? Of course! It's just that the ratio of corporate/suit/bean counter content is outweighing the artist driven content we are getting. That's what happens when corporations own the studios and record labels. If you can't see that then you're blind.
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