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I'm a sucker for these Warrior/Wizard type epics,
even though I was surprised anyone is still making them. It did
have the promise of some sexuality, maybe some decent nudity,
and the action star was a multiple Mr. Universe winner. (The remaining actors and all the actresses have Russian
or Slavic names, a trend now in Corman movies.) Best of all, it
starred Martin Kove, who everyone will recognize as the "evil"
Karate teacher from the Karate Kid movies, now a member of the Hair
Club for Men. I must say, I enjoyed the
movie, so I recommend it as a rental.
- First the costumes are entertaining, with some
of the "bad" guys having the most "evil" masks/costumes I've seen
in a while, sort of a cross between Knight's Helmets and Death
Heads. However, not all is well from the costume department.
There is a character that appears to be a boy in a very
funny-looking Halloween "Wookie" costume. And who would have
thought peasant girls wore G-strings? Well, they do in this
movie. At least, they aren't the Victoria Secret ones - they
actually look like something that someone in that time period
might have to wear, assuming Roger Corman lived back then.
- It does have some authentic castle scenes,
which is also a plus.
- The acting is poor, as is common in this type
of movie. The hero, although muscular and physically fitting for
the part, seems to have only one expression. In one fight scene,
he postures like a WWF veteran (maybe he has plans for a third
career, if this acting thing doesn't work out?) Some scenes are
over-acted (such as the captured Amazon girl, when turned over to
be part of the Harem: "Any man that touches me will lose an arm").
- There's some overly ambitious photography, such
as the scene in the tavern. This is the scene, where not only does
Martin Kove out-"Caligula" Malcolm McDowell, but they even have a
mud wrestling match between two slave girls. Throw in the line "No
woman is allowed to say NO", and then have a slave girl tied up
and stripped of her diaphanous gown for everyone's pleasure.
- There is enough nudity to make it watchable,
but I'm forever frustrated by some of these movies. For one
thing, the nudity is obviously gratuitous, so at least they
understand the appeal. Given that fact, why do they have a wild
native girl making love with her skirt wrapped around her waist?
In fact, there was no frontal nudity I could see, and even though
there was some nice rear exposure, it was mostly in G-strings or
short short skirts. Here's a typical example: Scene shows one of
the evil Tyrant's guards, apparently arresting peasants to be
slaves. An attractive, poorly dressed peasant girl is thrown at
his feet. He stands her up as she struggles, giving us a nipple
peek, and says "Let's see what you've got." Lifting her dress, he
exposes her nearly naked ass. Looking at the tiniest of
G-strings, he says "The king will like you." Then he ties her
hands and takes her away, never to be seen again. The entire
scene was for the ass exposure. Similar scenes as girls are
thrown around in the tavern scene - short skirts flipping up to
expose G-string clad bottoms. They wasted a nice scene of the
princess, forced to wear a two-piece costume, tied to a rack as
she is mildly tortured and forced to talk about some "secret
stone" that was a minor part of the movie. There was no real
exposure in this scene, although her short skirt showed enough
cheek that you knew she was either naked or wearing the
ever-present G-string. The actress had already had a breast
exposed in the Harem scene - wouldn't you think the evil Martin
Kove character would want her squirming, naked and helpless, on
the rack? Bottom line on the nudity: topless or one breast
exposed (apparently a fashion statement by Harem girls) by several
actresses, some nice rear exposure in G-strings by several
unknowns.
Worth a rental.
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