It’s 1983, and in the previous years both Conan, The Barbarian (1982), and Clash of The Titans (1981) have both been financially successful at the box office. Star Wars had carved a new niche into the psyches of sci-fi and movie fans everywhere, so films with heavy sword and starship plots were the taste of the day, and in 1980 Colombia Pictures President Frank Price gave producer Ron Silverman the idea to do a fantasy adventure film, and the seeds for Krull were planted.
Filled with swashbuckling heroics, terrific creatures, and more unexplained plot elements than a typical Monty Python episode, it flew across the big screen faster than a five-bladed superweapon. It also contained some terrific interpersonal scenes between characters, moments of truly fun fantasy, and an uplifting, epic musical score by James Horner.
Due to its misleading trailer, and princess-in-peril saved by a young ward with an elder mentor-type story, it is easy to see why some thought this would be a Star Wars ripoff. However, although quite derivative, such as the aforementioned space opera, Krull was a world unto itself.
Spun around the fairy tale concept of two opposing kingdoms being united by their kids’ marriage, and a common foe, Krull made it a point to take old concepts and stretch them out to weird angles that made things a bit different for the characters. Firstly, this film featured early film performances by Liam Neeson and Robbie Coltrain. Also, although today many are familiar with the don’t get too attached to a character ( thanks George R.R. Martin) Krull delivered this to the moviegoer in spades.
Among its fans are those are involved fantasy lovers themselves :
Just because there’s a space ship or energy blaster doesn’t make it Star Wars. Each movie takes familiar elements and blends them in a unique way. After all, there’s nothing new under the sun. It’s totally fantasy. The tiny bit of science is the bad guy has a ship and they blast energy with their spears but in truth that’s it. There’s nothing else Star Wars about it. I really love this film, it’s a cool one.
Fernanda Brady-Founder and CEO Inklings Publishing
In the film, our hero, an orphaned prince without a throne, is tasked with finding an ancient weapon that has become a symbol to the people of the world of Krull. In his quest to save his princess he:
- Makes an alliance with criminals and rogues
- Takes an amused curiosity in one of those rogues polygamous lifestyle
- Has a meltdown in front of his mentor
- Does enough early whining in the film to make a certain farmboy from Tatooine proud
- And throws fire
Speaking of fire, from horses that ride on to royalty throwing it around, to how anyone gets hit by the evil troops called slayers sword/lance/blaster things, the pyro budget on this film is used quite well for this film. Also, from the Cyclops to the things inside the Slayers, don’t ask you have to see the movie, the creature designs for this film were quite unique. Also, thanks to the special effects and cinematography in this film, Krull managed to do what quite a few films of its type could not, and that is actually injected feelings of peril and suspense into the film.
![KRULL Trailer [Widescreen - HQ]](https://i0.wp.com/i.ytimg.com/vi/ndpV6qfQJVw/hqdefault.jpg?w=696&ssl=1)
From the machinations of the main baddie, called The Beast, to his cohorts and evil lair, a lot of his part of Krull seems to center around a weird type of biotech as seen through the eyes of a fantasy tabletop game designer. And this is not meant in a derogatory way, it just the only to describe the unique character of this area of the film.
Starring Ken Marshall as Prince Colwyn, Lysette Anthony as Princess Lyssa, and veteran actor Freddie Jones as Ynyr, Colwyn’s mentor, the three leads give good performances throughout and the rest of the cast all jump neck-deep into the world called Krull.