The Sword and the Sorcerer (1982)

Director:

Albert Pyun

Writers:

Tom Karnowski (writer)
Albert Pyun (writer)

Release Date:

April 1982 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Fantasy | Adventure

Tagline:

The greatest duel ever fought between deathless courage and endless evil!

Plot:

A mercenary with a three-bladed sword rediscovers his royal heritage dangerous future when he is recruited...

Plot Keywords:

Princess | Double Cross | Demon | Torture Chamber | Interrogation

Awards:

1 win & 5 nominations

Cast

Lee Horsley	...	Prince Talon
Kathleen Beller	...	Princess Alana
Simon MacCorkindale	...	Prince Mikah
George Maharis	...	Machelli: Cromwell War Chancellor
Richard Lynch	...	Titus Cromwell
Richard Moll	...	Xusia
Anthony De Longis	...	Rodrigo
Robert Tessier	...	Verdugo
Nina Van Pallandt	...	Malia
Anna Bjorn	...	Elizabeth: Cromwell's Whore
Jeff Corey	...	Craccus
Joseph Ruskin	...	Malcolm
Joe Regalbuto	...	Darius
Russ Marin	...	Mogullen
Earl Maynard	...	Morgan

Runtime:

100 min | USA:99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Germany:18 | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | UK:AA | Norway:(Banned) (1982-2003) (cinema release)

Filming Locations:

Bronson Canyon, Griffith Park - 4730 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Sorcerer Productions

Trivia:

Richard Moll only played the sorcerer in the opening scene, because he had a bad reaction to the contact lenses and was sent to the hospital. Xusia's other scenes at the end of the movie were done by a stand-in and later dubbed by Moll.

Quotes:

Titus Cromwell: I will allow you to live as long as you serve me. Betray me, and I will joyfully send you back to rot in hell.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Knights (1993)

Another Guilty Pleasure

The main reason this movie was even made was that they wanted it to be in theaters at around the same time as the film "Conan the Barbarian" in 1982. Believe it or not, both films were even released by the same studio! If the films had been made thirty years earlier, they would have been released as a double feature. They were part of a wave of sword fight pictures that included "Excalibur" and "Dragonslayer." Without a lot of fanfare, "Sword and the Sorcerer" managed to become a minor hit. One of the cast members was on a talk show and confessed that the success of the film was a surprise because that person thought it was not very good.

I enjoyed the action scenes and some of the humor. It has some good one-liners. The second half also has generates a fair amount of tension concerning the whereabouts of the sorcerer mentioned in the title. I also liked how the forces came together randomly for the climatic battle scenes. True, the film has many flaws, but it still works for me as an enjoyable adventure. It is the kind of thing I watch on a Friday night to ease me into the weekend.

Add me to the list of those disappointed that the sequel promised in the closing credits was never made.