This screening also includes a comic signing with renowned Conan artist, Cary Nord, and post show conversation with director of Lloyd the Conqueror, Mike Peterson!
Directed by John Milius | USA | 130 mins
Debuting in the pages of pulp magazine Weird Tales in the 1930s, Conan the Barbarian was devised by his creator Robert E. Howard to express a philosophy of rugged individualism, unhindered freedom, and a critical view of modern ideals of civilization and progress. The character's popularity had surged thanks to the Frank Frazetta illustrated paperback editions of the 1960s, and the Marvel comics adaptation of the 1970s, and so the film rights were snapped up by legendary producer Dino de Laurentiis.
In Conan, notorious right-wing filmmaker John Milius (Magnum Force, Red Dawn, Clear and Present Danger) found a muse to express his support for ideals of freedom, honour, and strength as the hero battles a death cult led by the villainous Thulsa Doom (James Earl Jones), a cult that resembles the hippie movement, the Manson Family, and Jonestown all rolled into one. Screenwriter Oliver Stone (Platoon, Wall Street, JFK) creates a mythic world where characters speak very little but express deeply held philosophies in instantly memorable dialogue when they do. The film's score by Basil Pouledouris (RoboCop) propels an incredibly visual storytelling style from Milius that manages to respect its audience's intelligence and express a clear philosophical stance all while delivering on primal themes of violence and sex.
In 1982, just one year after the election of Ronald Reagan as US President, audiences embraced Howard and Milius' strong man with a sword, as embodied in the new star who would come to be the face of a decade of action movies - Arnold Schwarzenegger, propelled from bodybuilder to worldwide icon thanks to his performance as the muscle bound Conan.
Written by Ben Rowe.
Rated 14A for violence and sexual content
Part of our Sword & Sorcery: Adventures in Auteur Fantasy Series
In the spirit of respect, reciprocity and truth, we honour and acknowledge that this screening takes place on Moh’kinsstis and the traditional Treaty 7 territory, as well as the oral practices of the Blackfoot confederacy: Siksika, Kainai, Piikani as well as the Îyâxe Nakoda and Tsuut’ina nations. We acknowledge that this territory is home to the Otipemisiwak Métis Government of the Métis Nation within Alberta District 6. Finally, we acknowledge all Nations, Indigenous and non, who live, work and play, as well as help steward this land, honour and celebrate this territory.