Rating: 
Summary: The Sword and the Sorcerer...
Review: Chances are very good you've never even heard of "The Sword and the Sorcerer," a fantasy film from the 80s that got lost amidst "Conan the Barbarian" and its ilk. Despite the fact that one of the world's worst directors (Albert Pyun) is at the helm, this is one of the better sword n' sorcery films to come out of the decade. It may not be the aforementioned classic, but it ranks alongside "The Beastmaster" and "Dragonslayer" quite readily - though this is decidedly more adult in its presentation given its violence and sexuality. The story centers around Talon, a mercenary warrior who seems to lack much in the way of principle, but who also happens to be the son of Adon's slain king. When he was a boy, his entire family was slaughtered before his eyes by the evil Cromwell, who has now forcefully gained the throne. Cromwell is not the only villain, however, for the sorcerer Xusia also lusts for the kingdom of Adon - and for vengeance against Cromwell, who betrayed him. All the while, the rabble of Adon prepare for revolution, and look to a reluctant Talon for guidance. "The Sword and the Sorcerer" benefits from its surprisingly good storyline and its entertaining characters, but the film's sense of humor is what truly sets it apart, as it knows never to take itself TOO seriously, despite its vengeance-driven plotline. Given the film's meager production values and cheesey ambience, this is a blessing indeed. It's hard to knock a movie that's knocking itself. While it will certainly not garner high praise from all viewers, those who enjoy 80s fantasy should consider adding this to their collection immediately. Simply put, "The Sword and the Sorcerer" is bawdy fun. [Kudos to Anchor Bay Video for the DVD release...]
Rating: 
Summary: It is the Cheesiest!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Review: Do not buy just rent. Get the few laughs out of this dippy film with the shooting sword, oops gave away the best part of the movie. If you enjoy bad acting, 1930's stock footage colorized for modern use, bad costumes, and no original plot......GET THIS MOVIE!!! It is a poor man FLASH GORDON, a very bad fantasy version of ICE PIRATES, so save the money and just get one of those two films.
Rating:
Summary: Among the best in its genre
Review: First, let me emphasis what S&tS *isn't*: it isn't big budget, it doesn't have mind-blowing special effects, and it certainly doesn't have that mainstream American appeal that most of the films churned out of Hollywood seem to have. It doesn't have the polish of Krull, or the big-name actors of Conan, or the whiz-bang animatronics of Dragonslayer. Rather, it has a gritty, European import flavor, cheesy special effects, and has the requisite T&A one might expect from a movie of this calibre. Now, let me discuss what S&tS is: it is a darn fine fantasy adventure movie, and perhaps the overall best one to come during that early 80's period where Dungeons & Dragons hit its apex of popularity. I make this observation based on the fact that it has no real weak points, and on the strength of the character actors that populated this film. Lee Horsley, as the protagonist Talon, has a combination of charm and presence unmatched by Arnold (Conan), Peter McNichol (Dragonslayer), Ken Marshall (Krull), and even Rutger Hauer (Ladyhawke). Veteran character actors Richard Lynch (Cromwell) and Richard Moll (Xuxa of Dulles) are outstanding in their portrayal of the finest antagonists this side of Legend's Tim Curry (Dark). True, Kathleen Beller detracts more than she adds, but Anthony De Longis and Simon MacCorkindale more than make up for her wooden performance. Save for Beller's Alana, all of the main characters exhibit remarkable depth and dimension for a B-movie, much less an A-movie. The plot is somewhat preposterous, even for a fantasy film, but it is intriguing, and draws you in. Light humor is applied liberally and intelligently throughout as a contrast to the drama and danger, and is spaced such that one feels as if he's on a rollercoaster ride from start to finish. This is a film that doesn't take itself too seriously, nor does it attempt to teach a moral lesson to the viewer. Simply stated, this is a good, old-fashioned, high-adventure romp. My only criticisms are that the DVD is lacking in features (subtitles would've been nice), and the editing of the film, particularly in the climactic final battle, is pretty poor; a director's cut of this film would have been most welcome. Otherwise, this is a film that belongs in the collection of every fantasy genre fan.
Rating: 
Summary: The Sword and the Hunk
Review: I bought this movie without ever seeing it, just for Lee Horsley. I wasnt disapointed, it was great. I enjoyed the campy scenes and the evil that was woven throughout. The sword greatly appealed to my sci-fi side while the bare chested men appealed to my other side!! The battle scene at the end where he jumps up to the balcony and catches the sword on the way was fantastic. Only thing I didnt like was the evening dress that was suppose to be a period wedding dress. I give it 5 stars for action and comedy and a little gore tossed in to keep you watching. Anything with Lee is good, that honey voice and dark eyes....
Rating:
Summary: A blast from the past
Review: I cannot believe the bad reviews about this film. This was the most entertaining film during the 80's Conan era. What I enjoyed most was that it wasn't all gloom and doom like some of the others, it is, after all, a fantasy film. It has all the sorcery and wizardary of the times and still had it lighthearted moments. I remember watching it over and over. I'm going to order it now so I can watch it again.
Rating:
Summary: A blast from the past
Review: I cannot believe the bad reviews about this film. This was the most entertaining film during the 80's Conan era. What I enjoyed most was that it wasn't all gloom and doom like some of the others, it is, after all, a fantasy film. It has all the sorcery and wizardary of the times and still had it lighthearted moments. I remember watching it over and over. I'm going to order it now so I can watch it again.
Rating:
Summary: Watch it with your buddies, and an unending flow of beer.
Review: I first saw this film back in 1984, when I was a mere child of 13. (I was born 1970) Compaisons to "Krull" not withstanding, it is basically "Raiders of the Lost Ark" meets "The Archer." The music wonderfully accentuates the serial-caliber action. There's a reason this film has come to DVD before David Lynch's "Wild at Heart" and that is because of its serial quality adventure appeal. The quick one-liners that are almost in "modern speak" and non-stop action sequences almost betray a pre "Hercules" and "Zena" screenplay, but in a realistic context. Hollywood review-crap aside, this was a movie that was fun to watch when I was a kid, an is still fun now. The story holds up to a "realism" critique in a way the 1990's tv's "Zena" and "Hercules" can't. Although it may not be able to compete with the power of the original "Conan," viewed in the light of its contemporaries "Raiders" and "Remo Williams" the movie "Sword an the Sorcerer" deserves its place among cinematic's magic films. It's ability to be viable for nearly twenty years is deservng of respect. Keep it in your video library between Tom Cruise's "Legend" and "Conan the Barbarian" (and just to the left of "Raiders" and "Excalibur")
Rating:
Summary: Watch it with your buddies, and an unending flow of beer.
Review: I first saw this film back in 1984, when I was a mere child of 13. (I was born 4/29/70) Compaisons to "Krull" not withstanding, it is basically "Raiders of the Lost Ark" meets "The Archer." The music wonderfully accentuates the serial-caliber action. There's a reason this film has come to DVD before David Lynch's "Wild at Heart" and that is because of its serial quality adventure appeal. The quick one-liners that are almost in "modern speak" and non-stop action sequences almost betray a pre "Hercules" and "Zena" screenplay, but in a realistic context. Hollywood review...aside, this was a movie that was fun to watch when I was a kid, an is still fun now. The story holds up to a "realism" critique in a way the 1990's tv's "Zena" and "Hercules" can't. Although it may not be able to compete with the power of the original "Conan," viewed in the light of its contemporaries "Raiders" and "Remo Williams" the movie "Sword an the Sorcerer" deserves its place among cinematic's magic films. It's ability to be viable for nearly twenty years is deservng of respect. Keep it in your video library between Tom Cruise's "Legend" and "Conan the Barbarian" (and just to the left of "Raiders" and "Excalibur")
Rating: 
Summary: Great movie, poor DVD
Review: I hate to disagree with a previous reviewer, but the DVD transfer of this movie is pretty bad. The image is blurry and the sound is poor. I have the VHS version, and after watching the DVD, I played it - and the image quality seemed better than the DVD!
It's too bad, because this is one of those "vengence" movies that I really like - corny dialog and silly acting included. Love the sword! And of course there's Kathleen Beller in skimpy costumes.
I recommend the movie, but if you've got the VHS tape, don't bother with the DVD. I was disappointed with the quality.
Rating:
Summary: A movie MADE for MST3K!!
Review: I love this film!! I saw this, at the ripe old age of 31, way back in 1982, when the sword and sorcery genre was just getting started, in fact, with this movie and "Conan The Barbarian". "Conan" struck me as being ridiculous, especially with Arnold wearing a phylactery on his head with his forehead showing, unlike every illustrated image I had ever seen of Robert E. Howard's hero. James Earl Jones' Thulsa Doom was BEYOND ridiculous with that pathetic longhaired wig that just didn't jibe with his features. Now, "Sword & the Sorcerer" didn't have the bucks behind it that "Conan" did, however, it is MUCH truer to the spirit of both the novels and Marvel comics stories that I remember reading when I was in college. Though the acting in some spots is laughable, this movie has a definite "matinee" quality that makes you root, if only internally, for the hero and his friends. I only just recently realized that Lee Hornsley played Talon, the hero, because he doesn't even remotely resemble Matt Houston or his "Paradise" character in the role. Other TV people pepper the cast with their presence, but the weirdest cast member HAS to be Joe Regalbuto as one of Talon's freebooting colleagues. Hard to imagine good ol' Frank Fontana playing a pirate, isn't it? Richard Lynch, a man who has made a career out of playing truly despicable characters, plays Titus Cromwell, a usurper king who has to be patterned after Hollywood's generic image of Alexander the Great. He OOZES evil in the role, relishing every snarl and hiss he speaks. Kathleen Beller, who has to have the prettiest brown eyes and long lashes in TV, plays the heroine and love interest Alana. While the art direction is actually pretty good for the time it was made, and holds up over time, and the cinematography is almost exemplary, the TRULY hammy acting is what gives this movie its funky, campy charm! Richard Lynch assays a line in the movie that will go down in cinema history as one of the classics of the "Yonduh lies da cassul of my fodduh" school, when he tells George Maharis' Count Machelli that he must "Obey my orduhs". Maharis follows a few scenes later with an equally comically read line "...He must be one of SHOOSIA'S demons!". (That's actually spelled "Xusia", but Maharis' too-American reading of it lengthens the "u" sound in the word.) ALL the characters are portrayed rather broadly, with the corniest double-entendrés and dialogue you're likely to ever see in a movie made after 1939! Like I said, this is the charm of the movie....it's actually very witty in parts, and one character, Captain Morgan, the only black with a speaking part in the flick, utters some of the funniest diction you'll ever hear as he says "Blast you, Eric! Spread the word of Talon's plight!" in tones so clipped, you'll swear he just learned English. Phonetically! Talon, it turns out, is the long lost son of the king Cromwell slayed when Talon was a young prince to obtain his peaceful kingdom, and to compensate for this loss, he has turned into a soldier of fortune, helping other kings retain or regain their kingdoms for a price. Alana, the daughter of one of his father's advisors, pleads her case with him, not knowing who he is, to rid his native Ehdan of the usurper Cromwell, so her brother, Prince Mikah, can sit on the throne as the "rightful heir". This Talon does, never revealing to anybody else but Cromwell who he really is. Along the way, there are various cartoon gorey scenes that a two year old could tell were fake, some actually pretty good music, very colorful frames, and some of the most comically corny dalogue and acting you'll ever see in a movie. It's easy to believe that the people involved INTENDED to make this movie so campy, because it's pretty consistent throughout. This movie can be had dirt cheap, NEW, on VHS, so I recommend you get it, pop open a brewsky with your GF or buddies, and howl your butt off at a true camp gem of the 80s!
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