On paper, the 1985 film "Red Sonja" has a lot going for it. It starred Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sandahl Bergman from the 1981 film "Conan The Barbarian," as well as a host of notable appearances. The story is painted on a broader canvas, and far more complex than "Conan." The movie contains some striking visuals, in locations, in sets, and in special effects. Yet ultimately, it all fails to come together. Perhaps it was just too ambitious a story to relate, given the director's experience and resources. When I initially saw the movie, I dismissed it, as did many others viewers.
Yet something in the film keeps drawing me back, insisting that I watch it again and again. Not only do I feel this call, but my wife does also. We've got the film on DVD. We can stream it on VUDU. We've even downloaded it to our computer, so we can watch it while on travel. Some stories are like that. For all their imperfections, there's still something at the heart of the story that makes it special to you.
While Robert E. Howard created a character named Red Sonya for a historical adventure, it was Roy Thomas who adapted her into Red Sonja, and included her in Conan's Hyborian Age. Even more so than in the earlier "Conan" movie, "Red Sonja" feels like several issues of a Marvel Comics series faithfully translated to the screen for our enjoyment. One great set piece follows another. None of them are as great as they should be, but they're all fun, or exciting, or visually interesting, or humorous.
Humorous? You naturally think of a Sword and Sorcery story being action-packed, but not necessarily big on humor. Yet the characters in "Red Sonja" have a sweet, endearing quality, and when they are together, you notice the gentle humor between them. It's the same humor that binds Hercule Poirot and Captain Hastings together, as well as their secretary Miss Lemon and Scotland Yard Inspector Japp, and makes Agatha Christie's Poirot, particularly those early episodes, so much fun to watch. But then, Clive Exton, who adapted twenty of those early Poirot stories for television, and enhanced Christie's stories and novels to increase the characters' mutual affection, also cowrote the screenplay for "Red Sonja."
No wonder I love the 1985 movie "Red Sonja" so much.
Dragon Dave
