Conan the Series on DVD

[Bijou88]

I have read on a TV on DVD release site that the first ( and only) season of Conan will be released later this year. I am a fan of Robert E. Howard's creation and wonder, was this show any good? It is a recent show (1999) but for some reason, I have never seen it. Maybe it was on at 4 AM on Monday mornings or something. Any opinions?

[Raymar3d]

If you have exceedingly low expectations and can appreciate camp and bad acting, there's a little fun to be had.

If it's inexpensive, I'll add it to my collection, just for two episodes. I recorded them on VHS, and watched and erased most all of them.

The big problem I had was that it was not Conan the Barbarian, it was Conan of the Hill People, in the tradition of Lothar of the Hill People from Saturday Night Live. :)

Seriously, it's pretty weak, like Hercules or Xena's worst camp. Some of it is okay, there's some decent eye candy here and there. But it's NOTHING like the movies, and they're bad compared to the novels.

There is one villain, Hissar Zul, who's from an Andrew J. Offuit Conan novel which was very forgettable, and he's the recurring character. Gag.

Highlights: Red Sonja and Tamira. Ralph Moeller is decent as Conan, but they didn't give him much to work with. He's far better in Gladiator as the friend of Maximus. That movie showed his potential a lot more than this series.

Ken

[Bijou88]

Thanks for the opinion. I guess it falls into the group of shows that popped up in the late 90s to cash in on the success of Hercules and Xena. Stuff like Sinbad, Robin Hood and Tarzan. It's too bad that they were'nt true to REH's Conan. The Hyborian age is a very big canvas to tell stories on. Someday, someone may to it justice (on TV that is.)

[Raymar3d]

They did loosely adapt two REH stories, one where Conan goes into the cave and finds the sword and fights the skeleton for it. That scene is in the Conan film, but Conan doesn't fight the ancient warrior.

The other story is one where they go to an island and there are several pirates, and for the life of me I can't remember the details, but that's the one that was actually almost true to the original story, and the reason I want to get it.

I saw that episode and thought they had a chance to pull it out and improve the series, but, alas, it was not meant to be.

I'm hoping that Arnie will someday play King Conan of Aquilonia, and do it justice. After all, he's got experience as King of California now, right? LOL. :duck:

Ken

[Bijou88]

I would love to see King Conan! I remember reading that John Milius wrote a King Conan script called "Crown of Iron." Since Arnie went into politics, I guess it was put on hold. It's really too bad that they only made two Conan movies. If only Arnie made fewer "comedies" and revisited the Hyborian age more often! I understand Arnie has the original Conan sword mounted on his office wall. I guess he has a soft spot for the character.

[Raymar3d]

I understand Arnie has the original Conan sword mounted on his office wall. I guess he has a soft spot for the character.

Very cool!

I wish that when he starred in Red Sonja, he'd been playing the part of Conan. Seemed odd to cast Conan as a different character, you know? Especially when they're friends in the official saga. Plus, they cast Sandahl Bergman as the villainess, when she played Valeria in the Conan films!

Casting.................. when will Hollywood learn?

Ken

[Bijou88]

I wish that when he starred in Red Sonja, he'd been playing the part of Conan. Seemed odd to cast Conan as a different character, you know? Especially when they're friends in the official saga. Plus, they cast Sandahl Bergman as the villainess, when she played Valeria in the Conan films!

Casting.................. when will Hollywood learn?

Ken

I always thought that was really strange too. I mean, they go to the trouble of casting Arnie in a sword and sorcery movie based on REH characters but he doesn't play Conan. It could be that the producers wanted it both ways: They had Arnie who brought along his Conan cachet to the production while not making Conan a mere supporting player in a Red Sonja flick.

Today I had the privilege of going to the Frank Frazetta museum in East Stroudsburg, PA. Mr. Frazetta's Conan book covers perfectly capture the savagery and exotic decadence of REH's Hyborean age. The museum featured almost all of the most well-known Frazetta Conan covers. It was surreal to be mere inches away from the original artwork that is so revered and famous to legions of Conan fans. I have been spoiled now that I have seen these remarkable images. The book covers now seem like pale shadows of Frazetta's work. I highly recommend that all fans of Frazetta's work take the time to go to the museum. I will never forget it and I hope to return someday.

:)