This Week's Aisle Seat - A Smashing CONAN 4K Double Bill

[AndyDursin]

My reviews of Arrow's new releases including the hugely coveted CONAN 4K's in this week's column:

https://andyfilm.com/2024/01/24/1-30-24 ... uble-bill/

[mkaroly]

Really looking forward to getting this set...alas, mine will not be here until late February. Better late than never I suppose!

[AndyDursin]

It'll be worth the wait Michael!

I didn't want to write this in the review because I didn't want to pile on and everyone respects the hell out of the late Basil Poledouris, but to be totally frank, his score on DESTROYER actively hurts the movie. It's leaden and lifeless, it doesn't always seem "in sync" with the action on-screen. He noted in an interview he didn't love the score and expected the movie to be different and more like the first movie -- and he was right. It needed more of a lightness of touch, something a little more sprightly and romantic. Instead he recycled sections of the first score but they're not well applied and it sounds like the score is just going through the motions. It's also repetitive and sounds "cheap" even if it's the same (?) orchestra that recorded the original.

And really the movie is just okay. As I wrote, I don't feel it matches up well with other fantasy films of the era, like LEGEND (superior score, art direction, etc.), LADYHAWKE (more fun, more impressive production values, and yeah I prefer that score too!), KRULL (ditto X3). Frankly I think even RED SONJA is more entertaining. It was good to get us kids into the theater because it was PG but it's just serviceable and not much more. Outside of Olivia d'Abo of course...

[Monterey Jack]

My copy shipped from Best Buy...which will likely be the last movie I ever purchase from them.

[mkaroly]

I had the cassette of the Conan the Destroyer score back in the day...listened to it a couple of times before it ended up in a cassette case somewhere never to be heard from again. Lol...the score for Conan the Barbarian is a completely different story. I remember when Varese released an expanded version of the score way back when. I was so excited to get it and I played it more times than I care to remember. Intrada (I think?) did a great job with its massive set - I plan on listening to it today.

[Paul MacLean]

He noted in an interview he didn't love the score and expected the movie to be different and more like the first movie -- and he was right. It needed more of a lightness of touch, something a little more sprightly and romantic. Instead he recycled sections of the first score but they're not well applied and it sounds like the score is just going through the motions. It's also repetitive and sounds "cheap" even if it's the same (?) orchestra that recorded the original.

I may have mentioned this previously, but when I interviewed Basil the first time, he said that the sequel was made too soon for him to be inspired and come-up with an original approach -- like his experience on Barbarian was still floating around in his head, and that made it hard to connect with Destroyer.

He added that he was happier with Return to the Blue Lagoon, since it was made a decade later, so he was far-more distanced from the original to come up with something fresh.

I love one cue from Conan The Destroyer, "The Horn of Dagoth" (so I just added it to my Barbarian playlist), but I don't care for the rest of it.

[AndyDursin]

If I didn't know better I'd have thought someone else "adapted" the music a la Ken Thorne on the SUPERMAN sequels -- except it was Basil himself!

[Monterey Jack]

What is best in life...?

[Chris Shaneyfelt]

My reviews of Arrow's new releases including the hugely coveted CONAN 4K's in this week's column:

https://andyfilm.com/2024/01/24/1-30-24 ... uble-bill/

Great reviews, Andy, as usual! I'm looking forward to receiving my copy. I went with the Conan the Barbarian/Conan the Destroyer pair.

[Chris Shaneyfelt]

What is best in life...?

Well done, MJ!

[Monterey Jack]

...and my Barbarian case has a broken hinge. And those "thick" Arrow cases are almost impossible to replace.

[AndyDursin]

Ugh that sucks. Did you get it through Amazon? Just replace if you can.

[Monterey Jack]

Ugh that sucks. Did you get it through Amazon? Just replace if you can.

Best Buy.

Eh, I had an Arrow-sized case lying around that has hinges. It's clear, so it doesn't match, but at least it fits the insert, and will hold the disc tray securely. Not worth the hassle of sending the whole thing back.

[Chris Shaneyfelt]

...and my Barbarian case has a broken hinge. And those "thick" Arrow cases are almost impossible to replace.

Oh no! I didn't see that it was broken. I'm sorry you received a damaged copy.

[AndyDursin]

They sent me review copies of the singles but if I were going to pay out of pocket, I would've bought the 2-pack (which is now $39.99!). These should be huge sellers for Arrow and proof positive nobody does it better than them right now. Criterion's treatment wouldn't have been as extravagant!

No brainer at this price:

https://www.amazon.com/The-Conan-Chroni ... s_li_ss_tl