The Beastmaster (1982)

_**Dynamic Marc Singer, stunning Tanya Roberts, horrific creatures and cute ‘n’ cuddly critters**_

Seeking vengeance for the murder of his adopted family & tribe, a warrior named Dar (Marc Singer) goes after the man responsible, high priest Maax (Rip Torn). On the way Dar enlists an eagle he names Sharak, a pair of thieving ferrets named Kodo and Podo, and a black tiger called Ruh. Tanya Roberts is on hand as Kiri, a woman Dar finds alluring while John Amos appears as Seth, a formidable bodyguard.

“The Beastmaster” (1982) came out during the sword & sorcery glut of the early 80s. It may not be as great as “Conan the Barbarian,” but it’s superior to “The Sword and the Sorcerer,” both released earlier the same year.

The film has a fitting cast and features a nice mix of horrific, dynamic and cute. The witches and winged creatures fit into the horrific category while Singer presents a dynamic protagonist. He’s 6’2” and lithe with a masculine face despite the (dirt) blond hair. He seems smarter than Schwarzenegger and lacks his cumbersome bulk. Meanwhile this is a great flick for animal lovers and you’ll probably want to go out and buy a ferret or two.

Tanya is stunning as usual, but appears too thin. She’d look better in “Sheena” (1984) and, especially, “A View to a Kill” (1985). Unfortunately, she never advanced to anything greater than these films; but at least we have these to remember her.

Unlike “The Sword and the Sorcerer” and “Conan the Barbarian,” which came out 3-4 months prior, “The Beastmaster” failed to generate similar box office earnings. It only garnered $14 million from its $8 million investment. Nevertheless, it’s an entertaining early 80’s sword & sorcery flick

The movie runs 1 hour, 58 minutes, and was shot in Valley of Fire State Park in Overton, Nevada, as well as Pyramid Lake & Semi Valley, California, both northwest of Los Angeles in the high country.

GRADE: B

**It deserves to be forgotten.**

Who doesn't like a good dose of cheese? I think almost everyone likes it, but I don't know if things work the same way in cinema. It's really hard to see this film in its entirety because kitsch bad taste dominates.

It all starts with the script, which is so stupid that I confess I got lost in it, and that doesn't usually happen, even when the movies are really bad. The cinematography, of misty tones and unpleasant to the eyes, does not obscure the poorly elaborate sets and costumes worthy of a poor comic. Of course, the main actors appear in far fewer clothes when they have to. After all, certain things always sell a movie, no matter how bad it is. The cast is dominated by Marc Singer and Tanya Roberts. I think they were never good actors, despite her having participated in a film from the 007 saga. Even so, in the midst of a cast of amateurs with very little talent, they look like two movie stars.

I'm a little surprised that they made a sequel to such a poor movie, but it was the 80's, and the likes of that decade are considered dubious in almost everything up to the present day.

I only really remember Marc Singer in “V” (1984) but he does ok in this derivative but quite entertaining fantasy adventure. Starting off with shades of this year’s other sword and sandals fantasy “Conan”, his village is razed to the ground and “Dar” (Singer) is left amidst the ruins with only his sword in his hand to avenge himself on the evil high priest “Maax” (Rip Torn) and his “Juns” supporters. That malevolent creature lives atop a great stone pyramid where he routinely sacrifices children to the gods and we already know that he had an hand in the predicament faced by “Dar” (Singer) who is, of course, really the king of “Aruk” and whose father was betrayed by that self same priest - all without him having a clue. His unique upbringing has given him special advantages, though. He can talk to an eagle, a black tiger and a couple of mischievous but sharp-toothed ferrets. As “Dar” closes in on his quest, he also encounters the feisty temple maiden “Kiri” (Tanya Roberts), the mighty “Seth” (John Amos) and his protégé “Tal” (Joshua Milrad) but are they going to be anywhere near enough muscle to overthrow the terrifying regime and their henchmen? Singer makes for quite a good hero here as he parades about in his loincloth twirling his sword and dispatching the baddies. Torn doesn’t feature so often, but hams up nicely - in a Frank Langella sort of vein and the whole scantily-clad enterprise rolls along quite entertainingly until a fiery conclusion that gives everyone, even the ferrets, a moment in the sun. The production standards are reasonable, though the editing leaves something to be desired at times, and with a score that reminded me the whole time of “Battlestar Galactica” I quite enjoyed it.

The sword and sorcery movies of the early 80s weren't able to capture public interest like Star Wars or The Terminator films, but this one might be more agreeable than most. It's faster paced than Clash of the Titans. The hero is more willing to save innocent people than Conan. And the locations (some around L.A. and Las Vegas) look really beautiful. Dar (Marc Singer) is like a mix of Tarzan and the standard barbarian hero. He uses his animal friends to create some mischief and tease the beautiful slave girl (Tonya Roberts) before he takes on one of those crazy cult leaders (Rip Torn) that are always causing trouble in barbarian movies. It may not impress anyone with special effects but given the restrictions of the time, I think they put together a fun story. The final battle scenes where a mote of tar errupts in flames should give one pause because that ain't CGI.