Krull
KRULL (PG)
D: Peter Yates
Columbia (Ted Mann & Ron Silverman)
UK 1983
121 mins
Adventure/Sci-Fi/Fantasy
W: Stanford Sherman
DP: Peter Suschitzky
Ed: Ray Lovejoy
Mus: James Horner
PD: Stephen Grimes
Cos: Anthony Mendleson
Ken Marshall (Prince Colwyn), Lysette Anthony (Princess
Lysa), Freddie Jones (Ynyr), Francesca Annis (The Widow of the Web), Alun Armstrong (Torquil), David Battley (Ergo the Magnificent), Bernard Bresslaw (Rell), Liam Neeson (Kegan), Todd Carty
(Oswyn)
The Welsh Film Board attempted to do its own version of
Star Wars with this sword & sorcery adventure with a Royal Shakespearean Society cast.
Unfortunately, it has dated incredibly poorly, but the kid in me will still hold a soft spot for it, because I loved it when I was growing up in the 1980's.
On his wedding day, a prince sees his bride captured and
held prisoner by a giant monster in a teleporting castle. A wise old wizard assists him in finding an ancient weapon capable of killing the beast, as well as discovering the location of the
castle which begins each new day in a different part of the vast fantasy world.
Some of the makeup effects still look good, but the visual
effects look ropey and the acting is particularly hammy, especially from a supporting actor who plays a young magician whose power is limited to turning himself into a duck. James Horner's
rousing music still sounds good and the film will still be looked upon nostalgically by those who enjoyed it during the 1980's. It's unlikely to capture any modern audiences though, who would
most probably view it with derision.
6/10
