Krull (1983)

Director:

Peter Yates

Writer:

Stanford Sherman (written by)

Release Date:

29 July 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Fantasy | Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

A world light-years beyond your imagination.

Plot:

A prince and a fellowship of companions set out to rescue his bride from a fortress of alien invaders who have arrived on their home planet.

Plot Keywords:

Box Office Flop | Sword And Sorcery | Changeling | Cyclops | Fire

Awards:

4 nominations

Cast

Ken Marshall	...	Prince Colwyn
Lysette Anthony	...	Princess Lyssa
Freddie Jones	...	Ynyr
Francesca Annis	...	Lyssa, Widow of the Web
Alun Armstrong	...	Torquil
David Battley	...	Ergo
Bernard Bresslaw	...	Rell the Cyclops
Liam Neeson	...	Kegan
John Welsh	...	The Seer
Graham McGrath	...	Titch
Tony Church	...	Turold
Bernard Archard	...	Eirig
Belinda Mayne	...	Vella
Dicken Ashworth	...	Bardolph
Todd Carty	...	Oswyn

Also Known As:

Dragons of Krull
Dungeons and Dragons
Krull: Invaders of the Black Fortress
The Dungeons of Krull

Runtime:

USA:121 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Finland:K-12 (cut) (1983) | Iceland:L | Canada:G (Quebec) | Australia:G | Sweden:11 | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Albert R. Broccoli 007 Stage, Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Barclays Mercantile Industrial Finance

Trivia:

Frank Price, then-president of Columbia Pictures, determined that an unknown American actress would help state side ticket sales as opposed to an unknown English actress. With that logic in mind, Price met with Lysette Anthony and informed her that all of her dialogue had been dubbed by actress Lindsay Crouse. Anthony was totally unaware that her voice was to be dubbed prior to the meeting.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In the opening scene where Colwyn and Lyssa are near completion of their wedding, she takes the fire from him and holds it in her hand. When the Slayers arrive to invade the castle, she turns away to look and the fire "falls" off of her hand, and you can see it hanging from a string/thread.

Quotes:

Eirig: We sent to you for help.
Turold: None came.
Eirig: Twenty men were dispatched to you.
Turold: We lost three hundred getting here.
Eirig: I didn't choose this marriage, Turold.
Turold: Nor did I Eirig.
Prince Colwyn: I chose it. Your daughter chose it. It'll be done.
Eirig: Can you lead this army with mine against the slayers?
Prince Colwyn: Whatever army I have I'll lead against them. Till I've won, or am dead.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Family Guy: Meet the Quagmires (#5.18)" (2007)

Under-appreciated Genre Cornfest

This is a terrific film in the "Star Wars", "Battle Beyond the Stars" oeuvre. The plot makes little sense and is hardly original, but there is so much energy and love poured into every aspect of the production that you can't help but enjoy it in spite (and probably because) of the cheesiness.

A few other users have been critical of the acting, but I entirely disagree. Unlike the "Star Wars" repertory, this is obviously a group of classically trained, Shakespearean thespians. That means they lay on the the ham in thick slices, but never too thick they can't chew them (or the beautiful scenery, for that matter. Where *was* this shot, by the way?)

The effects are dated, but still exciting and laden with craft. The production design excels at creating a marvelous and original world. And it goes without saying that James Horner's score (one of his earliest and best) is rousing and bombastic, making otherwise dull sequences burst with energy.

For some reason I missed this one when I was a kid, and just caught it for the first time the other night on HDNet (and I'm glad I was delayed until the awesome HD transfer). After watching the grossly overrated "Little Miss Sunshine", a supposed comedy where I scarcely chuckled, I watched all of "Krull" grinning from ear to ear.

Seriously, they don't make 'em like this any more.