The Beastmaster (1982)
November 22, 2022 8:47 AM - Subscribe
Prehistoric Dar (Marc Singer) uses ESP with animals to save a slave girl (Tanya Roberts) from a sorcerer (Rip Torn).
Also starring John Amos.
Directed and co-written by Don Coscarelli (Phantasm, John Dies at the End).
46% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.
Currently streaming in the US on Amazon Prime. Also available for digital rental. Justwatch listing.
Today, I'm posting a half dozen 80's fantasy films that were on repeat on cable back in the day.
Also starring John Amos.
Directed and co-written by Don Coscarelli (Phantasm, John Dies at the End).
46% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.
Currently streaming in the US on Amazon Prime. Also available for digital rental. Justwatch listing.
Today, I'm posting a half dozen 80's fantasy films that were on repeat on cable back in the day.
Hey, remember when even a basically replacement-level guy could be an action star?
posted by Etrigan at 9:35 AM on November 22, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Etrigan at 9:35 AM on November 22, 2022 [1 favorite]
Roughly (VERY roughly) based on an Andre Norton novel, where the lead character was actually Native American: he's a veteran of an interstellar war tracking down the man he thinks is responsible for his mother's death. It's a pretty good 1950s-60s sci-fi adventure novel, but a crappy movie.
I have never forgiven the sacrifice of the meerkat (?) for the girl.
posted by suelac at 4:08 PM on November 22, 2022 [3 favorites]
I have never forgiven the sacrifice of the meerkat (?) for the girl.
posted by suelac at 4:08 PM on November 22, 2022 [3 favorites]
Saw this movie so many many times. They're Ferret - Wikipedia. Kodo and Podo. Ferrets are so much fun, very cat like, will use a litter box, get along quite well with cats, very playful, sleep a lot. Had one as a kid. I'd get one now, but they're illegal pets in California.
I really liked the bat-like things with leathery wings that just digested into bones and goo anything they wrapped their wings around.
It was a good movie for a twelve year old.
posted by zengargoyle at 5:49 PM on November 22, 2022 [1 favorite]
I really liked the bat-like things with leathery wings that just digested into bones and goo anything they wrapped their wings around.
It was a good movie for a twelve year old.
posted by zengargoyle at 5:49 PM on November 22, 2022 [1 favorite]
The ear slugs scared the living shit out of me as a kid.
What’s the movie where the hero goes on the journey to find some treasure, comes across a guy marinating in a pot in the middle of nowhere, and then finds the treasure and it’s book with mirrors in it? Do that one next.
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 6:00 PM on November 22, 2022
What’s the movie where the hero goes on the journey to find some treasure, comes across a guy marinating in a pot in the middle of nowhere, and then finds the treasure and it’s book with mirrors in it? Do that one next.
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 6:00 PM on November 22, 2022
I have fond memories of the days when I could watch The Beastmaster once a week (at least, sometimes even more than once a day) on TBS (I miss watching the Braves every night too). More recently, I finally watched Beastmaster for the first time in a long time and I have to say, it holds up pretty well. About the only weak link is Dar. Marc Singer is excellent as Dar (everyone is excellent in Beastmaster; fantasy/sci fi can be made or broken by how committed the actors are, and Beastmaster's actors are all in!), but the moves Dar puts on Kiri are right out of the 70s and 80s. Alongside the acting, I am impressed with the production. The movie did a great job making Aruk and the Temple of Ar real. The Junn Horde were well realized too. The Beastmaster is up there next to The Last Starfighter was one of the better knockoffs ever made.
posted by Stuka at 6:06 PM on November 22, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by Stuka at 6:06 PM on November 22, 2022 [2 favorites]
I think.... Circle of Iron - Wikipedia is the one with the "marinating in a pot" guy. Also a classic.
posted by zengargoyle at 6:27 PM on November 22, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by zengargoyle at 6:27 PM on November 22, 2022 [3 favorites]
Let us not speak of the sequels though…
There were sequels? Oh my... I was 10, so probably 11 or 12 by the time I saw this on Beta/VHS, and I watched the heck out of it (and even more so, when we got Superchannel a few years later)
posted by rozcakj at 7:17 AM on November 23, 2022 [1 favorite]
There were sequels? Oh my... I was 10, so probably 11 or 12 by the time I saw this on Beta/VHS, and I watched the heck out of it (and even more so, when we got Superchannel a few years later)
posted by rozcakj at 7:17 AM on November 23, 2022 [1 favorite]
Two. And a short-lived TV series even. I've not seen that, but the movie sequels are utterly horrible.
Consider this sentence from the Wikipedia description of Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time. (actually that by itself should tell you what you're in for). "Marc Singer reprises his role as Dar, a barbarian from another dimension who travels to 1990s Los Angeles and befriends a young woman, Jackie Trent, played by Kari Wuhrer."
But we won't speak of them. No. We don't talk about the Beastmaster sequels.
posted by Naberius at 8:00 AM on November 23, 2022 [1 favorite]
Consider this sentence from the Wikipedia description of Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time. (actually that by itself should tell you what you're in for). "Marc Singer reprises his role as Dar, a barbarian from another dimension who travels to 1990s Los Angeles and befriends a young woman, Jackie Trent, played by Kari Wuhrer."
But we won't speak of them. No. We don't talk about the Beastmaster sequels.
posted by Naberius at 8:00 AM on November 23, 2022 [1 favorite]
I rewatched this again recently. It's pretty trashy in a kinda fun way! I guess that's the Don Coscarelli touch.
Rip Torn seemed like he was having fun, at least.
posted by fleacircus at 4:28 PM on November 24, 2022 [1 favorite]
Rip Torn seemed like he was having fun, at least.
posted by fleacircus at 4:28 PM on November 24, 2022 [1 favorite]
This film was beyond formative to my young mind. The sequels not so much.
Short lived TV series? It got 3 seasons! A Canadian / Australian and US co-production no less! It counted as Canadian content so it played ad nauseum for a bit in the early 2000s.
posted by Ashwagandha at 1:21 PM on November 25, 2022
Short lived TV series? It got 3 seasons! A Canadian / Australian and US co-production no less! It counted as Canadian content so it played ad nauseum for a bit in the early 2000s.
posted by Ashwagandha at 1:21 PM on November 25, 2022
Wish I had seen it back in the day and then spotted Artie as "the baddie from Beastmaster."
posted by whuppy at 8:49 AM on November 28, 2022
posted by whuppy at 8:49 AM on November 28, 2022
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posted by DirtyOldTown at 8:48 AM on November 22, 2022