Krull (1983)
(DVD Columbia Tristar)
Although the title sounds like a bad caveman movie, Krull
is, in fact, a lavishly produced sword-and-sorcery fantasy, combining
elements of Beauty and the Beast and an old-fashioned
quest adventure (with some ill-fitting sci-fi elements thrown
in).
The story concerns a far-away world called Krull, whose pseudo
Middle Ages society is invaded from outer space by an evil Beast
who enslaves the planet with his army. Determined to fight back,
the two largest kingdoms on Krull consent to merge via marriage
of their respective prince and princess. The princess, however,
is captured, and the armies of both houses are massacred, so
the young prince must rescue her and defeat the Beast with help
of a small force of vagabonds and thieves recruited from the
countryside.
Fantasy and sci-fi are hard to blend together, and, unfortunately,
much of the film does not add up. For instance, the denizens
of Krull make mention of other planets, yet are obviously incapable
of space travel while the heroes do battle with swords against
an army armed with ray-guns! As a result, Krull seems
rather silly at times, but remarkably, the film is able to sell
this scenario with surprising persuasion, and is really quite
entertaining.
There is plenty of old-fashioned adventure and heroism to go
around here, and it is also a great-looking film, much of which
can be attributed to the gorgeous scenes filmed on location in
Italy. The sets and costumes are also fabulous, invested with
a fairytale feel, yet are unlike anything seen before (one of
the few positive by-products of combining sci-fi and fantasy).
Most importantly, the characters are better drawn and more accessible
than in most films of this kind, and many are played by great
luminaries of the English stage, such as Freddie Jones, Francesca
Annis, and Bernard Archard, as well as the then-unknowns Robbie
Coltraine and Liam Neeson.
The film's widescreen photography is given a first-rate video
transfer, and the disc's supplements are impressive. An insightful
commentary track (featuring the director, editor, and stars)
can be heard on an alternate audio channel. The documentary,
"Journey to Krull," is also included, offering fascinating
insight into the production's background.
Not the best film ever made by any means, Krull is still
an entertaining movie, and this DVD presents it in a first-rate
package.
Paul Andrew MacLean
© 2002
Shelton CT 06484 USA
(800) 232-2224 voice
(800) 775-2729 fax
LadyJanet@RenaissanceMagazine.com