6.1 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
A young man, armed with a magical bow and arrows, embarks on a mystical journey through a mythical land to rid it of all evil and joins forces with an outlaw to take down an evil witch bent on claiming the magic bow for evil...
Starring: Jorge Rivero, Andrea Occhipinti, Conrado San Martín, Violeta Cela, José GrasHorror | 100% |
Foreign | 70% |
Adventure | Insignificant |
Fantasy | Insignificant |
Action | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
None
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 3.0 | |
Audio | 3.0 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
The success of 1982’s “Conan the Barbarian” showed the international film industry that sword and sorcery could be made in the wild, limiting the need for sets and top talent, with audiences responding to a showcase of ultraviolence in wide open spaces. Of course, “Conan the Barbarian” was a polished studio offering, but the knockoffs came fast and furious, inspiring producers and directors to provide their own take on strong men in tiny outfits doing battle with supernatural foes in charge of their own cults. Prolific moviemaker Lucio Fulci joins the trend with 1983’s “Conquest,” an Italian submission of Conan-esque craziness, only the helmer is more interested in the visual power of raw violence and sexuality, following a pair of warriors going up against a topless enchantress. As with most Fulci offerings, “Conquest” is not about cinematic hospital corners, with the endeavor striving to do what it can with a tight shooting schedule and limited budgetary might, supplying a thoroughly weird viewing experience that’s filled with monsters, magical weapons, and half-explained mysticism.
Where does one even begin with this film? "Conquest" was shot with all sorts of intense filters and soft focus, wildfire-esque smoke, and bizarre lighting, with director Lucio Fulci trying to achieve some sort of dreamlike look for the feature, preserving its fantasy intent and, more likely, hoping to cover obvious production limitations. The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation is billed as a "New 2019 HD Master," and maybe it is, but this movie certainly wasn't built with clarity in mind. Detail does what it can, occasionally finding faint textures with makeup effects and full-body posing. Costuming handles with some leathery and metallic smoothness. Softness is king here, with general cinematographic haze dominating, and it appears (at least around the 86:55 mark) that an upscaled video source was used to patch a few presentation holes. Colors are acceptable, with extreme lighting and greenery adequate with this outdoor adventure. Cult hues offer more reds, yellows, and silver. Delineation is passable. Source has its rough patches, with debris and scratches common. Grain is thick and noisy.
The 2.0 DTS-HD MA generally favors scoring efforts over dubbed dialogue exchanged, with the music loud and present throughout the listening experience, offering a pronounced stereo event. Performances aren't always defined to satisfaction, with music periodically diminishing intelligibility, though this isn't the type of production that values thespian participation. Sound effects are crude but understood.
Nothing really makes sense in "Conquest," but that appears to be the idea, with cinematographer Alejandro Ulloa soaking the feature in smoke and soft focus to conjure the atmosphere of a strange land, and composer Claudio Simonetti works his synth sound in full, providing an active score for the endeavor, looking to add excitement when iffy looking monsters and poor makeup effects can't quite get the job done. "Conquest" delves into dream logic and magic to get the juices flowing, but it remains a B-movie despite its effort to look and feel epic. Fulci isn't refined enough as a director to really get something propulsive going with "Conquest," but exploitation additions are certainly eye-catching, offering fans of sword and sorcery a periodically brutal and ogle-heavy viewing event. It's no "Conan the Barbarian," but that film didn't have cocaine parties, werewolf soldiers, and dolphin pals. Perhaps Fulci was on to something after all.
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