Conan: Why He's Still Dark Fantasy's Best

Some fans don’t realize just how influential the year 1982 was for genre cinema, especially for science fiction and fantasy. Fantasy, in particular, was always endlessly evolving, as it was a predominant element of classic adventure films, animated hits, and New Hollywood experiments. However, it changed in a big way in 1982 with the release of Conan the Barbarian.

The fantasy genre has gone through shifts based on the temperature of the masses at any given moment, and in the ’80s, there was a huge impact on teens and young adults who were fans of the dark fantasy magazine Heavy Metal. From this came bold new risks and the kind of fantasy films that weren’t exactly for children. Conan the Barbarian was the first major shift in this direction.

Conan the Barbarian Is Still the Most Underrated Sword and Sorcery Masterpiece Ever

Image via Universal Pictures

Everything about Conan the Barbarian speaks to movie fans who appreciate technique and creativity, especially during a time when filmmakers were constantly taking bold swings. The 1982 fantasy classic features a couple of filmmakers, John Milius and Oliver Stone, in the midst of their prime, making films that no one had seen before and attracting specific fan bases that would last to this very day.

Both of them were doing unique things in the ’70s and ’80s, and their collaborative effort was a perfect pairing for the 1982 Arnold Schwarzenegger-led epic. Milius was best known for his written work on films like Dirty Harry and Apocalypse Now, while Stone, at this point, was known for writing Midnight Express. Having directed a few films in the ’70s, Milius was ready to bring to life a true passion project and an epic sword and sorcery story based on Robert E. Howard’s 1930s short stories and novels.

Despite all the perfect pieces lining up, Conan the Barbarian didn’t have an immediate following upon its release and turned into a cult classic for years until finally getting the wider credit it deserved. Even still, it is not entirely remembered as what it is: it is one of the definitive fantasy films in cinema’s history. This is mainly because some of what is portrayed is controversial, while its darker tone is not something that attracts larger audiences, at least not for a while.

Conan the Barbarian features one of Schwarzenegger’s most mesmerizing roles as he ends up being perfect for the role of Conan, embodying the stoic nature of the character as well as a hulking presence fit for a warrior. Featuring jarring violence, shocking visuals and at times truly stunning visuals, it’s easy to get caught up in the sprawling odyssey of one of the fantasy genre’s best heroes.

Still, many fans of the film felt it channeled the darker fantasy stories that hadn’t yet reached the big screen but would become more common as the ’80s went on, and especially today. This means the 1982 classic remains an underrated masterpiece of the fantasy genre, so much so that it is still a reference point for a lot of dark fantasy films that have come out in the years following it. Many audiences would benefit from seeing one of the true classics that doesn’t get talked about enough.

Conan the Barbarian Paved the Way for Dark Fantasy’s Evolution

Thulsa Doom and his men look down on a young Conan in Conan the Barbarian

It’s still so easy to get swept up in the lore and legacy of the mighty Conan, whose story is much larger than the 1982 classic and sees him go from being a civilian child to a barbarian and then a thief, warrior, conqueror and king. Many fans still wonder about what could have been, as the Conan films were meant to culminate in a trilogy that would see Conan become king. Even with his subpar sequel, Conan the Destroyer barely living up to the original, it was a worthy entry in the overall catalog of dark fantasy films.

There are elements of Conan the Barbarian that are endlessly entertaining and mesmerizing to behold for people who love movies. Most especially, the film’s visuals, practical effects and grounded violence separate it from a lot of other fantasy epics. Moments where characters are chopping each other up with swords will stand out, but so will the film’s distinct supernatural sequence and various one-on-one duels.

Conan the Barbarian speaks to all the ways fantasy doesn’t conventionally work, and that’s what makes it something uniquely brilliant. Dark fantasy doesn’t start and end with R-rated material, but it was a big part of what pushed the subgenre forward. In today’s landscape, dark fantasy films could experiment with a lot of the same things or merge fantasy with shocking horror elements or intense drama.

All of this wouldn’t have happened without a pivotal film presenting these possibilities in the first place. That’s what Conan the Barbarian was, even if audiences in 1982 didn’t fully appreciate it at the time. Without fully realizing it, a lot of filmmakers are pulling from the best of the 1982 classic, realizing what works best in a high-fantasy landscape with darker, more mature depictions. Known as the film that truly kick-started Arnold Schwarzenegger’s acting career, it is also the film that every dark fantasy film has been influenced by ever since 1982.

Conan the Barbarian Is One of the Best Revenge Movies Of the ’80s

Another element of John Milius’ dark fantasy masterpiece that gets lost in the weeds is how it functions as a revenge epic. Merging the desert adventure with sword and sorcery and even folk horror, Conan the Barbarian is one of the most creative genre films of the ’80s, but it works so well because it is framed entirely around a primary revenge arc. Conan’s story expands far beyond his earliest adventures, but his origin tale is probably the most emotionally compelling.

Conan loses a few people close to him throughout his journey, but what kicks off his destiny is the death of his father and the beheading of his mother at the hands of the terrifying Thulsa Doom. Conan’s final confrontation with his greatest enemy is earned and delivers pure spectacle for the audience.

There’s a lot going on in Conan the Barbarian, and at times it can get a little lost in some of the details. This affects its pace and forces the film to redirect itself when it’s most needed. However, it manages to stick the landing, and that’s why it remains a favorite for many fantasy fans to this day.