Krull (1983) A Rave

Krull, 1983

Directed by Peters Yates

Written by Stanford Sherman, who also wrote Ice Pirates

Film score by James Horner [Titanic, Aliens, Jumanji, Casper, Field of Dreams, Willow, Land Before Time, Commando, Perfect Storm, ect.]

Cinematography by Peter Suschitzky, who was the DP on such films as Empire Strikes Back, Dead Ringers, Naked Lunch, Mars Attacks!, The Man in the Iron Mask,

The film did not make back its budget in it’s theatrical run

Tagline: A WORLD LIGHT-YEARS BEYOND YOUR IMAGINATION.

VHS description from RCA + Columbia Pictures Home Video

“Journey into a mystical time and place that belongs to neither the past nor the present, where extraordinary creatures of myth work their incredible magic, and where a horrific, omnipotent Beast is the ruler. This is the planet of Krull. And it all comes to life in this visually spectacular fantasy-adventure. Prince Colwyn (Ken Marshall) sets out on a daring journey to rescue his young bride who is held captive by the Beast. But players and alien beings under the command of the Beast oppose him at every turn. Colwyn must first reach a faraway cavern to recover the legendary Glaive, a key to phenomenal powers, then continue his search, witnessing sights and events beyond his wildest imagination. Facing the Beast, Colwyn must use the magic of the Glaive to save his fantastic planet from annihilation!”

Krull is a good guys vs bad guys 80’s high fantasy film. I’ve seen this movie five times and I can say without a doubt that there are a lot of great ideas in here that simply are not fleshed out enough for me. The plot is… not there, it’s more kool scene followed by kool scene. But, it looks kool and sounds great while things happen on screen. 

I think this is a movie that could stand to be remade - as long as it’s not a gritty serious reboot, keep the 80s high fantasy nonsense feel but actually write a coherent plot. 

So… let's get into the movie… I’m a do my best… 

The opening credits are pretty badass, and visually very 80s’ - chromatic 

There is a big… rocky-thing… flying through space to a planet [Krull] with two suns. The rock clearly has smoothed edges which indicates some intelligent design to it. So it’s not just a meteor or something like that. 

The meteor-ship thing lands in a desert looking area. 

Narration: “This is was given me to know, that many worlds have been enslaved by the Beast and his army, the Slayers. And this too, was given me to know, that the Beast would come to our world, the world of Krull and his Black Fortress would be seen in the land. The smoke of burning villages would darken the sky and the cries of the dying echoed through deserted valleys. But one thing I cannot know, whether the prophecy be true, that a girl of ancient name shall become queen, that she shall choose a king, and that together they shall rule our world, and that their son shall rule the galaxy.”

Now why doesn't the prophecy regarding the girl with the ancient name and her chosen husband mention anything about them killing the Beast, I don’t know. If I’m correcting this intro I’m gunna need to break out the ole red pen and make some suggestions. 

Anyway, I take this to mean this is a prequel for Conan the Barbarian. 

The set design, costuming, miniatures, effects, and weapons, everything looks great. 

We meet the princess Lyssa [Lysette Anthony: Dracula’s Dead and Loving It + 90’s Dark Shadows]. She’s waiting for her man, Prince Colwyn [Ken Marshall], and speaking with her father King Eirig [Bernard Archard]. By the way she is ADR’d and it’s so dumb. The voice is done by Lindsay Crouse aka Professor Maggie Walsh from season four of Buffy. Oh no we can’t have our British Fantasy film have a British Queen, slap an American accent on her. eye roll

And omg less than six minutes in and I’m lost. JFC.

Ok - paraphrasing King Eirig - so Colwyn is traveling by horse with a crew through the forests and stone country because all the passes and roads are held by the Slayers. King Eirig doesn’t seem to like Colwyn, he “sees no reason to form an alliance with their ancient enemies”. It’s giving Romeo and Juliet. Lyssa argues that the invaders are destroying their world and the alliance is necessary. King Eirig suggests he can make a treaty with King Turold [Colwyn’s father] - he doesn’t want Lyssa to marry Colwyn. Lyssa argues that them marrying will guarantee the alliance. 

King Eirig hits a great line: “Good fighters make bad husbands.” Preach!

OH by the way this entire conversation is done in voice over as we watch men on horses riding around… 

The horse riders arrive at the castle.

King Turold [Tony Church] and Eirig immediately start arguing. Eirig states that he sent twenty men to help them on their journey. Turold notes that he lost three hundred men getting there. DAMN! For a wedding! Like I think you guys need to sort your shit and fight the worse bad guy. 

Colwyn and Lyssa both express that it is their choice to marry. They want to. Cute.

Colwyn also declares: “Whatever army I have, I’ll lead against them [Slayers], until I have won or am dead.” Foreshadowing… 

Colwyn and Lyssa meet up. Ok I am convinced they hired the two most beautiful people on Earth in 1983 to play Lyssa and Colwyn like… Mummy 1999 stand back! 

It’s the night of the wedding! Eirig and Turold agree their kingdoms are no more, now there is a single kingdom led by their children. This is nice. The wedding ceremony is… very high fantasy. There’s fire and water and sure, whatever. It’s kinda kool.

*note on rewatch this is actually very important! Like, totally essential to the plot.

Colwyn: I give fire to water. It will not return except from the hand of the woman I choose as my wife… 

Lyssa: I take fire from water. I give it only to the man I choose as my husband. 

she reaches into the water and her hands holds a flame

Lyssa: take the fire from my hand. 

Colwyn goes to…

But oh no! The Slayers are coming! An old man watches them in the woods…

The Slayers interrupt the wedding! 

This is interesting, it looks like our kingdom of… Krullites… Krullians… Krull natives are fighting with like swords and such while the Slayes have like higher tech weapons like Star Wars type pew pew weapons - but those are also swords. Their swords shoot pew pews. When their swords make contact with one another it sparks red lightning. 

OMG this movie is a little gorier that I realized. When the Slayer gets killed they are real killed. They even used red blood. Which is wild for a PG movie.

Lyssa is being snuck out the back but the Slayers attack. King Eirig is killed. Lyssa is taken. Colwyn is a swashbuckling badass, though, even he is shot trying to save his beloved.

The Slayers leave with Lyssa. They take her to the Black Fortress. Gunna be real honest I’m not sure how long the Fortress has been on Krull, because in the opening we see it land, and yeah there is that montage over the opening narration but like… the timeline is a little confusifying. Like I assume it’s been there for a few months… or years? 

The next day! The old man from the woods shows up at the castle full of dead bodies. 

He takes the necklace off King Turold’s body. He treats Colwyn’s wound. 

Colwyn wakes up pretty violently, understandably, asking for Lyssa. 

Colwyn asks who the old man is. Ok… I had/have many theories, I thought it might be him (Colwyn) from the future, or his and Lyssa’s son from the future, or Colwyn from an alternate reality, idk something! His name is Ynyr [Freddie Jones… no he’s not wearing an ascot]. Colwyn identifies him very uniquely as ‘The Old One’.... ok that’s just lazy. He’s not even that old! Whatever.

At first I was thinking this was about to be like Luke Skywalker post loss of Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru - like loss? Grief? We know not of these things. Because, Colwyn is in a castle surrounded by dead bodies post night of his wedding and he’s cool as a cucumber… until Ynyr gives him his father’s necklace and the loss hits him. This man sobs. He has feelings and I love that! 

Ynyr tells him that there is “no time for grief”, to which Colwyn responds:  “You haven’t lost a father and a bride on the same day.” And yeah, that’s a freaking lot, interact with that loss writers! (stares at Star Wars in derogatory). 

But, Ynyr hits a distraught Colwyn with a, “nor have I become King on that day!” 

Colwyn, still crying, love that for him, screams: “I have no kingdom!” and yeah like, I need to know what the size of these two (now singular) kingdoms are/were. Like help me with the world building here! Give me a map! Something! 

Ynyr is so mean: “I came to find a King, and I find a boy instead.” Shit sorry this guy is having the worst day of his life and needs a ten. Dang. Aren’t old people supposed to be more patient? 

Colwyn asks about Lyssa. He’s informed she’s in the Black Fortress. Colwyn asks Ynyr if he can take him there. Thus our campaign begins. We’ll collect our party as we go. 

Ynyr explains that in the Black Fortress he’ll face more than the Slayers, he’ll face The Beast, which no man has ever faced and lived. To fight The Beast, he’ll need The Glaive. Like… Ynyr… don’t you think that would have been great information for people to have known… when The Beast showed up!?! Untold amount of time ago? 

Colwyn believes [paraphrasing] the Glaive is nothing more than an ancient symbol that doesn’t exist. OKAY but if the Glaive is the weapon that can defeat The Beast… what is the Glaive, why is it on Krull, what’s its history, and also, how long has The Beast been on Krull!!??!! Give me lore! 

Ynyr assures him that the Glaive exists in a cave up on a mountain top. DAMN the location is stunning! And a thin man in tight af black leather pants scales the mountain side to James Horner’s score… so that’s a choice. 

Colwyn gets into the cave and we’re treated to some fantastic saturated red lighting. He reaches his hand into some red liquid to get the Glaive… not sure if it’s supposed to be lava but we’re definitely meant to assume it’s hot. The Glaive is released from it’s shell and it’s shiny and pointy and awesome! 

Then we close up on an eye… or rather a room that’s designed like an eye…? Is the meteor The Beast? Or a living thing? Or did The Beast just have the highest interior designer in the galaxy?

Anyway, Lyssa is there. The voice of The Beast speaks to her. “You have been brought here for a marriage. I will give you jewels.” 

Ynyr keeps yelling at poor little Colwyn and putting this like young cocky guy in his place. It’s kinda funny. But I feel so bad for Colwyn, he’s this brash young guy who got saddled with SO much loss, guilt, and responsibility. Dude let him play with his magic weapon… oh that sounds dirty… whatever moving on. 

Ynyr informs Colwyn to find the Black Fortress they need to… seek the vision of the Blind Emerald Seer because the Black Fortress moves. So, they ride the day’s journey to BES (Blind Emerald Seer). Again the scenery is stunning! The sets are gorgeous. 

We do get a lot of implied backstory on Ynyr and the actor is playing this wisened old man so well. He really feels like a guy who is at the end of his life, looking back with regret who has the chance to do one last good thing… 

And between Colwyn and Ynyr we get this huge generational gap in knowledge. Colwyn keeps thinking these weapons and people are myths but Ynyr knows of them specifically and personally. It makes you wonder what happened on Krull in like three generations to make realities turn into myths so quickly? 

More journeying to some great landscape shots and I assume some mat paintings and astonishing sets.

WTF just happened? There is a red fire ball that lands in the pool of water Ynyr and Colwyn are sitting at and out pops a very loud and sort of wild man who does not stop complaining. I love him. He’s a wizard… aspiring? Ergo the Magnificent [David Battley]. “Short in stature, tall in power, narrow of purpose, and wide of vision.” What. An. Entrance!  

Thus! We pick up the first member of our party. 

We are shown barren landscapes. Then back to the eye room of the Black Fortress. The Beast is talking to Lyssa, he wants her to be his queen.

So… did The Beast have Lyssa abducted so he could get the fire from the water, or whatever their wedding vows are? Or because he knew that fire could lead to his demise so he just wanted to prevent Colwyn from getting it? 

Our party of three comes to… a rocky place. Again great set design. 

Oh no they’re attacked by locals - nine escaped prisoners! Torquil [Alun Armstrong] is the leader and he has sons, there is also Kegan [Liam Neeson] who has wives, the boy Oswyn [Todd Carty], Rhun [Robbie Coltrane… HAGRID!] who grumbles to himself and might be ADR’d, Menno [Bill Weston - brunette quicksand], Bardolph [Dicken Ashworth - blonde red shirt guy], and 

I think I’m missing some… I tried really hard. Based on Fandom Wiki the guys I missed are Darro, Nennog, [brunette furs] and Quain,

Colwyn tries to recruit them to the party.

Torquil: “These men follow no man but me, and I follow no man at all.”

Colwyn: “Would you follow a King to the Black Fortress?” He gets laughed at. Fair. He says to fight for freedom and fame, that’s their payment.

Torquil: “Freedom? We have it. Fame? That’s an empty purse. Count it, you’ll go broke. Eat it, you’ll go hungry. Seek it, and go mad.” DAMN he has the best lines. 

Gotta say, Ynyr is way better at swaying people. Torquil listens to him. 

The boy, Oswyn, volunteers and Colwyn pulls out a key that unlocks the Boy’s manacles. That gets Torquil’s attention as only the King and the Lord Marshal have the key. So, he believes that Colwyn IS the King. 

Oh wow Torquil has this great quote. Colwyn throws him the key to unlock his manacles and Torquil passes them back, “If we succeed, unlock them. Otherwise, I’ll die with them.” And thus the nine men join up with Colwyn’s campaign. Yay. They’re an Army now. Army is doing a lot of heavy lifting in that statement. 

The Cyclops, Rell [Bernard Bresslaw - he’s 6’7 so… he’s got height] watches them from afar. He follows them and protects Ergo the Magnificent. 

Ynyr tells them backstory on the Cyclops: Cyclops and the Slayers “have ancient hatred between them. Long ago his ancestors lived in a world far from Krull.” ok long story, very Greek - Cassandra/careful what you wish for deal. The Cyclops peoples made a deal with The Beast and were betrayed. They can see the future… or rather very specifically their own death. Yikes. 

The term ‘ancient’ is radically overused in this film. LIKE! How did Cyclops get to Krull and when? Once again, how long has The Beast been on Krull. How does Ynyr know all this? AH!

Four members of the party split off for a side expedition: Ynyr, Colwyn, Torquil, and Ergo the Magnificent. 

Ynyr is allowed entry into a… a rock? It’s a cave with a magic entrance. 

They meet the Blind Emerald Seer [John Welsh] who tells them the location of the Black Fortress, because as Ynyr mentioned earlier, it moves.

The Beast breaks the vision! Physically. From afar, like a psychic hacker.

There is one place The Beast’s power cannot reach, the Emerald Temple. They have to transport the BES to the Emerald Temple… one short day to the Emerald Temple… The Temple is in a swamp that smells of death. So that’s nice. Surely nothing bad or kill-y will happen in the murder swamp…

Oh the music got intense! Slayers show up in the swamp and attack! Much fighting happens and our party works together to defeat them.

I forgot to mention the BES has a little boy, Titch [Graham McGrath], who helps him who also comes along and forms a friendship with Ergo the Magnificent - it’s kind of endearing. They meet up with Rell the Cyclops. He joins that party. Also, he’s amazing and my favorite. His makeup is done SO so well. 

Lyssa is running around the Black Fortress/The Beast’s body? It’s really is like a living building and I hate it but also it’s very kool.

The company lands in quicksand. Well it is an 80s movie, that’s a requirement.

Menno is lost. This is actually the most intense quicksand scene I’ve seen, next to Artax… [fuck you Swamp of Sadness!]. RIP Menno. 

Umm why are there two BES? Oh the imposter’s eyes are solid black and this might be the koolest solid black eyes look I’ve seen. It’s eerie. 

Ynyr doesn’t realize BES was killed and replaced. Torquil leads the Seer on. Colwyn leads the party with Titch. 

Rell the Cyclops stayed behind at watch. Oh no the quicksand spit out BES’ dead body! Bwam. 

Colwyn leads faux-BES to the three trees that are apparently the Emerald Temple… meanwhile Rell the Cyclops is hauling his 6’7 ass across the swamp to save Colwyn. He gets there just in time. He IS the hero of the party. You ever run in sand? That is a powerful man.

Poor Titch. He just got adopted by The Party. 

Now how do they find the Black Fortress? Ynyr might have another way… the Widow of the Web [Francesca Annis who is Lady Jessica in Dune]… aka Lyssa aka Ynyr’s ex-wife! 

SHIT the set design is SO beautiful! 

OMG stop Ergo the Magnificent transforms into a puppy for Titch because earlier he said if he could have a wish, he’d wish for a puppy… it’s too sweet, stop! OH and Titch even realizes it’s Ergo… like no it’s too adorable I actually cannot. 

“Each to his fate.”

Ynyr goes to see the Widow of the Web - everyone has to stay behind to wait. By that I mean they go to visit one of Kegan’s seven (or eight) wives, Meredith [Clare McIntyre] and some other women who cook for them. 

Now is this the part of the journey where the women poisoned them?

Lyssa is running around the Black Fortress. Does she sleep? How long has she been in her wedding dress? Ok that fortress is definitely moving right?

The Beast: “Love is fleeting. Power is eternal.”

Lyssa: “Power is fleeting, it is love that is eternal.”

Quick question, why does he want to be with her? Or her? I’m confused.

He comes to her in the form of Colwyn. The Beast can assume any form he wishes.

The Beast shows her Colywn with the woman who now has black eyes - another shape shifter. The Beast kills the woman.

The Beast offers Lyssa a choice, “Consider this power. If you consent to be my queen, I will halt the attacks of the Slayers. It is your power to stop the killing and burning. Each hour you delay, more innocent people will be killed.” oh. That’s dastardly. 

Ynyr is at the Widow of the Web’s cave. Great set design. There is a giant white spider that is awesome looking. Great miniature work. It kind of looks like… crystal or glass.

Ok so the Widow of the Web’s name is Lyssa. Yeah the ancient name. Same as the Queen’s. OK so this is why I thought Ynyr was Colwyn from the future or an alternate reality. 

Lyssa and Ynyr were married. They had a son. 

We are at this point treated to the wildest revelation. Lyssa tells Ynyr they had a son and she killed him when he was born. Ok… could have kept that to yourself. “Since I could not kill you, my rage needed a victim.” “This is my punishment.” “I know you could never forgive me.”

Ynyr responds reasonably: “I cannot forgive myself. I have already forgiven you.” 

Long story short Ynyr learns the Black Fortress will rise tomorrow in the Iron Desert. OK it DOES move. I know the rule is show don’t tell, but make sure what you are showing conveys what you need to, to the audience. Like label the places we see the Black Fortress, I thought it might be passage of time. I really had so many guesses.

Deep Breath I don’t know how to explain the next part. I didn’t mention that to get to Spider-Lyssa, Lyssa had to use a hourglass to give Ynyr time to get around the spider. But the hourglass can only be used once so he’s trapped in the cave. Ynyr convinces her to break the hourglass which kills her because that was the sands of her time? And also it will kill him or something for some reason. I’m lost. They both die, sacrificing themselves to save Lyssa and Colwyn… 

Ynyr runs down screaming what he learned because the sand, which he is holding, is falling out of his hand and when it runs out he dies. He gets to the Party just in time.

Ynyr’s parting wisdom: “use your power wisely, don’t squander it.”

Colwyn replies: “I learned the power from you. I won’t forget.” Did he… I missed that maybe. Ynyr did yell at him a lot, I guess those were lessons. shrugs. 

Problem: Iron Desert is a thousand leagues from here. 

Solution: Fire Mares! They can travel a thousand leagues in a day.

Oh yeah baby the horses that run so fast they leave fiery foot… hoofprints! 

The Black Fortress moves again - this time it’s more obvious that it’s moving. 

The Party gets Fire Mares. 

Rell the Cyclops gives Titch to Kegan - Rell must stay, it’s his time to die. 

“Each to his fate.”

Ergo the Magnificent is sad to see Rell go, “we had no time.” I really loved their friendship. 

For such a big cast, I really feel like they were very unique characters and I got to know.

The effects of the fire mares is… ok. They did good for 1983. The scene lasts a bit too long though… 

They find the Black Fortress! And get inside before the Twin Suns rise.

Slayers show up and battle…. Rell the Cyclops shows up… did I miss something? He holds the door open to let them inside, and is crushed by a door! Torquil doesn’t want to leave him - he stays to the end.

Someone is shot and killed.

When the Twin Suns rise the Black Fortress moves with everyone inside.

Someone is shot dead on the bridge.

NO Kegan is shot! He dies. Woe. Torquil and Titch take his dead hard. But there is no time to despair. Colwyn leads on. 

Titch and Ergo fall down a shaft, Slayers are after them. Ergo the Magnificent shapeshifts into a Tiger and mauls a Slayer. Which seems too easy but you know you, get it big kitty.

Colwyn goes the rest of the way alone. He uses the Glaive… does it make sense… idk… it looks kool and that’s what I’m here for! The green screen is a bit visible but whatever. It’s cutting a hole into the wall; Lyssa is on the other side.

Oswyn and Torquil fall through a… wall? And meet up with Bardolph…. Bardolph dies in a very avoidable death. The walls have spikes that are closing in on our heroes. 

Lyssa tells Colwyn he must fight The Beast away from the center, he’s too powerful there. Then… Colwyn does something with the Glaive that causes a lot of structural damage. He has like telekinesis when it comes to the Glaive. Colwyn uses the Glaive to kill Slayers… could we not have been doing that the whole time?

The Beast shows up…. Umm what is it?

He and Colwyn battle. He kills it pretty quickly then the Glaive remains embedded in The Beast despite Colwyn’s telekinetic efforts. Colwyn walks closer… he goes to pull the Glaive but oh no it’s still alive! 

It’s not looking good for Oswyn and Torquil.

Colwyn lost the Glaive. Colwyn and Lyssa do some love shit that turns Colwyn into a firestarter… and that kills The Beast. So all anyone had to do was set him on fire? Was the Glaive even important!

Whatever Oswyn and Torquil are saved the wall spikes retracted. 

Oh but the Black Fortress is falling apart.

OH NO! Ergo is hurt! Titch is sitting with him. 

The gang find Titch and Ergo and they get the flock outta The crumbling Black Fortress. 

Did… Colwyn use fire to open the door. OK is the fire Lyssa’s power that she gave him? I’m so lost. 

The Black Fortress starts crumbling up… for reasons… idk looks kool. Whatever.

Colwyn, Lyssa, Torquil, Titch, Oswyn, and Ergo the Magnificent watch from the grass - somewhere. 

Colwyn gives Torquil the keys to the manacles to keep implying that Torquil will be his Lord Marshall… wtf is a Lord Marshall?

Narrator: A girl of ancient name shall become queen. She shall choose a king, and together they shall rule our world. And their son shall rule the galaxy.”

END.