Krull

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: No
Watched With: Myself

That is such a disappointing trailer for an awesome film.

I was sad to hear of the passing of Peter Yates and just had to watch Krull in his honour. It's probably my favourite 80's sci-fi/fantasy sword and sorcery film. Our Dragon Conquest web trailer shamelessly rips it off. It was one of those seminal films of my childhood that captivated my imagination and made me love films. Made all the more potent by the fact that I discovered it all by myself, tucked away on the bottom shelf of a video library and thought the cover was cool. A rare film that delivered on the promise of its poster image and something that none of my peers had ever even heard of at the time which gave me a sense of ownership over it.

Where to begin? Well this film opened a few days before Return of the Jedi, it was probably never going to do well at the box office, especially against that. What appeals to me about this film compared to many other sword and sorcery films of the time is that this film straddles old school and new so well and takes favourite elements from both. It takes elements from both fantasy fairytale witches and wizards, knights and castles as well as science fiction elements like the the black fortress, the alien slayers invasion, the scary-ass changelings and lazer battles. It has it's cake and eats it too.

This is a much more theatrical style film having more in common with Errol Flynn era Robin Hood than Star Wars. Probably because Peter Yates is an old school filmmaker. It has a swashbuckling feel, epic romance, colourful characters played by great British character actors, including some very early work from Robbie Coltrane and Liam Neeson which always makes me giggle. Also the best cyclops character ever put to the big screen.

It has some great "old school" effects, especially the AMAZING stop frame animation on the giant spider and cool miniature work. The majority of the film was shot at pinewood and it has that classic studio film feel to the sets. The fantasy forests are cool but one of the more interesting elements is inside the beasts fortress it becomes this bizarre abstract organic looking landscape. The stuff that is shot on location is the best though especially an early sequence climbing up a mountain to retrieve the iconic glaive weapon. I love me my epic fantasy landscapes.

This is by far James Horner's BEST score. Everything he did after this he just steals and reuses what he created in this. I constantly hear Krull themes and motifs in his other films. Sit down and listen to the Krull soundtrack. It is the most energetic and joyously romantic fantasy epic music and never fails to lift my spirits. If you stick one of these tracks as your alarm to wake you up in the morning you are guaranteed to have a good start to the day.

I have so much love for this film. I don't expect anyone else to like it but for me this had a huge impact at an early age and ignited a love of fantasy worlds that were made possible with film making. It's probably not the film Peter Yates will be remembered for but it's the film of his I know best and I'll take any excuse to watch it again, even one as sad as this. If there was any film universe that I would want to see prequels and sequels too it's Krull.

I heard Gerard Butler say it was because of films like this he wanted to be an actor. I loved seeing it pop up in Pinapple Express and I heard Danny McBride say Your Highness is a love letter to this film and films of its kind.

Prince Colwyn has the best pants ever. And his love has the power of a flame thrower. A motherfucking FLAME THROWER! Genius.