The fantasy genre has been surging in popularity once again thanks to the dual-pronged success of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power and House of the Dragon, but it’s one of the all-time greats that’s in the midst of being celebrated by fans of all things swords-and-sorcery. 40 years on from its initial release, the outpouring of admiration being heaped upon Conan the Barbarian proves that sometimes you really can’t beat a classic.
As technology has advanced throughout the decades, fantasy has gotten increasingly more expensive and lavish as a result, but part of Conan‘s charm is that it’s rough around the edges, dirty, muddy, and drenched in blood – with the tangible aesthetic, gritty violence, and practical effects all working in wondrous symmetry to create an endearingly cheesy favorite.
The fact that Conan the Destroyer, superficially similar sword-swinger Red Sonja, and the ill-fated Jason Momoa remake all resolutely failed to recapture what made Barbarian so popular in the first place just goes to show that the movie’s critical, commercial, and cultural success was a perfect storm of talent and circumstance.
Sure, Arnold Schwarzenegger can’t emote worth a damn in his first major Hollywood leading role, but those bulging biceps more than make up for it. Throw in some fascinating lore, eminently quotable dialogue that endures to this day, and the sinister presence of James Earl Jones as scenery-chewing antagonist Thulsa Doom, and it’s a joyous romp that ironically took itself so seriously that it became a camp classic.
Four decades later, and Conan the Barbarian fans are still thrilled to crush their enemies, see them driven before them, and hear the lamentations of their women, which says it all.