Red Sonja (1985)

User Rating:

4.3/10   

Director:

Richard Fleischer

Writers:

Robert E. Howard (character)
Clive Exton (written by) ...

Release Date:

3 July 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Fantasy

Tagline:

A woman and a warrior that became a legend.

Plot:

The tyrant Gedren seeks the total power in a world of barbarism. She raids the city Hablac and kills...

Plot Keywords:

Talisman | Sea Monster | Based On Comic Book | Psychotronic | Pulp Fiction

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Arnold Schwarzenegger	...	Kalidor
Brigitte Nielsen	...	Red Sonja
Sandahl Bergman	...	Queen Gedren
Paul L. Smith	...	Falkon (as Paul Smith)
Ernie Reyes Jr.	...	Prince Tarn
Ronald Lacey	...	Ikol
Pat Roach	...	Brytag
Terry Richards	...	Djart
Janet Agren	...	Varna, Red Sonja's Sister
Donna Osterbuhr	...	Kendra the High Priestess
Lara Naszinsky	...	Gedren's Handmaid
Hans Meyer	...	Red Sonja's Father
Francesca Romana Coluzzi	...	Red Sonja's Mother
Stefano Maria Mioni	...	Barlok, Red Sonja's Brother (as Stafano Mioni)
Tutte Lemkow	...	Wizard

Runtime:

89 min

Country:

Netherlands | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor) | Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Italy:T | Iceland:12 | Netherlands:12 | Portugal:M/12 | Germany:16 (DVD rating) | Australia:PG | Norway:15 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | UK:PG (cut) | USA:PG-13 | West Germany:12 (f) | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Italy

Company:

Dino De Laurentiis Company

Trivia:

Arnold Schwarzenegger was originally to have reprised the role of Conan in this film, as the Red Sonja character was a spinoff of the original Conan novels. Ultimately, a new character was created who was essentially Conan in everything but name.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the surviving girl approaches to the rope over the canyon, there are two meshes. She clutches one mesh and slides down the rope. When her pursuers get to the rope, there are three or four meshes.

Quotes:

Red Sonja: No man may have me, unless he's beaten me in a fair fight.
Kalidor: So, the only man that can have you, is one who's trying to kill you. That's logic.
[Red Sonja goes and lies down. Kalidor picks up his sword and holds it to her throat]
Kalidor: If you yield only to a conqueror, then prepared to be conquered... Little Sonja...
Red Sonja: Don't be a fool, I don't want to kill you.
Kalidor: Try it.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "In Living Color: Veracosa (#2.12)" (1990)

Goofy as Hell but Good Fun

This movie is impossible to rate.

Anyway, it is even more goofy, campy and stupid than the two legendary Conan movies. Acting is so bad. Casting stinks. Plot is really ridiculous, nothing has any importance to the viewer. But the main thing is, you will not be bored watching this stuff. I mean, c'moon! The red haired what-was-her-name warrior woman doing her unbelievable annoying Arnold Schwarzenegger impersonations and kicking butt like some prehistoric Xena, Arnold himself being as lame as he will ever be trying not to be Conan (and fails in that completely), the mighty Karate Kid prince turning from complete asshole the world's sweetest little boy in one scene and the fat buy who follows him around with a huge bone and does as much fighting as Arnold and Sonja... I mean, where they get this stuff!? (I hope I didn't spoil anything. Think not. And with this movie, it isn't even important).

It's amazing how great the set decoration, wardrobe and especially score is. The themes of this film are really magnificent. The Red Sonya theme, the beautiful music, the grande finale in the end, oh my God...

This movie doesn't suck. It's a bad film, but in a very good way. I wanted to watch it again straight away, I laughed through the whole movie. You should not take it as a serious Robert E. Howard movie, if you are a fan of his work (like I am), because Sonja (in this form) wasn't even his character. Hollywood needs more movies like this.