The Sword and the Sorcerer
Encyclopedia
The Sword and the Sorcerer is a 1982 fantasy film, starring Lee Horsley
, Richard Lynch, and Richard Moll
, directed by Albert Pyun
. A mercenary with a three-bladed sword rediscovers his royal heritage when he is recruited to help a princess foil the designs of a brutal tyrant and a powerful sorcerer in conquering the land. Reviews of the film are generally positive, with Rotten Tomatoes giving 80%. It has also managed to achieve a minor cult following among fans of 1980s sci-fi/fantasy cinema.
from his slumber, Cromwell convinces Xusia to join him in conquering Ehdan. With the sorcerer's black magic
at his disposal, the evil king easily lays waste to Richard's formidable armies.
With his victory all but secured, Cromwell becomes eager to be rid of Xusia. Fearing that the sorcerer could very well turn against him, he attempts to kill the lich by stabbing him in the chest and chasing him off a cliff.
As Cromwell advances upon Ehdan, King Richard senses that all hope is lost. With only one army left to defend the city, he prepares to lead the charge against his rival in a last ditch effort to save Ehdan. Before leaving, however, he orders his family to evacuate to the river, and entrusts his youngest son Talon with his magnificent triple-bladed sword. "If I die," he tells the boy, "it will fall upon you...to avenge me."
"I understand." Talon replies.
With that, a decisive battle is waged for the fate of Ehdan. When King Richard fails to return home afterwards, Talon goes to find him. While searching the corpse-littered battlefield, he comes across Mogullen (Marin), his father's closest adviser. Alive but gravely wounded, the old soldier confirms that the battle is lost. At that very moment, Talon spies his father in the distance, just seconds before his execution.
Enraged, Talon starts off to claim his revenge, but Mogullen holds him fast. Knowing that Cromwell will be heading to the river in search of the queen, he implores the boy to save the rest of his family. Talon desperately races to the river on horseback, but once again, he is too late. Horrified, he watches as his mother is put to death at Cromwell's hands.
With Cromwell's men now in pursuit of him, Talon has no choice but to flee. After narrowly surviving an ambush, the boy manages to evade capture and disappear from the kingdom, never to be seen again.
Eleven years after the fall of Ehdan, Prince Talon (Horsley), now a seasoned warrior, returns to his homeland. With a small group of mercenaries under his command, he has only one goal in mind: to fulfill the promise he made long ago. Meanwhile, an underground rebellion
has begun in Ehdan, aiming to overthrow Cromwell and appoint a rightful ruler to the throne. And in a secret cavern far beneath the Earth's surface, the sinister Xusia—still very much alive—has his own plans for the kingdom.
gave the movie a negative review, citing its lackluster script, none-too-talented performers, and fastpaced, "atrocity-a-minute" action scenes. Despite the negative criticism, the film has gone on to be a cult classic and is regarded as one of Albert Pyun's best films.
The Sword and the Sorcerer was released theatrically in the United States by Group 1 International Distribution Organization Ltd in April 1982. The film went on to gross $39,103,425 at the box office, making it the most profitable independent film of 1982.
The film even spawned a short-lived production line of plastic swords in resemblance to Talon's.
Movie news website Ain't It Cool News
reported on 5 August 2007 that the sequel, to be entitled Tales of an Ancient Empire
(as trailed at the end of The Sword and the Sorcerer) was in preproduction, citing Pyun as the source of this information. In 2008 Lee Horsley, Christopher Lambert
, Kevin Sorbo
, Yancy Butler
, and Victoria Maurette
were named among the cast of the new film, described as a "sequel in spirit". Lambert and Butler, however, did not appear in the film.
Lee Horsley
Lee Arthur Horsley is an American film, television, and theater actor known for starring roles in the television series, Nero Wolfe , Matt Houston , and Paradise . He starred in the 1982 cult film, The Sword and the Sorcerer, and recorded the audiobook edition of Lonesome Dove...
, Richard Lynch, and Richard Moll
Richard Moll
Charles Richard Moll is an American actor and voice artist,best known for playing Bull Shannon, the bailiff on the NBC sitcom Night Court from 1983 to 1992...
, directed by Albert Pyun
Albert Pyun
Albert Pyun is an American film director best known for having made many low-budget B-movies and direct-to-video action films. He frequently blends kickboxing and hybrid martial arts with science fiction and dystopic or post-apocalyptic themes, which often include cyborgs...
. A mercenary with a three-bladed sword rediscovers his royal heritage when he is recruited to help a princess foil the designs of a brutal tyrant and a powerful sorcerer in conquering the land. Reviews of the film are generally positive, with Rotten Tomatoes giving 80%. It has also managed to achieve a minor cult following among fans of 1980s sci-fi/fantasy cinema.
Plot
The film opens as King Cromwell (Lynch) and his men land ashore of Tomb Island in search of Xusia of Delos (Moll), a long-dead sorcerer who may be the key to overthrowing King Richard, a rival king whose land of Ehdan is the richest in the world. Using one of Xusia's worshipers to rouse the lichLich
In modern fantasy fiction, a lich is a type of undead creature. Often such a creature is the result of a transformation, as a powerful magician or king striving for eternal life uses spells or rituals to bind his intellect to his animated corpse and thereby achieve a form of immortality...
from his slumber, Cromwell convinces Xusia to join him in conquering Ehdan. With the sorcerer's black magic
Black magic
Black magic is the type of magic that draws on assumed malevolent powers or is used with the intention to kill, steal, injure, cause misfortune or destruction, or for personal gain without regard to harmful consequences. As a term, "black magic" is normally used by those that do not approve of its...
at his disposal, the evil king easily lays waste to Richard's formidable armies.
With his victory all but secured, Cromwell becomes eager to be rid of Xusia. Fearing that the sorcerer could very well turn against him, he attempts to kill the lich by stabbing him in the chest and chasing him off a cliff.
As Cromwell advances upon Ehdan, King Richard senses that all hope is lost. With only one army left to defend the city, he prepares to lead the charge against his rival in a last ditch effort to save Ehdan. Before leaving, however, he orders his family to evacuate to the river, and entrusts his youngest son Talon with his magnificent triple-bladed sword. "If I die," he tells the boy, "it will fall upon you...to avenge me."
"I understand." Talon replies.
With that, a decisive battle is waged for the fate of Ehdan. When King Richard fails to return home afterwards, Talon goes to find him. While searching the corpse-littered battlefield, he comes across Mogullen (Marin), his father's closest adviser. Alive but gravely wounded, the old soldier confirms that the battle is lost. At that very moment, Talon spies his father in the distance, just seconds before his execution.
Enraged, Talon starts off to claim his revenge, but Mogullen holds him fast. Knowing that Cromwell will be heading to the river in search of the queen, he implores the boy to save the rest of his family. Talon desperately races to the river on horseback, but once again, he is too late. Horrified, he watches as his mother is put to death at Cromwell's hands.
With Cromwell's men now in pursuit of him, Talon has no choice but to flee. After narrowly surviving an ambush, the boy manages to evade capture and disappear from the kingdom, never to be seen again.
Eleven years after the fall of Ehdan, Prince Talon (Horsley), now a seasoned warrior, returns to his homeland. With a small group of mercenaries under his command, he has only one goal in mind: to fulfill the promise he made long ago. Meanwhile, an underground rebellion
Rebellion
Rebellion, uprising or insurrection, is a refusal of obedience or order. It may, therefore, be seen as encompassing a range of behaviors aimed at destroying or replacing an established authority such as a government or a head of state...
has begun in Ehdan, aiming to overthrow Cromwell and appoint a rightful ruler to the throne. And in a secret cavern far beneath the Earth's surface, the sinister Xusia—still very much alive—has his own plans for the kingdom.
Cast
- Lee HorsleyLee HorsleyLee Arthur Horsley is an American film, television, and theater actor known for starring roles in the television series, Nero Wolfe , Matt Houston , and Paradise . He starred in the 1982 cult film, The Sword and the Sorcerer, and recorded the audiobook edition of Lonesome Dove...
as Prince Talon - Shelley Taylor MorganShelley Taylor MorganShelley Taylor Morgan is an American actor who is best known for her playing Lorena Sharpe in the TV series General Hospital in the mid-1980s.-Acting career:...
as Barbro - Kathleen BellerKathleen BellerKathleen Beller is an actress. She was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture Actress in a Supporting Role for her role in Promises in the Dark...
as Princess Alana - Simon MacCorkindaleSimon MacCorkindaleSimon Charles Pendered MacCorkindale was a British actor, film director, writer and producer. MacCorkindale spent much of his childhood moving around due to his father's commission with the Royal Air Force. Poor eyesight prevented him from following a similar career in the RAF, so he instead...
as Prince Mikah - George MaharisGeorge MaharisGeorge Maharis is an American actor who portrayed Buz Murdock in the first three seasons of the TV series Route 66...
as Machelli, Cromwell War Chancellor - Richard Lynch as Titus Cromwell
- Richard MollRichard MollCharles Richard Moll is an American actor and voice artist,best known for playing Bull Shannon, the bailiff on the NBC sitcom Night Court from 1983 to 1992...
as Xusia - Anthony De LongisAnthony De LongisAnthony Charles De Longis is an American actor, stuntman, and choreographer.-Career:*De Longis is well known for his recurring role during the first two seasons of the TV series Star Trek: Voyager, as First Maje Jal Culluh, leader of the Kazon-Nistrim.*A very experienced swordsman, he is also...
as Rodrigo - Robert TessierRobert TessierRobert W. Tessier was an American actor and stuntman who was best known for playing heavy, menacing characters on film and television.-Early life:...
as Verdugo - Nina Van PallandtNina van PallandtNina, Baroness van Pallandt is a Danish singer and actress.-Personal life:Born Nina Magdelene Møller-Hasselbalch, she married Frederik, Baron van Pallandt in 1960. They formed a singing duo, Nina & Frederik, and achieved worldwide popularity with their calypso-style songs...
as Malia - Anna BjornAnna BjornAnna Bjorn is an Icelandic model and actress. She was born in 1955, and was Miss Iceland 1974. She has starred in several movies and television shows in the 1980s . She was briefly married to Icelandic actor and musician Jakob Magnússon...
as Elizabeth, Cromwell's whore - Jeff CoreyJeff CoreyJeff Corey was an American stage and screen actor and director who became a well-respected acting teacher after being blacklisted in the 1950s.-Biography:...
as Craccus - Joe RegalbutoJoe RegalbutoJoe Regalbuto is an American actor and director known for his role as Frank Fontana on the CBS television comedy Murphy Brown. He also starred in the 1986 TV movie Fuzz Bucket and the short-lived series Street Hawk. He played a supporting role in the critically acclaimed film Missing in 1982...
as Darius - Christina NigraChristina NigraChristina Nigra is an actress who performed in The Sword and the Sorcerer, Twilight Zone: The Movie, and Cloak & Dagger. She also co-starred in the series Out of This World....
as Young Elizabeth - Earl MaynardEarl MaynardEarl Maynard is a bodybuilder and professional wrestler as well as a film actor, producer and director from Barbados.-Bodybuilding:Maynard won the 1964 Universe - Pro - NABBA bodybuilding competition - part of the Universe Championships, the 1965 Universe - IFBB - now the World Amateur Bodybuilding...
as Morgan - Russ MarinRuss MarinRuss Marin was an American film and television actor active from the early 1970s to the early 1990s.Among the many shows he guest starred include Mannix, Bonanza, The Secrets of Isis, Wonder Woman, The Waltons and Falcon Crest and Murder She Wrote.-External links:...
as Mogullen
Release
VarietyVariety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
gave the movie a negative review, citing its lackluster script, none-too-talented performers, and fastpaced, "atrocity-a-minute" action scenes. Despite the negative criticism, the film has gone on to be a cult classic and is regarded as one of Albert Pyun's best films.
The Sword and the Sorcerer was released theatrically in the United States by Group 1 International Distribution Organization Ltd in April 1982. The film went on to gross $39,103,425 at the box office, making it the most profitable independent film of 1982.
The film even spawned a short-lived production line of plastic swords in resemblance to Talon's.
Sequel
The Sword and the Sorcerer was originally conceived as the first in a series of several films.Movie news website Ain't It Cool News
Ain't It Cool News
Ain't It Cool News is a website founded and run by Harry Knowles, dedicated to news, rumors and reviews of upcoming and currently playing films and television projects, with an emphasis on science fiction, fantasy, horror, comic-book and action genres...
reported on 5 August 2007 that the sequel, to be entitled Tales of an Ancient Empire
Tales of an Ancient Empire
Tales of an Ancient Empire is a 2010 fantasy film, starring Kevin Sorbo, Whitney Able, Victoria Maurette, and Lee Horsley, directed by Albert Pyun...
(as trailed at the end of The Sword and the Sorcerer) was in preproduction, citing Pyun as the source of this information. In 2008 Lee Horsley, Christopher Lambert
Christopher Lambert
Christophe Guy Denis "Christopher" Lambert is an American-born French actor who has appeared in French, European and American productions. He is best known for his role as Connor MacLeod, or simply "The Highlander", from the movie and subsequent movie franchise series of the same name...
, Kevin Sorbo
Kevin Sorbo
Kevin David Sorbo is an American actor best known for the roles of Hercules in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, Captain Dylan Hunt in Andromeda and Kull in Kull the Conqueror.-Early life:...
, Yancy Butler
Yancy Butler
Yancy Victoria Butler is an American television and movie actress known for her roles as Natasha Binder in the 1993 John Woo film Hard Target and as Detective Sara Pezzini on the TNT supernatural drama Witchblade.-Early life:...
, and Victoria Maurette
Victoria Maurette
Victoria Maurette is an Argentine actress, singer–songwriter, composer and model. She is probably the best known for her performance as Victoria "Vico Paz in the Cris Morena Group series Rebel's Way, and for her roles in Albert Pyun's films Left for Dead, Bulletface and Tales of an Ancient...
were named among the cast of the new film, described as a "sequel in spirit". Lambert and Butler, however, did not appear in the film.