The world's resource for news & reviews for cult films!Italian sword & sorcery films found fertile ground in the 1980s to propagate producing a whole slew of swashbuckling sword and sandal films. Sit back and enjoy as we rank them here. Italian Sword & Sorcery Films Ironmaster (1983) The 1983 Italian sword & sorcery film Ironmaster, also known as La guerra del ferro, is… read more »
Attila flagello di Dio (1982) is an Italian sword-and-sorcery film directed by Franco Castellano and Giuseppe Moccia and starring Angelo Infanti, Anna Kanakis, Armando Marra, Mario Pedone, Elsa Vazzoler, Enrico Antonelli and Iris Peynado. Attila flagello di Dio (1982) Plot Summary The story centers around a rag tag band of medieval warriors defending their home.The… read more »
The 2011 film In the Name of the King 2: Two Worlds is a sword-and-sorcery fantasy film directed by Uwe Boll, and starring Dolph Lundgren and Natassia Malthe. In the Name of the King 2: Two Worlds (2011) Plot A former Special Forces combat expert, Granger (played by Dolph Lundgren) lives in Vancouver. He is suddenly… read more »
The 1983 film The Beast and the Magic Sword (also known as La Bestia y la Espada Magica) is a sword-and-sorcery film uniquely co-produced by Spain and Japan. The movie was tenth in the werewolf series written and directed by Paul Naschy, under the pseudonym of Jacinto Molina. The movie stars Paul Naschy, Julia Saly, Junko Asahina, and Shigeru Amachi. The… read more »
The 1987 movie Warrior Queen is a sword-and-sorcery style film starring Sybil Danning, Donald Pleasence, and Rick Hill. Filmed as part of the sword-and-sandals craze, the film was a critical failure and was produced to cover huge losses sustained by a previous film flop by the studio. However, the film has become a cult classic. In… read more »
The 1982 film Gunan, King of the Barbarians is an Italian clone of Conan The Barbarian. It was also titled The Invincible Barbarian. The film has become a cult classic, and is extremely difficult to find. The only known extant copies are from old VHS tapes, which are sometimes available online. The movie stars Sabrina… read more »
The 1982 film Sorceress is a fantasy film in the sword-and-sorcery genre that was one of the earliest B-movies inspired by the success of Conan the Barbarian. The movie was produced by Roger Corman, written by Jim Wynorski, and was filmed in Mexico. But despite it’s humble origin story the movie was what the Germans… read more »
The 1987 film Iron Warrior, also titled Ator il guerriero di ferro or Rautasoturi, is the third film in the sword-and-sorcery series of Ator. The film was shot in Malta, and is the sequel to Ator, the Fighting Eagle and The Blade Master. The movie stars Miles O’Keeffe, Savina Gersak, Elisabeth Kaza, Iris Peynado and Tiziana… read more »
The 1984 fantasy film Sword of the Valiant is a film imagined as a retelling of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The movie stars Miles O’Keeffe, Cyrielle Clair, and Sean Connery. Sword of the Valiant (1984) Plot Summary The movie begins at a feast, with the king concerned about how fat and lazy everyone has become. He… read more »
The 1984 film The Lost Empire is a modern sword-and-sorcery and kung-fu film directed by Jim Wynorski, as his first feature. The film was actually produced by a theater owner as a tax loss, but ended up becoming a cult classic. Roger Corman was not involved in the movie but let Jim Wynorski use his studio for… read more »
The 1985 film Wizards of the Lost Kingdom is a sword-and-sorcery film produced in Argentina by the famous B-movie producer Roger Corman. The movie stars Vidal Peterson (from his illustrious stint on Buck Rogers – riding the lackluster wave of mid-70s primetime, sci-fi pablum), María Socas, Barbara Stock, Bo Svenson and Thom Christopher. Wizards of the… read more »
The 1984 film Clash of the Warlords, also known as Mad Warrior, is a Filipino post-apocalyptic film that is an island clone of Mad Max 3: Beyond Thunderdome. Clash of the Warlords (1984) Plot After the third World War, the world is radioactive and most areas are destroyed. However, some people survive on an island… read more »
The 1990 film Barbarian Queen II: The Empress Strikes Back is a Roger Corman film starring Lana Clarkson, Greg Wrangler, and Rebecca Wood. The film is a sequel to the 1985 film Barbarian Queen. Barbarian Queen II Plot The film has nothing to do with the first film Barbarian Queen, except sharing a similar name. Although Lana Clarkson… read more »
The 1982 film Ator, the Fighting Eagle is a sword-and-sorcery film produced in Italy that was among the first in the genre. It has since become one of the most famous sword-and-sandals style films. The movie stars Miles O’Keeffe and Sabrina Siani. Ator, the Fighting Eagle (1982) Plot A baby is born with a prophetic birthmark… read more »
The 1983 film The Throne of Fire (also known as Il trono di fuoco) is an Italian sword-and-sorcery film that was filmed in Rome. The film is considered a standard ripoff of Conan the Barbarian, but has since become a popular cult classic. The film stars Sabrina Siani, Pietro Torrisi, Harrison Muller, Beni Cardoso, and Pietro Ceccarelli. The Throne of Fire… read more »
The 1983 film Ironmaster, also known as La guerra del ferro, is an Italian sword-and-sandal film filmed in both Italy and South Dakota. The movie was directed by Umberto Lenzi, and stars George Eastman, Sam Pasco, and Elvire Audray. Ironmaster (1983) Plot Summary A stone-age hunter named Vuud (played by George Eastman) is part of a… read more »
The 1984 film The Blade Master, also known as Ator 2 – L’invincibile Orion in Italian, is a sword-and-sorcery film that has since become a cult classic. Part of the massive 80s “sword and sandals” trend in Italy, the film stars Miles O’Keeffe as Ator, a birthmarked hero prophesied to save the world. The Blade… read more »
The 1983 film Hercules is a sword-and-sorcery cult favorite starring Lou Ferrigno as Hercules and Sybil Danning as Ariadne. The movie was filmed in Italy, near Rome, in 1982 alongside another sword and sandals epic, The Seven Magnificent Gladiators. The movie had a large budget for the time (over $6 million) but was a failure… read more »
The 1986 film Amazons (also known as Amazonki) is a sword-and-sorcery film directed by Jim Wynorski and produced by Roger Corman. The movie was part of a nine-movie contract Corman had with an Argentinian production company to produce movies there. Amazons (1986) Plot A mythical tribe of warrior women battle wild tribes from the jungle. The Amazons… read more »
The 1983 film Hearts and Armour is a sword-and-sandals style Italian film starring Barbara De Rossi, Tanya Roberts, Zeudi Araya Cristaldi, and Rick Edwards. The film was praised for production values and costuming, but derided for a generally absent and confusing plot. It is said that the movie is so illogical and distracting because it was… read more »