Hawk the Slayer (1980). Smoke 'Em If You Got 'Em.
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- Опубликовано: 6 сен 2024
- #HawktheSlayer #80smovies #80s
Stam Fine Reviews looks at the 1980 cult classic, director Terry Marcel's Hawk the Slayer, a lowish budgeted fantasy movie, but one that predated almost every fantasy movie being about a muscly boof-head. Hawk, The Slayer is in possession of the Mind Sword, a flying sword with a light bulb in the hilt but its his brother, Voltan (Jack Palance) who's causing grief around time, taking an Abbess hostage. Hawk and his motley band vow to take on Voltan. Hawk also has a rocking soundtrack.
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Hawk the Slayer is a masterpiece and I am fully prepared to die on that hill.
"Brethren."
[me standing a kilometer away, at the base of the hill; points]
"Hey, look! A dead guy!"
And I along with you.
The best part of the 80's.
In the old 2002 "Who Could, Take Who" website the consensus was that Hawk could easily defeat the Conan of the film that came out a little later. Evidence: Hawk actually seems to know how to use the sword he has. Also, the Conan movie clearly depicts Conan's sword as cast aluminum. Hawk's sword is made from twist-welded iron rods in a style that was common among Anglo-Saxon and Nordic peoples. The twist welding results in a durable steel blade that has no weak points.
Also , Conan may be able to defeat Hawk in a wrestling match. But that will never happen. Hawk can magically summon his sword to his hand.
This is like the first movie which captured the essence of D&D. An adventure with dwarves, elves, clerics, witches, and magic. They even have side quests. That's why it's so cool.
I adore Hawk the Slayer to an unseemly degree. I wish I could have the "Hawk Theme" play every time I enter a room.
You could probably program your phone to do that for you. Just saying. :)
Hearing the music play everytime you said Hawk the Slayer was hillarious!
I remember my brother and I always renting this out from the video shop when we were kids. Happy and simpler day, I miss 'em
Indeed. Then we all grow up and life becomes less happy and more complicated.
This movie is everything you want in a sword and sorcery fantasy flick. Jack Palance is always great. The soundtrack belongs in every dance club across the country.
Have this on Blu Ray (well worth the gold). Don't care what anyone says. Hawk the Slayer is a delicious masterpiece hands down!
Hands-down one of the most enjoyable and re-watchable films of all time.
I watched Hawk the Slayer for the first time when I was 13 and into D&D. It was PERFECT!!! Even though being aware of its faults, it will always be a classic to me that I need to revisit from time to time to re-enter that innocent world of swords and sorcerers!!
Now, this is an under appreciated. This used to be on Showtime all the time in around ‘81. I always thought this film was very cool.
Hawk the Slayer! Up there with Ladyhawke, which also had the goodness of a progressive rock soundtrack, plus the convience of Rutger Hauer.
I love your commitment to the coughing sound effects all the way through!
The reference to being filmed near a massive pile of burning tyres had me in stitches.
This was one of my favorite movies to watch on HBO in the 80s. Good times
Did you know there's a HAWK THE SLAYER comic book series being published right now in the UK? It's published by 2000 AD and is written by Garth Ennis with art by Henry Flint.
I can't believe I never saw this when I was younger. I would have lapped this stuff up!
The climax of Hawk the Slayer is the most unintentionally funny thing I've ever seen. It's like watching an episode of 70's Doctor Who trip over its own feet, and break its nose.
Had the pleasure of seeing this at the cinema in 1980 and now the pleasure of this review -- can't say fairer than that -- cheers!
Coincidentally watched both Raise the Titanic AND Hawk the Slayer for the first time today. Both just happened to be on regular old TV.
I absolutely loved Hawk the Slayer… it was just pure cheesy fun, worth multiple viewing
Love this, we've arrived at ITC and the "Raise the Titanic" catastrophe. You know you need to cover that soon, it'll be hysterical.
Yes!! This is why I sub to this channel. I saw this on Betamax as a kid. Didn't think much of it until it was being shown about 1am on TV in about 1997. When I went into college the next day some people looked a bit tired and they said they'd stayed up to watch Hawk the Slayer. People may laugh at the cheapness of this but it was one of the first sword and sorcery films, before Conan. I'm just disappointed I missed the kickstarter for a sequel, although there is a comic now.
I pre-ordered the comic collection on Amazon. It comes out in March. Gods be praised, I cannot wait!
As someone who grew up watching Carry On films in the school holidays and such, I can't possibly dislike anything with Bernard Bresslaw...who also played the Cyclops 'Rell' in Krull.
Hawk The Slayer is a classic.
I take Crow over Legolas any day of the week. There's a genuinely mysterious, ethereal quality to him as opposed to Orlando Bloom imitating a chair leg in LOTR. And that jump-cutting bowmanship just ... works. It shouldn't. But it does.
Agreed. Crow had an other world strangeness about him that was perfect for an elf. Bloom was, well Bloom. In other words dull.
@@braxxian Wood Elf vs Wooden Elf
What I like about Crow is that he just seems completely worn out, emotionally detached even. This is a guy who has lived a *very* long time and has seen more shit than mortal men can comprehend.
agreed on all points! This movie might have even influenced me to take up archery in later life!
I like Legolas but Crow has a very world-weary quality to him, like he’s seen a lot of shit in his long life and is mentally scarred.
still one of my favs despite its many obvious flaws and failures.....I grew up on it, was mesmerized by it (especially Crow running in slo-mo..) and even recently watched it on here replete with goosebumps, fond childhood nostalgia and a giggle or two. The music alone is incredible. Tell me that's not worth its weight in gold....or a few sacks from the Hunchback's slaver box. Apparently, he has nothing left to say about this..........
Hawk the Slayer is one of the few films I can sit through twice in a row. Once upon a time some of my friends spontaneously improvised a musical version, after a few too many hearty ales. (Sings) "I am not a messenger, but I do bring you a message..."
I admit it's B-movie quality. I admit the looped shot of Crow shooting the bow is cheesy as hell. I admit that Voltan is essentially wearing a Vader helmet. The Mindsword is clearly a blunt prop. The dwarf is just a shortish man. It stars Bernard Bresslaw without any boob jokes. The general scenery and props are almost comparable to Dr Who in quality.
I love it.
Love this film. And I will not hear a bad word about Raise the Titanic. 😀
Stam Fine does it again! A cracking review of a thoroughly entertaining movie.
I was enjoying this installment immensely until the missed opportunity of a LGCU was mentioned. Now I am somewhat crest fallen at never being able to watch the amazing cross-overs we would have had!
Fair play to ye for stickin in the clip from Spaced!
I watched this with my brother on Betamax at my Uncle's house one family event. We were in the other room while the adults partied.
It had a huge impact on me especially the hunchback being killed by releasing the rope with the club attached to it. That alone felt Metal as fuck. I think I was really young. Maybe 8 or 9.
Anyway, very memorable film. Totally wanted to be that elf dude loosing arrows at crazy speeds.
Fantastic.
Wasn't for the faint of heart...but leaves all the worst things to the imagination and sound effects
I sat through the entire run of LOST as it was originally airing. Christian Shepard was the role John Terry was born to play: a dead guy.
The automatic crossbow was the thing my army mates loved, but then Sword and Sorcery was a big thing back then. Seems like I grew up with all those ITC series here in Oz. Even some of the soundtrack still echo 50+ years later.
Two things
1. Thanks to my brother I've seen 95% to 98% of all sword & sorcery movies pre-90's.
2. This one sure is smokey. Perhaps that's why Hawk is so sleepy.
3. Jack Palance never overacts
I saw this first run and loved it! As a matter of fact, I can't see Legolas without thinking of the Elf in this. Yes, this really was fun to watch and Palance has some great lines. "So, I see you have the power that is rightfully mine". In his voice, it's priceless.
About to begin torturing the prisoners; Voltan : "we have [beat] thirsty work ahead of us..."
I love this movie, and yes the soundtrack is brilliant.
I seem to remember this one as a young teenager in the 80s from when we'd go to the video shop and rent whatever seemed good based entirely on the back of the box. The only one I actually remember from those days was "The Keep". But films like this make me remember more of them.
Harry Robertson who did the music was a composer on many Hammer horror movies. He said once that sometimes all he did was move a few notes around from a previous score and somehow got away with it :)
The Music was standout. The wee sting (5 notes) that plays throughout was very memorable.
One of the quintessential so bad it's good films
This is one of my favorites! A guilty pleasure!
Hank The Slayer. Bloody Lovely.
This is one of my favorite movies as a kid-- and i loved the jump cut editing for the elf rapid fire arrows, and the automatic crossbow- so awesome! :D I always wished there might be a sequel some day.
One small correction: farrell plays a dwarf, not an elf.
The Lew Grade cinematic universe!!!!!
Wow that's a great thought.... Couldn't work now tho....all the great actors in those shows are dead 🤔
Love that concept.
Great video 👍👍👍
Jack Palance is great in everything.
The archer stole the light in this film.
I have this fantastic movie on DVD...Classic movie and even more classic soundtrack...thanks...
I have it on VHS and Blu-ray. I have the novelisation (never read it yet), original cinema poster and the soundtrack on vinyl. Some people have even made their own mindswords!
7:09 "Jack Palance's long career had him play villains in every genre you can think of."
I don't think he was ever in a musical.
Alice Through the Looking Glass (1966)
At the end of this ...
ruclips.net/video/wjRvCsSzoWI/видео.html
He sings this ...
ruclips.net/video/TKjwMGipySs/видео.html
But we wouldn't be at all surprised if he was.
@@random007nadir see above ;)
hahaha
@@monotonehell Amazing. I didn't look closely at his list of TV appearances so I missed that one. I do note that in the clip he doesn't really sing. Does he sing elsewhere in that show and how bad is it?
The memories of 10 year old me completely vibing on Hawk the Slayer are absolutely delicious. Is it a great movie? No. But it's outrageous and entertaining. And Crow is still a better elf archer than Legolas.
Awesome... I want a side by side of all the British actors and their Doctor Who roles... My god it's Henry Jago!
Corks;)
Bernard Bresslaw was immediately recognisable from the Carry On Films. I started to search for other alumni, I could swear I saw a dead ringer for Kenneth Williams.
I love this film
The owners of 2000 AD were trying to crowdfund a sequel more recently, but I think they didn't get enough pledges.
Brilliant
I didn't think any movie could out-fog Excalibur
ITC did two of my favorite shows in the 70s: The Muppet Show and Space 1999.
Arthur, Krull, Hawk, Conan, Beastmaster, Sonja: S&S ReAssemble !
When I was a kid, through watching shows like Dungeons and Dragons, Knightmare, reading the Fighting Fantasy books, Lord of the rings, playing Heroquest, I saw that a fantasy film called Hawk The Slayer was on.. Well excited I put a tape in and set my VCR to record when I was asleep. I can't tell you the depths of my disappointment. "He's meant to be a giant!?" "That's bloody silly string!!" "Thousands of bouncy balls?!?!?" I was 11.
Never got the love this film got. Never.
"LARPING" Yes.. spot on.
I saw a review that said that John Terry almost acted as Hawk.
I love this one. It's great.
Still great to watch.
Ohhh, I saw this after all. It was on TV, but I only got to see the forest fight and all these years thought it was some PBS D&D TV movie I had seen. I tried for decades to find info on it. Had I only seen Jack Palance I'd have realized. Cool, mystery solved.
Stam.. you are too funny .. many thanks for the review of this great movie that I have enjoyed for decades…
I was 9 when this movie came to "Channel Z" or whatever, and LOVED IT. Wandered around with a toy sword on my back for months.
I love this movie!
And Roy Kinnear, love him!
I swear that half the scenes in the movie look like they're posing for a metal album cover.
Oh man. Deep cut!
It has the feel of a pricier Childrens Film Foundation production, which adds to its charm.
At any given time, there are, like, thirteen actors in Britain who show up in all movies and TV shows being made that year.
There was a Kickstarter a while back to crowdfund a sequel "Hawk the Hunter" but it didn't make anywhere near enough.
I love this movie in my teenage years in the 1980s, and I thought that was the coolest sword, ever!
(I also used “Firehawk” as a D&D character name for years.)
Utter genius! I mean of course The Stam Fine Review!
I think I saw this back in the day... all I remembered about this movie was the spinning hoops.
that might of been superman 2
@@puellamservumaddominum6180 that's very possible...
Nothing but love for Hawk the Slayer. Now, if I can only find the dimension with the Hawk the Slayer TV series, that would be sweet. I wonder if it would also have seasons 2-10 of Firefly?
It’s a bit like _Monty Python and the Holy Grail_ but played straight: A LARP session that got completely out of hand.
3:33 Bolton is the dwarf not an elf. The sound track is the best part of this film. Jack Palance is a close second. The flying sword is tied for last with Hanks father
I've seen 'Hawk the Slayer' many times... just never all in one go and never in order. It used to play as the late film occasionally and I'd catch bits of it but, 'though it's the sort of thing (and era) I usually adore, it somehow never quite had that "spark" enough to hook me in. Though saying that now I'd probably just love it from the array of British actors from that era and as a "what might have been" piece of cinema.
Much of it was filmed around Black Park lake, just a couple of miles over from me. Which is no surprise for anything made by Pinewood Studios (ditto just over from me), as half the Carry On films, James Bond films, Harry Potter, classic Doctor Who and just about everything else has been filmed there at some point! I turned into one avenue of trees when walking there one day to find them setting up with a train to film a big Harry Potter scene. Though that's nothing compared to my grandmother often serving Hattie Jacques in the local charity shop, or local children 'hilariously' hailing "Taxi!" as then-local resident Sid James drove up the High Street following the release of 'Carry On Cabby', or countless other delightfully trivial occurrences.
"witch of the woods, what is your power?"
points staff SILLY STRING😄
'
I saw this at the cinema. It was a double bill with Saturn 3.
The LGCU would have been amazing!
SEE HOW IT GLOOOOOOWSbrother!
You did it again. I f-ing love this channel and thank you.
I remember recording the theme tune off the television by turning the volume up and pressing play on my portable tape recorder and then being very quiet whilst it recorded. I think I still have the tape stashed in a drawer at my parents house somewhere.
“What do you want for te..”, “shhhhh, I’m taping!!!” 😄
I need to watch spaced again.
There's never a bad time to defend the fantasy genre with terminal intensity.
@@philiphunn194 yeah well hawk the slayer is rubbish.
Great film and a great review, cough...
I love this movie with all its faults. I love the soundtrack CD. I think Palance's performance in the Buck Rogers episode "Planet of the Slave Girls" must have been from around the same time, it's similarly - er, unrestrained.
Must mention The Darkness's "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us" which audio samples Voltan's son Drogo: "I am no messenger, but I will give you a message - the message of death!"
Playing G major on a banjo is such a niche joke and I'm here for it!
Ah yes, the film with a not very short dwarf, a not very tall giant, weapons using the power of jumpcuts, an ending consisting of the worse fireworks display put to screen, death by silly string and brothers with a 60 year age difference.😎
Second best D&D movie after Conan the Barbarian.
Surely time for a remake of this one. Could be done really well with modern techniques.
The sharp editing turns what would have been hokey into something rather exciting.
All those pine trees are a dead give away for being filmed in Black Park - which is used as a location for 99.9% of films made at Pinewood
And the idea for the LGCU staring Wyngarde, McGoohan and Moore would have been a disaster because you know they would have hired Michael Winner and McGoohan would've walked out within 2 mins.
I think Excalibur is the best British swords and sorcery film
That’s because it is - doesn’t get nearly enough love either !!!
First film I ever bought on VHS!
(I don't own it on DVD or Blue Ray!)
Bout time they did the Sequel!
🤔
If you explained this to someone,its The Magnificent Seven meets Lord Of The Rings. This should be remade giving a awesome story, Call Amazon.
Lew Grade universe sounds ace.
i’m sure it’s unrelated but Hawk the Slayer always reminds me of Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn, just in a different timezone
This reminds me of a scene from the Channel 4 series Spaced -
Bilbo Bagshot : I was like you once. Blond hair. Scraggly little beard. Childlike ears. Full of beans and spunk. I let my principles get in the way sometimes. I punched a bloke in the face once for saying "Hawk the Slayer" was rubbish.
Tim Bisley : Good for you.
Bilbo Bagshot : Yeah, thanks. But that's not the point, Tim. The point is I was defending the fantasy genre with terminal intensity, when what I should have said is "Dad, you're right, but let's give Krull a try and we'll discuss it later."
"Babylon 5's a big pile of shit."
..."His actual birth name is"Hank", the Slayer."...😂