There was a time when most genre fiction was lumped together as a single collection of unserious literature by both critics and magazines. This is why weird fiction often shared an audience with sword and sorcery (and why writers like Robert E. Howard and H.P. Lovecraft could connect over their stories), with both genres influencing each other as they evolved.
There’s a similar inter-genre connection in the world of film, as many scholars have noticed a pattern where horror filmmakers eventually move onto bigger and more expensive fantasy projects. From Cannibal Holocaust’s Ruggero Deodato directing 1987’s The Barbarians to B-movie maestro Peter Jackson helming the Lord of the Rings trilogy, it seems like the horror genre somehow produces the best fantasy storytellers. However, today I’d like to discuss a particularly strange sword and sorcery flick directed by none other than Phantasm’s Don Coscarelli. Naturally, I’m referring to 1982’s wonderfully schlocky The Beastmaster – a film that I think deserves more love from horror fans.
The Beastmaster began life as an adapted screenplay written by Coscarelli and his frequent collaborator Paul Pepperman soon after the success of Phantasm. While it was technically based on the novel of the same name by Andre Norton, the filmmaking duo ended up rewriting so much of the original story (which featured a Navajo war veteran that could communicate with genetically engineered animals in a sci-fi future) that the author demanded to have her name removed from the project.
After two years attempting to find funding in Europe, Coscarelli set about one of the toughest directing jobs of his career. Not only did the $9 million budget make it difficult to bring a thriving fantasy world to life on camera, but the titular beasts made the entire shoot a waking nightmare. For starters, a Russian bear escaped its wrangler on Marc Singer’s first day of shooting, and that’s not even mentioning the stubborn eagle that refused to fly on command or the 25 ferrets that had to be prepped for filming at all times. However, after five and a half grueling months (and more than one near-death experience), production wrapped on what was optimistically seen as a rival to John Millius’ Conan the Barbarian adaptation.
In the finished film, we follow Marc Singer as Dar, the King’s first-born son who’s kidnapped by a witch following orders from the mad priest Maax (Rip Torn). Rescued and adopted by a resident of Emur village, the boy eventually grows up and discovers that he’s somehow able to communicate with wild animals. When the village is destroyed by a horde of Jun barbarians allied with Maax, Dar recruits a party of animal companions and sets out on a quest for revenge.
SO WHY IS IT WORTH A WATCH?
I’ve always had a soft spot for cheap fantasy filmmaking. While I enjoy glossy blockbusters like the recent Dungeons & Dragons adaptation as much as the next nerd, the fact is that I find it more fun to watch a cinematic underdog attempt to bring a magical world to life without the help of a millionaire effects budget. And among epic B-movies, The Beastmaster is certainly one of the most entertaining.
From the bonkers action scenes where ferrets, painted tigers and eagles attack frightened stuntmen and leave you wondering “how the hell did they get this on camera?” to the flick’s surprisingly spooky magical elements, there’s never a dull moment here as we see Coscarelli flex the same creative muscles that made Phantasm such a memorable experience.
The movie relies on some absurd cinematic trickery in order to get past its low budget, like using POV shots to avoid showing expensive/dangerous stunts or passing off still photography as real footage when an animal refuses to lie still for a death scene, but these moments come together in the same way as the B-movie elements of the original Star Wars (which is why I think it’s still the most enjoyable entry in the franchise). And while the worldbuilding behind the Kingdom of Aruk isn’t as fleshed out as something written by Tolkien, the impressive sets, detailed miniatures and desertic California imagery breathe life into what could have easily been a visually unappealing slog.
The experience also benefits from a memorable ensemble. Sure, none of these thespians could ever match the legendary casting of James Earl Jones and Arnold Schwarzenegger in Conan, but Marc Singer’s natural charisma is one of Beastmaster’s greatest assets. His hair may look silly and the dialogue has too many made-up nouns (not to mention the character’s uncomfortably horny tendencies), but Singer somehow makes it work through sheer charm. I also appreciate both Rip Torn and John Amos’s hammy performances here, with both actors feeling like they’re having the time of their lives in a live-action D&D campaign. And do I even need to bring up the incredibly talented Tanya Roberts?
AND WHAT MAKES IT HORROR ADJACENT?
The behind-the-scenes stories about the art department having to dye four different tigers black while crew members hid from rampaging bears are already the stuff of nightmares, but Coscarelli’s horror pedigree also resulted in The Beastmaster feeling oddly terrifying at times.
While the story’s general tone is adventurous and sometimes even playful, the film occasionally takes a sharp turn into unexpectedly mean-spirited territory. From warlocks sacrificing children over open flames to upsetting death scenes where genuinely terrified actors appear to be mauled by wild animals, there’s plenty of dark material for horror fans here.
Of course, the highlight of the experience might very well be The Beastmaster’s use of fantastical antagonists enhanced by practical effects. For starters, the Death Guards’ getup may look like cheap BDSM gear, but their tragic origins as tortured prisoners that were magically lobotomized and turned into living weapons is downright disturbing. I also really dig the Winged Devourers – bat-like monsters that feel like they would be right at home in the Satanic-Panic-inducing pages of an old D&D bestiary. There are even a handful of weirdly sexualized hags that serve as Maax’s freaky minions!
Some audiences might find The Beastmaster’s low production value and crazy storytelling grating rather than endearing, but I think it’s a damn shame that Coscarelli was never given the chance to work on more fantasy films – preferably with a higher budget. And in a world where epic adventures are usually held back by PG-13 ratings and studios scared of alienating advertisers, I think we can all appreciate a light-hearted fantasy romp where one of the main antagonists looks like Jason Voorhees at a LARP session and our hero is saved by freaky demons that digest their victims between leathery wings.
There’s no understating the importance of a balanced media diet, and since bloody and disgusting entertainment isn’t exclusive to the horror genre, we’ve come up with Horror Adjacent – a recurring column where we recommend non-horror movies that horror fans might enjoy.