Overlooked Movies: Red Sonja

"It's the worst film I have ever made. Now, when my kids get out of line, they're sent to their room and forced to watch Red Sonja ten times. I never have too much trouble with them." ~Arnold Schwarzenegger

The tyrant Gedren seeks the total power in a world of barbarism. She raids the city Hablac and kills the keeper of a talisman that gives her great power. Red Sonja, sister of the keeper, sets out with her magic sword to overthrow Gedren. The talisman's master Kalidor follows to protect her. Of course they fall in love - however Red Sonja's power bases on the oath to never give herself to any man...



Tagline:
A woman and a warrior that became a legend.

Fun Trivia:
It is commonly believed that Robert E. Howard created the character of Red Sonja in one of his Conan short stories. In reality, he created a character with a similar name (Red Sonya) that appeared in a minor role in a non-fantasy work of historical fiction. "Red Sonja", the character popularized by the 1985 movie, actually first appeared in a Conan comic book written by Roy Thomas and illustrated by Barry Windsor-Smith.

Arnold Schwarzenegger was originally to have a cameo as Conan in this film but as the film makers realized how weak the script was his part grew until he appeared in virtually all of the film. Ultimately the way the role was written became so different than Conan they were forced to rename his character.

The original theatrical trailer of this movie contains cutting room-floor footage of scenes glimpsed only briefly in the film's prologue: Sonja, left to perish in her burning home, is saved by her dying brother Barlok; Gedren, prior to her disfigurement, addresses her soldiers and slaves.

The name of Ronald Lacey's character, "Ikol," spelled backwards is "Loki." Loki, in Nordic mythology, was the God of Evil and Corruption, infamous for being a jealousy-prone troublemaker.

In Conan the Barbarian, Sandahl Bergman played Valeria, a thief and the love of Conan’s life. Bergman was offered the role of Red Sonja, but turned it down afraid of typecasting, choosing instead to play the villainous Queen Gedren. It took Dino De Laurentiis almost a year to find an actress "Amazonian" enough to play the title character; in fact, he was still looking eight weeks before the production was due to start, when he saw Brigitte Nielsen on the cover of a fashion magazine. The 21-year-old native of Helsingør, Denmark, who was in Milan on a modeling job, soon found herself on a plane heading for Rome and a successful screen test.

Comic book writer and artist Wendy Pini, who frequently performed as Red Sonja at conventions and other venues, was considered for the role.

Fun Quotes:
Red Sonja: Falkon, may I give you a word of advice? Put him over your knee and beat some manners into him.

Brytag: I will tell the future in your entrails, Red Woman!
Red Sonja: I know my future. You have none.

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.
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.