Robert Chipman
Welcome to this column dedicated to my appreciation of physical media supplements called Feature Presentations. The goal of this column is not to determine whether a film is good or bad and worth picking up or not—I would like to highlight the discs that go the extra mile and provide film fans with enough tasty tidbits to satisfy even the most discerning of cinephiles. Today’s article will focus on Red Sonja from Arrow Video.
I never have or will claim to be an expert in reviewing the technical specs of a physical media release. There are plenty of knowledgeable people in this realm of commenting on the audio and video aspects of a disc with better setups than I’ll ever own. This column, Feature Presentations, is a way of highlighting the supplemental material within a given disc. With all that out of the way, let’s get to the good stuff and dive into my review of this 4K/Blu-ray release of Red Sonja.
As a disclaimer of transparency for this episode of Feature Presentations, my review of Red Sonja comes from a review copy that Arrow Video provided for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Growing up as a child of the ‘80s, there was no one who dominated the pop culture zeitgeist more than Arnold Schwarzenegger. Whether he was on a one-man killing spree in The Terminator, to fighting off a skilled alien in Predator, or teaming up with his twin brother, played by Danny DeVito, in Ivan Reitman’s buddy comedy, Twins, it felt as if the Austrian Oak could do no wrong. As a headliner, it felt like there was no stopping him.
Funnily enough, the first major swing-and-a-miss for Schwarzenegger as a top-billed star came when he was no more than a supporting player. Using his name and bankability, producer Dino De Laurentiis plastered his name and face all over his 1985 adaptation of Red Sonja, to drive audiences to the cinemas. Not having the desired box office or critical success, Red Sonja came and went, flopping financially and being dragged through the mud critically.
Is the film as bad as its reputation? It depends on what you’re looking for. Those looking for a return to Conan the Barbarian’s gritty, R-rated roots will continue having to search elsewhere. Adopting a family-friendly PG-13 rating, Red Sonja is light on the blood spilt, with very little barbarian violence. Instead, you get what feels like a continuation of Conan the Destroyer’s softening of the edges, complete with the same filmmaker behind the camera, as the Conan franchise settles comfortably into a safe and homogenized version of its former, savage self.
As mentioned, Arnold Schwarzenegger is a supporting player at best, and a glorified cameo at worst, as the film focuses on the title character, played in her first role by Brigitte Nielsen. Quickly establishing Sonja’s tragic backstory, the 1985 film hurriedly makes haste in Sonja’s revenge as she is joined by Arnold’s King Conan Lord Kalidor and family-friendly sidekicks: Paul Smith’s Falkon and Ernie Reyes Jr.’s Tarn.
Those looking for a barbarian film that returns to the bloodstained roots of 1982’s Conan the Barbarian will certainly come away with negative feelings towards the film. On the other hand, at under 90 minutes, knowing Red Sonja is not an R-rated romp through barbarian times, and having just enough of a sprinkling of an in-his-prime Arnold Schwarzenegger, it’s mildly amusing and gets the job done.
Jumping into the Arrow Video 4K release of Red Sonja, we have two audio commentaries: one featuring film critics Eugenio Ercolani and Troy Howarth, with the second being a solo track with comic book expert Dave Baxter.
Anyone who has listened to Troy Howarth understands that he is a font of information regarding Italian cinema, and pairing him with Ercolani provides the listener with plenty of behind-the-scenes information. Both men discuss aspects of the film’s production, including how Arnold Schwarzenegger’s role grew throughout filming, the casting of Brigitte Nielsen, and other aspects of the film’s production. While both men offer plenty for listeners to digest, it’s obvious they are not in the same room together; so the track itself works in fits and starts, with each man spending a section of the film discussing their bit of information before handing the reins to the other commentator. It’s not a bad track at all, but it works in fits and starts and takes some getting used to.
The second commentary with Dave Baxter focuses more on the comic book history of Red Sonja. Baxter is well-prepared, if a bit scattershot, as he dives into Red Sonja’s literary origins, becoming a Marvel comic character, and the many iterations of her throughout the years. While I admired the history lesson on the Red Sonja character over the film’s runtime, I feel his contributions would work best as a tight, 30-minute featurette that traces the character’s comic roots. We get that on this commentary track, but the true meat is interspersed throughout his comments.
The first of the package’s extensive interviews is “The Prince and Me,” a newly recorded sit-down with actor Ernie Reyes Jr. The actor first begins by discussing his martial arts training with his father, and working alongside his dad during production. He dishes on being smitten with actress Brigitte Nielsen, working out with Arnold Schwarzenegger, and the experience of seeing his name on the big screen for the first time. It is clear that he enjoyed making the film, holding it in high regard both personally and professionally, and his joy can be felt as he recounts his time on the set.
The next interview, “Swords, Stunts and Sonja,” is a discussion with action unit supervisor Vic Armstrong. Armstrong digs into his work on choreographing the fight and stunt scenes, training Brigitte Nielsen, and his friendship with Arnold Schwarzenegger. There is some behind the scenes information dispensed, but a lot of the time is spent with Armstrong as he reminisces about many stories about Arnold Schwarzenegger on and off the set.
“The Last of the Invincibles” is an interview with Arnold Schwarzenegger’s stunt double, Pietro Torrisi. This 26-plus-minute interview functions more as a career retrospective than a peek behind the curtain of Red Sonja. Torrisi is very confident when speaking about himself as he guides this interview through his life, which initially seemed unremarkable, and his stumbling into the world of acting. Torrisi makes for an engaging listen, but as the interview is mainly a spotlight on his life and career, those looking for more in-depth details outside of Torrisi’s life might be left disappointed.
Next, “The Danish Girl” is an interview with stuntman Ottaviano Dell’Acqua. One of the release’s more fascinating interviews, Dell’Acqua spends his time discussing his stunt work and how he approaches such a dangerous craft. He speaks highly of the film along with the cast and crew, but what makes this most intriguing are his comments about the process of a stuntman and the differences between American and Italian filmmaking. “The Danish Girl” is an excellent piece.
“The 12 Labors of Red Sonja” is a 30-minute interview with assistant production manager Stefano Spadoni. This is another highlight of the disc where Spadoni spends a majority of the discussion immersing the viewer into the inner workings of Italian film production. Spadoni recounts at starting on the bottom rung; ensuring the coffee is hot, turning on the heaters, before ramping up to his work with producer Dino De Laurentiis. He tells a lighthearted story about his first interaction with Brigitte Nielsen, long hours on Italian film production, and, most fascinatingly of all, the usage of a “glass shot” in Red Sonja. This is a must-listen for those interested in film history and production.
Up next is “The Marvels of a Primitive Technology,” which is a 28-minute interview with effects artist Domingo Lizcano, who discusses the work of Emilio Ruiz Del Rio. Lizcano runs through the life and career of Ruiz, detailing how his career came about around World War II, his mentors and influences for crafting matte paintings, and his work through David Lynch’s Dune and Red Sonja. This chat is a bit dry, but it does contain a fair amount of interesting bits, especially for those not extremely well-versed in the art of matte paintings.
“Mouldin Fantasies” is a 20-minute discussion with effects assistant Adriano Carboni. Focusing primarily on his father, Rino Carboni. The younger Carboni speaks highly of his family, most of whom worked in the arts in one way or another, and discusses how his father and grandfather helped pioneer techniques in Italian cinema. Carboni trumpets the work his family achieved, and his entry point into the film, coinciding with Red Sonja.
The final interview, “Bodybuilding the Imagery,” is an archival interview with poster artist Renato Casaro. This is another diamond of an interview that shines a spotlight on an area of film production that doesn’t get talked about enough: hand-drawn movie posters. Speaking from his studio, surrounded by some of his designs, Casaro runs through his work with Sergio Leone, as well as actors Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone. Casaro runs the listener through his approach to poster design, what aspect of the film he focuses on, and his designs. Casaro closes out the interview by stating that his phone stopped ringing at the turn of the millennium due to the advent of digital photography, and with a notation that he recently passed. Even with this interview ending on a somewhat dour note, I’m appreciative that Casaro’s words made it onto this disc, allowing us a chance to inhabit his world for a few minutes.
Next is the featurette, “Arnold Schwarzenegger: The Man Who Raised Hollywood.” This is the same feature that appeared on Red Heat. If you are interested in that piece, click here to read my thoughts on it.
Arrow Video has also included “Red Sonja vs. Kalidor: The Making of a Misunderstanding,” an archival piece featuring assistant director Michael Ferry discussing the production history of Red Sonja. As opposed to some other interviews that mostly spoke on the positives the interviewees felt, Ferry hints at a production that was anything but. While he doesn’t completely gossip about troubles on set, Ferry instead offers his feelings about a production that feels lost, with most going through the motions. There is talk about the expansion of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s role, but “Red Sonja vs. Kalidor” seems to touch on troubles bubbling beneath the surface instead of digging into them. It is an interesting piece, and I’m thankful for its inclusion, but a fuller dive would have been welcome.
The disc closes out with the film’s theatrical trailer and a gallery of 56 images, including stills from the finished product and those created as marketing materials.
The limited edition version also comes with a book featuring the writings of John Walsh, Nanni Cobretti, and Barry Forshaw, along with six reproduction art cards and a double-sided poster featuring the two different theatrical art options.
And there you have it! Regardless of the mostly negative reviews when it hit theaters back in 1985, Arrow Video paid them no mind by loading up this release with plenty of bonus materials to keep you occupied for hours. If you’re a fan of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Hollywood/Italian adventure films, or just want something to laugh at, this 4K UHD is the best version of Red Sonja out on the market.
