I decided to watch this film because I was interested in checking out a fantasy flick from before the era of what I call "Conan-sploitation". What did fantasy films look like before that film solidified the image of fantasy (specifically sword and sorcery) in the public image?
Well, I can definitely say that this film has an interesting aesthetic to it. The story was conceived by Bruce Lee before his death, and the story is all about Zen Buddhism, so…
In rewatching this, and realising how fast the movie seemed in spite of its 2-and-a-half hour runtime, it made me realise just how skilled a filmmaker Stanley Kubrick really is. In anyone else's hands, this movie would be a boring slog, but in his, it becomes an engaging masterpiece.
It's very clear that his interest and experience in photography played a big part in getting this film right, since pretty much every shot is a work of art in terms…
I wasn't expecting much from this film, but it still somehow managed to underperform in my eyes.
I can't believe they decided to lean into the whole "Sonata loves tacos" meme. 😅🌮
