Beastmaster Movie Review

Standard sword-and-sorcery adventure set in a wild and primitive world of magic. The young hero Dar is able to communicate telepathically with animals. He soon becomes involved in an epic battle against the evil priest Maax, who enjoys turning people into murderous zombies by sticking worms in their ears and dressing them in ugly leather costumes. Luckily Dar has his trusty ferrets at his side – goodness knows he'll need them. ‘70s TV-hounds will recognize John “Good Times” Amos as Maax's assistant and Charlie's Angel Tanya Roberts as Dar's main squeeze. Neither the best nor the worst fantasy film ever made, this is fairly typical of the flicks that emerged during the sword-and-sorcery glut of the early ‘80s. It could've used a monster or two, but with a little popcorn on a dull Saturday night, it's halfway entertaining.

1982 (PG) 119m/C Marc Singer, Tanya Roberts, Rip Torn, John Amos, Josh Milrad, Billy Jacoby; D: Don A. Coscarelli; W: Don A. Coscarelli; C: John Alcott. VHS, Beta, LV MGM