Krull *** (1983, Ken Marshall, Lysette Anthony, Freddie Jones, Francesca Annis, Alun Armstrong, David Battley, Bernard Bresslaw) – Classic Movie Review 6504

Peter Yates’s 1983 state-of-the-art sword and sorcery saga Krull stars Ken Marshall as athletic young Prince Colwyn setting off to rescue Princess Lyssa (Lysette Anthony) from an evil beast on the planet Krull.

Director Peter Yates’s 1983 state-of-the-art sword and sorcery saga Krull is an extremely likeable Eighties slice of sci-fi action adventure fantasy.

Ken Marshall stars as an athletic young Prince Colwyn setting off on a quest to rescue his bride-to-be Princess Lyssa (Lysette Anthony) from an evil beast on the little-known (fictional) planet Krull.

Krull is a sprightly homage to Star Wars, Mad Max 2 and Excalibur, with fun turns all round, especially from Freddie Jones as the Wizard Ynyr and Bernard Bresslaw as the one-eyed giant Rell the Cyclops, as well as excellent stunts and special effects, a catchy score by James Horner and striking visuals in Peter Suschitzky’s cinematography and Stephen B Grimes’s production designs.

This isn’t really director Yates’s true territory and perhaps his handling lacks his usual incisiveness, but both he and the film are plenty good enough.

Also in the cast are Francesca Annis (Widow of the Web), Alun Armstrong (Torquil), David Battley (Ergo), John Welsh (Seer), Tony Church (Turold), Bernard Archard (Eirig), Liam Neeson (Kegan), Robbie Coltrane, Graham McGrath, Belinda Mayne, Dicken Ashworth, Todd Carty (Oswyn), Clare McIntyre, Bronco McLaughlin, Andy Bradford, Gerard Naprous and Bill Weston.

Krull is written by Stanford Sherman and produced by Ted Mann and Ron Silverman.

Yates employed Neeson again as a star in Suspect (1987).

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 6504

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Todd Carty plays Oswyn.