“Krull”: A movie on a quest

The movie poster for the 1983 movie "Krull".

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krull_%28film%29

(May be subject to copyright)

A few days ago I reflected back on a time in junior high. I had this idea I wanted to pursue, and planned to use it to write a novel. I was the going to enter it in a contest my teacher told my class about.

It was about a space adventurer named Johnny Hawk who had a spaceship called the “Hawkeye”. He was kind of patterned after Han Solo, who has always been my favourite character in the “Star Wars” universe. Even the “Hawkeye” was a homage to Han Solo’s ship the “Millennium Falcon”.

He would become involved with a race of people being oppressed, assemble a team, and organize a revolt that would lead them to freedom.

Yet, there were other influences on my writing. I had read about this movie in “Starlog” magazine, called “Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone” that seemed to have a character like the one I wanted to write. I also read about another movie, called “Krull”, which came out in 1983. It is about a prince whose planet is invaded by an evil force. He organizes a rebellion and drives out his planet’s oppressor.

I never did see “Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone” or “Krull” back then. Maybe that is why I never pursued Johnny Hawk or the crusade he led. Not even to this day, when I have developed a lot of my other ideas from that period into full-blown novels during National Novel Writing Month.

Awhile back, I saw “Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone” and “Krull” were going to air on this ‘80s movie channel, so I set the PVR. A few days ago I watched “Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone”, and tonight I watched “Krull”, approximately 40 years after it came out,

I was not at all disappointed by either movie.

The movie
Krull is a planet that is invaded by an alien called The Beast who destroys the army and kidnaps a princess. Her beau, Prince Colwyn, played by a young Ken Marshall, sets out to rescue her. He assembles a rag tag band, but they face insurmountable odds. The Beast has superior technology and weapons that will easily overpower the medieval swords and shields Colwyn’s band has.

However, there is an ancient, mythical weapon called “The Glave”. It could be the great equalizer in facing The Beast.

Colwyn ultimately finds “The Glave”, uses it to defeat The Beast and rescues the beautiful princess.

Worth the wait
Reviews were mixed about “Krull” when it came out in 1983. It was called derivative with a nonsensical plot, and was a box office bomb at the time. It has since developed a cult following.

I really liked “Krull”. The special effects are campy, as they tended to be back in 1983, but the plot ticks all the boxes for me. It has a likable hero on a quest. He assembles a diverse group of warriors with different skills and motivations, many of whom die on the quest, and they ultimately rescue the princess and restore order.

If memory serves, I saw this movie one summer when I was home from university, but did not remember it at all. This was definitely the first time I saw it uncut.

Like ”Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone”, “Krull” was worth the wait.

Parting thoughts
After seeing first “Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone” and now “Krull”, I am starting to think about resurrecting Johnny Hawk and finally sending him on that quest after 40 years.

Given that the first four novels I completed during various National Novel Writing Months were ideas I had back in the ‘80s when I was in my teens, this just seems like the next logical step.