MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE (1987)
3 stars
88 Films. Blu Ray Deluxe Collectors Edition. 24th February
In a kind of reversal of the norm, here’s a live action movie based on a toy franchise from Mattel, rather than the other way round. After several animated TV series exploring the various characters, we have Dolph Lundgren, well cast as He-Man, even if he is not exactly noted for his thespian abilities!
Whilst it wasn’t a big success at the box office, I am sure if you are of a certain age, this is a fond memory from your childhood. It has a fairly straightforward plot. Big bad Skeletor (Frank Langella) has control of Castle Grayskull and has taken the Sorceress of Grayskull captive. There also a musical device that gives old skeleton face the ability to open a portal to anywhere.
Luckily He-Man, along with Man-at-Arms (Jon Cypher) and his daughter Teela (Chelsea Field), manage to free the inventor of this Cosmic Key, Gwildor (Billy Barty), who still has a functioning prototype of the instrument. After an attempt to rescue the Sorceress, they escape to Earth through a gateway created by said doohickey. It ends up in the hands of Julie Winston (a cute pre-FRIENDS Courteney Cox) and her boyfriend, who also happens to be a musician, Kevin (Robert Duncan McNeill), who thinks it might be some kind of synthesiser from Japan.
Of course it isn’t long before they are embroiled with He-Man and his cohorts and battling Skeletor and his black garbed soldiers. Much fighting and laser blasting ensues.
So is this some long lost classic, worthy of reappraisal? Probably not… this has a touch of Superman, a smidge of Star Wars and mostly echoes of the 1980 movie FLASH GORDON, though it never reaches the heights of that camp and colourful outing. Lundgren is wooden in the lead, whilst Langella is having fun as the villain of the piece, though honestly you wouldn’t necessarily know it was him, hiding behind the fairly cheap looking mask. He apparently took the role as his young son was a big fan. It’s all innocuous fun and has since become considered a cult classic.
Steve Kirkham
EXTRAS
4 stars
Audio Commentary with director Gary Goddard
Several interviews drawn from footage shot for Mark Hartley’s 2014 documentary about Cannon Films ELECTRIC BOOGALOO: Dolph Lundgren (13 mins), Gary Goddard (44 mins), Producer Ed Pressman (7 mins), co-writer Stephen Tolkin (3 mins), Production Designer William Stout (9 mins)
Archival 1987 featurette in 4×3 “Behind the Legend” (4 mins)
Stills and poster Gallery and trailers
