Conan the Barbarian

Originally created in the 1930s by short-lived author Robert Howard, the character of Conan the Barbarian has seen a number of incarnations over the years, including an upcoming filmed re-adaptation of Howard's original stories. Most fans were introduced to the Conan during this loose 1982 production, directed by John Milius and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger in his first major role. Utilizing a $20M budget with plenty of little-known actors, it's easy to see that almost every dollar ends up on the screen: Conan is an epic in every sense of the word, thanks to plenty of great action, vast landscapes and a fantastic score by Basil Poledouris. Those who want to enjoy it the most will have to check their brains at the door, but it's still a fun ride while it lasts.

At just over two hours in length, this sword-and-sorcery epic introduces us to a multitude of characters: Conan (Schwarzenegger), who sees his parents and neighbors murdered by Thulsa Doom (James Earl Jones) and his warriors, is made a slave and spends his young adulthood as a manual laborer. He's eventually sold as a fighter and trained extensively in combat, eventually set free by his master. Soon after, Conan befriends an archer named Subotai (Gerry Lopez) and a thief named Valeria (Sandahl Bergman)---and soon enough, our trio of outcasts steals a valuable jewel from Thulsa Doom's cult of snake-worshippers. After being arrested by King Osric (Max von Sydow), the king tells them about his estranged daughter who has joined the cult. Our heroes are eager to go after her: not only will they help the king, but Conan will have a chance to avenge his slain parents.

It's a somewhat bulky story weighed down by a bit too much philosophy, but Conan the Barbarian moves at a pretty good clip. Much like Gladiator and countless other stories in a variety of genres, this rags-to-riches tale can't hide its formula, even though it's easy to get lost in the film's formidable scope. Co-written by Milius and Oliver Stone (who had a more futuristic tale in mind), the film's dialogue, pacing and production design are all above average. Performances are generally good all around...even from the limited Schwarzenegger, who would go on to star in many more films that focused on his physical attributes. But Basil Poledouris' sweeping score is probably the unsung hero here, carrying much of the film's emotion and heft with ease.

McManus, Erwin - The Barbarian Way

I heard Erwin McManus preach this message to a Willow Creek Leadership Summit a few years ago. It was a difficult message that I can remember parts of that day. Obviously it is now in book form and Amazon Product Description: "Erwin McManus was not raised in a Christian home, so when he came to Christ as a student, he did not know the rules of the" club nuns. "He has not done well in Shakespeare courses, so it does not really understand the KJV Bible he was given either. But he did understand that prayer is a conversation, and learned to talk to God and wait for answers.Erwin was so passionate and rough around the edges, a sincere, barbaric journey to Christ. Christians see Jesus differently than barbaric Christian civilization. They see disciples differently, and they see Christ's mission differently. The Barbarian Way is a call to escape "civilized" Christianity and become original, powerful, wild-Christians as Christ intended. " Erwin McManus "serves as head pastor of Mosaic, a congregation unique and innovative International Los Angeles, California.National and international strategist and speaker on culture change, creativity and leadership, Erwin is also Distinguished Lecture and futuristic Bethel Theological Seminary. "

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