The magic sword
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | The magic sword |
| Original title | The Magic Sword |
| Country of production | United States |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1962 |
| length | 80 minutes |
| Rod | |
| Director | Bert I. Gordon |
| script | Bernard C. Schoenfeld |
| production | Bert I. Gordon |
| music | Richard Markowitz |
| camera | Paul Vogel |
| cut | Harry W. Gerstad |
| occupation | |
| |
Das Zauberschwert (also Ascalon, das Zauberschwert , original The Magic Sword ) is an American film from 1962. Producer and director was Bert I. Gordon , who also provided the story from which Bernard C. Schoenfeld wrote the screenplay. The leading roles were played by Basil Rathbone , Estelle Winwood , Gary Lockwood and Anne Helm .
action
Twenty-year-old George, who grew up with the sorceress Sybil and secretly loves Princess Helene, watches her through a spell and experiences how she is kidnapped. This was caused by the magician Lodac, who now calls on the king and informs him that he wanted to feed Helene to his dragon in revenge. This will happen in seven days. If someone wants to free them, his castle is easy to find, but he must first overcome his seven curses. George tries to help the princess and locks Sybil, who wants to prevent this dangerous undertaking, in an underground chamber. He takes the gifts for his next birthday, a horse that is faster than everyone else, a cloak that no weapon can penetrate, and a magic sword that can end any spell. He also finds six knights who have been kept immobile by magic, whom he frees with the help of the magic sword, and with whom he rushes to the king to offer to free Helene. The king had announced that the liberator would marry his daughter and that he would also receive half the kingdom. The knight Sir Branton had already persuaded the king to undertake the liberation alone; now George and his six knights are placed at his side.
While in captivity, Helene has to witness how two other princesses, who had been kidnapped a week earlier because of demands, are actually accused of the dragon. George and his companions fight their way through the "curses" with Branton, an ogre , a misty swamp, a vampiric shapeshifter, great heat and a cave that has only bewitched exits. All six knights die or disappear. In addition, Sybil, who has now freed herself, tries a spell against Lodac, but it goes so bad that George's sword and cloak lose their magic powers. Furthermore, it turns out that Branton has agreed with Lodac to exchange Helene for a magic ring that Branton wears. So Branton wants all of his companions dead.
George enters Lodac's castle alone and quickly finds Helene. But when he wants to flee with her, he sees himself surrounded by Lodac and his helpers. Branton takes the willing Helene and gives Lodac the ring. Then it turns out that he only has the shapeshifter with him. Lodac kills Branton, saying that instead of negotiating with mortals, he kills them. George is captured and tied to a wall to watch Helene being delivered to the dragon. He is freed from the "little people" who were also imprisoned in the castle, and he also receives his sword back from them. With that, he immediately attacks the dragon. Meanwhile, Sybil has also arrived. She can give back his magical powers to George, who was already losing, whereupon he can kill the dragon. Lodac is so surprised that Sybil can steal the ring from him. When Lodac tries to attack George, Sybil turns into a big cat and kills Lodac.
George and Helene are married by the king. During the ceremony, all six knights join them. Sybil shows her new ring with a smile.
production
Anne Helm , for whom The Magic Sword was the second feature film and the first leading role, said decades later in an interview that she didn't really have anything to work or test to get the role. It was one of these "gift roles".
Filming began on January 11, 1961 at Samuel Goldwyn Studios in Hollywood and should last 25 days. It was also shot in the studios of 20th Century Fox . For example, the scenes with the dragon were created there. On July 18, 1961, it was announced that Bert Gordon had finished shooting for the special effects the day before. They are said to have lasted "several months" and cost an estimated $ 220,000. Gordon not only produced and directed the film, he also co-directed special effects with his wife Flora.
Puppeteer Ross Wheat was mentioned in the opening credits as "kite trainer".
synchronization
The following were involved in the German synchronization of Das Zauberschwert :
| role | actor | Voice actor |
|---|---|---|
| Lodac | Basil Rathbone | Gottfried Kramer |
| Sir George | Gary Lockwood | Stefan Brönneke |
| Sybil | Estelle Winwood | Gisela Trowe |
Premiere
The US premiere of The Magic Sword was on April 11, 1962 in Los Angeles or on March 28, 1962 in Louisville . However, the Internet Movie Database indicates earlier dates for Mexico (January 25, 1962) and Denmark (February 26, 1962). The film was distributed by United Artists .
The film had its German premiere on April 28, 1990 on ARD . The Magic Sword was released on DVD on July 12, 2005.
reception
Reviews
The critics largely agree that The Magic Sword is technically a bad film. The equipment, costumes and make-up are sharply criticized, as are the dialogues and the character drawings. The film is incredibly affected and very clumsy or sloppily made. Nevertheless, everyone comes to a good or at least conciliatory overall judgment, as self-ironic, routine entertainment with a wink charm that delivers pleasure in its own way. At least The Magic Sword is unintentionally amusing. Children in particular, who are the target audience anyway, would probably like the film. It has a “fairytale look”, is even a “fairy tale in the best Hollywood tradition” and looks like a “film about a beach party with swords”.
The special effects are an essential topic. They have received particular praise from contemporary reviews, for example in Variety . The lexicon of international film still praises the fact that they are used cautiously, and Jeff Stafford says that they are inventive despite obvious limitations. Craig Butler said anyone who expected special effects like CGI would be wrong here, while David Nusair simply wrote of ridiculous special effects that made the film look very out of date.
Gary Lockwood's acting has been harshly criticized, as has Anne Helm's . Basil Rathbone and Estelle Winwood get rather good ratings.
Web links
- The magic sword in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- The magic sword In: Archiv.org
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Tom Weaver: I Was a Monster Movie Maker: Conversations with 22 SF and Horror Filmmakers . McFarland, Jefferson 2011, ISBN 978-0-7864-6265-0 , pp. 80–82 (English, limited preview in Google Book Search [accessed May 5, 2018]).
- ↑ a b c d The Magic Sword (1962). In: American Film Institute. Retrieved May 5, 2018 .
- ↑ The magic sword. In: synchronkartei.de. German dubbing index , accessed on May 5, 2018 .
- ↑ Additional details. In: Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved May 5, 2018 .
- ↑ Release Info. In: Internet Movie Database . Retrieved May 5, 2018 .
- ↑ a b c d The magic sword. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed May 5, 2018 .
- ^ The Magic Sword (1962). In: Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved May 5, 2018 .
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i Jeff Stafford: The Magic Sword (1962). In: Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved May 5, 2018 .
- ↑ a b c d e f g h Craig Butler: The Magic Sword (1962). In: All Movie. Retrieved May 5, 2018 .
- ↑ a b c David Nusair: The Magic Sword. In: reelfilm. Retrieved May 5, 2018 .
- ↑ Dennis Schwartz: MAGIC SWORD, THE (aka: St. George and the Seven Curses). October 8, 2010, accessed May 5, 2018 .