Soundtrack Review: Conan The Barbarian (1992)
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This is a review of the motion picture score for Conan The Barbarian by Basil Poledouris.
“What is so remarkable about this score is that it sounds so modern. After all it was recorded in 1982, but the cues here could easily have been used in the fantasy movies made today”
Since I did a review on the game Age Of Conan, I had to listen to the original Conan scores and I decided to write a review of the score to the 1982 movie Conan the Barbarian by the late but great Basil Poledouris. Basil Poledouris was a true believer in grand orchestras and scores, and had he been alive today, he would be a very original composer since everything is so “digital” these days. Basil Poledouris is one of the few composers who doesn’t alienate the new breed of movie score fans. Just listen to a few of his scores and you’ll know what I mean. It doesn’t sound “old”, but rather a mix of the way it used to be and the way it is now. This is the track list for Conan the Barbarian:
Track List
- Anvil Of Crom
- Riddle Of Steel, Riders Of Doom
- Gift Of Fury
- Wheel Of Pain
- Atlantean Sword
- Theology, Civilization
- Wifeing
- The Leaving, The Search
- Mountain Of Power Procession
- The Tree Of Woe
- Recovery
- The Kitchen, The Orgy
- Funeral Pyre
- Battle Of The Mounds
- The Death Of Rexor
- Orphans Of Doom, The Awakening
Modern Sounding
There are 16 tracks in all in this 1992 recording and a total play time of 1:08:47. The original 1982 recording had only 12 tracks in comparison. It’s the time of high adventure as the narrator says in the intro of track one, and I couldn’t have said it better myself. This movie is fun and adventurous and so is the score by Basil Poledouris. What is so remarkable about this score is that it sounds so modern. After all it was recorded in 1982, but the cues here could easily have been used in the fantasy movies made today. I’m sure Howard Shore stole a little from this score as well as Harry Gregson-Williams for his Narnia scores.
A Little Something For Everyone
It isn’t a heavy score which you might think it is judging by the movie. It’s mostly very light sounding, but I have to say it does have it’s heavy moments. It’s really beautifully orchestrated and it fits perfectly with the movie. One of the best tracks on this soundtrack is Wifeing, which is the love theme of Conan The Barbarian. I hope many people have listened to this. Even if you are a Hans Zimmer or Trevor Rabin fan, I’m sure you will enjoy this score. It has everything a good fantasy score needs. I still can’t believe it’s from 1982. Saying that, it’s still a couple of notches behind the Lord of the Rings scores by Howard Shore, but I’m sure if they had made a third Conan movie and Basil Poledouris had made the score, it would have been pretty awesome. Basil Poledouris also composed for the sequel Conan The Destroyer in 1984, which is also a great score, so if you like this one, go thet Conan The Destroyer as well. Listen to Conan The Barbarian by Basil Poledouris below:
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Comments
Conan is a great soundtrack, magisterial and magnificent and very fitting for the film, but Poledouris’ masterpiece for me is still Robocop. His music was sorely missed in the second film and I’m not even going to mention the third.
Have you heard the Red Dawn soundtrack, though? It is truly appalling.
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This is definitely a classic soundtrack. It’s one that I hear about once a month in the mix we play for background music at our roleplaying game. 
I’m also always amazed how often I hear bits of it every once in a while in movie trailers. The Stargate movie (the original) soundtrack is also used frequently.
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Reginald: It’s a very good score, and it surprises me that it doesn’t really sound old. The Destroyer soundtrack is different, but still good, not as good as this though.
Hannibal: I just watched the Robocop trailer yesterday and found it funny that they used parts of the T2 score, but they do that sometimes. Sorry, I’m rambling. Robocop has a very distinctive theme which doesn’t get a lot of credit. Great memories. I’ve listened to Red Dawn, but it was a while ago.
Brian: Hehe yeah, read my comment above. They use various bits of music from soundtracks in trailers. Always a bit of fun when used correctly. I like the Star Trek scores when I play RPG’s, but it’s been a while now since I last played.
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The soundtrack for this film makes it an instant classic. One of my many fantasy DVD’s I do own. I love this movie and its soundtrack!
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Absolutely, great movie and soundtrack.
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Outside of the mainstream popularity of the original Star Wars soundtracks this is one of those classic soundtracks that starts out a series with an amazing score. This is done to a not so well reviewed film (from what I recall) in this case. This is one of those rare soundtracks that can stand on its own without the movie as a reference. So if you are not an Conan Fan or Arnold Fan as a soundtrack lover you should definitely add it to your collection.
This is the kind of soundtrack I could listen over and over again as just music. Parts remind me of E.S. Posthumus and even a little bit of the kind of period piece music you’d hear on Star Trek’s original TV series. I just love it.
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It certainly doesn’t get any worse every time I play it and I can enjoy it any day of the week. Star Trek TOS… fun memories. Thanks for reminding me, I have to have a Star Trek TV marathon one of these days.
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Yes!
I have been watching Conan the Barbarian since I was a child, so I have been listening to the sound track for that long as well.
It’s my obligation to be the first commenter on this post.
The music speaks for the characters during ALL of the sequences when there is no dialog.
This is probably one of primary of examples of how a film’s score can make a film better than it would be without it. The same is true of Blade Runner.
I haven’t listened to the Lord of the Rings soundtrack but I do like parts of it.
I didn’t like The Destroyers’ soundtrack as much as The Barbarians’.
Great score, hands down.
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