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.
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.
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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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.
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.
You seem obsessed with the release date (1982). I don’t get it; do you assume that something “that old” is automatically inferior to the “modern sound”? Wow.
The soundtrack to “Conan the Barbarian” is already considered by many to be a modern classic. In fact, it is proffered as one of the best pieces of classical music written in the 20th century. I’m not kidding. I have the LotR trilogy, and there’s just no way its score by Horner is superior to Conan the Barbarian. Not even in the same league. Not even close. Many consider it even to be superior to Carl Orff, Shostakovich and Prokofiev.
You’re surprised that it came from 1982? I’M surprised you think anything from the 1990s or 2000s even comes close.
I’m not saying that new things can’t be good because they’re new; I’m saying that attention to quality (meaning FILM BUDGETS FOR SCORING) has gone down.
ABC News has used this music. People have written entire theses about the Conan soundtrack and its origin in Nietztchen philosophy. Horner’s LotR’s effort is pleasant, and that’s about it.
People throw the following line out onto the internet so often, I hesitate to say it, but in this case it really is true: you really don’t know what you’re talking about.
Sorry if I come off too strong, but I really get angry when youngsters dismiss stuff just because it’s “old”. I know the author didn’t overtly do that here, but subtly he kinda did. He just happened to pick a really lousy example. It’s like a film student saying “Touch of Evil” has too long of an intro.
Jorn Tillnes Reply:
July 1st, 2009 at 7:14 pm
I think you have misunderstood a little. First of all, I am not obsessed with 1982 in any way, shape or form. All I meant to say is that it has a modern sound for its age. I don’t think you will find many 82 scores with this sound which was my point all along.
LOTR (By the way, not composed by Horner) is to me a better score than Conan the Barbarian, but it all boils down to personal choice and you are of course entitled to your opinion.
There are lot of scores from the 1990s and 2000s that are better than this score (in my opinion of course). Judging by your comment, I think you are obsessing with 1982, not me.
You bring up a good point. I do feel that you are in fact saying that nothing modern (or 1990s/2000s as you put it) can even come close to Conan the Barbarian. That’s quite a strong statement… even come close. That means if you give Conan the Barbarian a 10, every score from the 1990s and 2000s has a possibility of maybe getting a 7 tops. Strong words indeed. Are you serious?
So if I understand you correctly, a score needs to be featured on ABC news and people need to write entire thesis about a score for it to be great? Maybe you should give scores a chance instead of judging them by its pedigree and status. Try some scores from 1990s or 2000s. I’ll be very surprised and a little disappointed if you didn’t find a gem among the 1000s released.
I’m glad you find LOTR pleasant though. As do I! At least we agree on something.
I know exactly what I am talking about by the way. I am saying exactly what my feelings are about this score and that’s all I can do. Am I an all-knowing expert on film scores? Of course not. Just a fan. I’m not sure that mentioning that LOTR is composed by Horner (twice) put you in the all-knowing category either to be fair
People see what they want to see, including yourself… Please stop by my site at any time and feel free to discuss my other musings. Who knows, maybe this youngster can teach you a thing or two 
[...] on the score (not commercializing it) because a good score could make a good film great. Look to Conan The Barbarian for an illustration of [...]
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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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