Fire and Ice

Who would have said that the eighties gave rise not only to the first Conan, but also to another worthy representative of the fantasy subgenre sword and sorcery. And even if you would have said that, they almost certainly wouldn’t start looking among animated movies. Fire and Ice certainly does honor to its name. While the detailed animation (such that you don’t see anymore in these days of re-rendering) not only of (un)dressed princesses with heaving breast, but also the music and the magic of quality pulp kindle a fire of enthusiasm, the screenplay will cool you as quickly as ice with its, how to put it, absence. Not that it’s bad, but it simply isn’t there. And let’s face it, even the longest forgotten fantasy C-movie on the dustiest shelves of the video library has at least a hint of a screenplay, good or bad. You know what I mean? But still, I enjoyed it, a lot, in fact. And if I had seen this as a little boy, I would have enjoyed it even more. (26.05.2008)

I tried to succumb to this epic animated movie, but it was of little use, the enthusiasm I experienced when reading Conan and Rahan comics imported from the former Yugoslavia during the previous regime were not there. Perhaps the chaotic story and zero identification with the heroes are to blame, but the character of the constantly scantily clad princess and a certain animalistic action prove that Bakshi, as a very distinctive filmmaker, had something going for him :o) (16.11.2008)