Masters of the Universe, 1987
Good Journey to you, and welcome back to another exciting and enthralling episode of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers! This week J. Blake and Dion Baia are revisiting a cult classic film that is tied to a legendary property that was one of the biggest franchises of the 1980s. So what do you get when you take a toy maker named Mattel® and have them shack up with the 80s action B-movie giant Cannon Films? You get the topic of this week’s podcast, Masters of the Universe, from 1987.
The boys set up the movie on hand by reminiscing about their memories of where and when they first watched this epic. They then attempt to navigate through the steeped history of the He-Man character, explaining his basic origins and his initial backstory that was set up by Mattel when they first launched the toyline, before DC Comics it picked up and developed the vast story. Dion and Blake also try and sum up the status of Cannon in the 80s and that company’s influence in cinema, and even to moviegoers of that decade and how these two unlikely bedfellows wanted to make the “Star Wars of the 1980s” (to quote the Cannon hype). And they also spell out how and why, Masters ended up being one of the building blocks that caused everything to come crashing down- ultimately junking a toyline as well as being part of completely tanking a film company. So how vast was the He-Man franchise in it’s heyday? What problems ended up plaguing the film production from day one? What other comic book and cartoon character’s film was actually in preproduction but ultimately ended up getting halted because of the financial problems of the imploding Cannon? And what was the planned sequel to Masters of the Universe that was actually in preproduction and also had to be scrapped, AND what did that script get retooled and eventually released as? Well get your battle swords, cosmic keys, and gather your fellow Eterians, because here comes another mind-blowing installment of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers!
(*CORRECTION- Within the podcast the 1989 film The Punisher is commonly referred as being a Cannon film, when it was in fact a New World production. Our apologies. Thanks)
EXTRAS:
Have a look at this 2012 panel discussion of 1987 MOTU live action film!
Here’s a great behind-the-scenes circa 1987 documentary on the film!
As discussed in the podcast, here’s Dion with legendary comic book artist Mark Texeira in 2014 at 4th Annual Comic Book Marketplace Comic Convention (photo taken by Blake).
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS
I was SO happy to see this as the next episode! I have such fond memories of seeing this movie. I think I caught it on video when my family was staying with my grandparents. My uncle called me and my cousins into the room to watch it and it blew me away. I was a little curious why the hell there was no Prince Adam, Orko or Cringer, but I got over it fast.
Getting older and hearing about all the production troubles and everything it went through, I’m surprised we got it at all.
I’m an absolute sucker for the score. It might sound like other music from other movies but when that main theme kicks in, I’m a kid again.
I wonder how the sequel would have turned out. It seems like they had the sets and everything done before the actual story…He-Man as a quarter back my ass!
As always, an amazing episode, guys! Every two weeks on a Friday I eagerly check my Iphone to see what the latest episode download is and I’m always jumping for joy when I see the titles you pick.
I say this often, but I’m making my recommendation/begging for you guys to do a little film by Walter Hill…Streets of Fire
Hey Jose! Thanks again for coming around to our proper website and dropping us a line. Thanks for sharing the great memories. We all seemed to have strong and vibrant memories of this film, and the other surrounding events it. Its amazing once you up that proverbial cam of worms, all the lost memories that can come flooding back when thinking about the first time you (or us) saw an old movie.
Yeah, we move the score and also agree that that sequels would habe been crazy- and we also kinda wish we saw the Cannon-Spiderman incarnation. Would have been a site to see.
And yes, Streets of Fire is on the list, along with every other movie Walter Hill is apart of. But as always, thank you so much for stopping by and writing us again. You are truly the man. Stay cool and talk soon.