# Red Sonja

> 1985 film by Richard Fleischer

**Wikidata**: [Q858860](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q858860)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Sonja_(1985_film))  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/red-sonja

## Summary
Red Sonja is a 1985 fantasy action film directed by Richard Fleischer, based on the sword-and-sorcery comic book character created by Roy Thomas and Barry Windsor-Smith. The film stars Brigitte Nielsen as the titular warrior heroine and Arnold Schwarzenegger in a supporting role.

## Key Facts
- Release date: July 3, 1985 (USA)
- Director: Richard Fleischer
- Lead actress: Brigitte Nielsen as Red Sonja
- Supporting actor: Arnold Schwarzenegger as Lord Kalidor
- Production company: 20th Century Fox
- Genre: Fantasy, action, adventure
- Based on: Red Sonja character from Marvel Comics
- Runtime: 89 minutes
- IMDb ID: tt0089893
- Rotten Tomatoes score: 21%
- Metacritic score: 35/100
- Budget: $17.9 million
- Box office: $6,948,633 (domestic)
- Golden Raspberry Award: Nominated for Worst New Star (Brigitte Nielsen)

## FAQs
**What is the plot of Red Sonja?**
The film follows Red Sonja, a warrior seeking revenge against Queen Gedren who destroyed her family and raped her. Armed with a magical sword, she teams up with Lord Kalidor and Prince Tarn to stop Gedren from obtaining a powerful talisman that could destroy the world.

**Who created the Red Sonja character?**
The Red Sonja character was created by writer Roy Thomas and artist Barry Windsor-Smith for Marvel Comics' Conan the Barbarian series in 1973. The film adaptation was based on this comic book version rather than the original Robert E. Howard character.

**What awards or recognition did the film receive?**
Red Sonja received a Golden Raspberry Award nomination for Worst New Star, awarded to Brigitte Nielsen. The film was generally panned by critics and is often cited as one of the worst films of the 1980s.

**Where was Red Sonja filmed?**
The film was primarily shot in Mexico, with locations including the ruins of Teotihuacan and various Mexican landscapes standing in for the fictional Hyborian Age setting.

## Why It Matters
Red Sonja represents a significant attempt to capitalize on the sword-and-sorcery craze of the 1980s, following the success of films like Conan the Barbarian and The Beastmaster. Despite its commercial and critical failure, the film has achieved cult status among fantasy film enthusiasts and remains a notable entry in the sword-and-sorcery subgenre. It also represents one of Arnold Schwarzenegger's early post-Conan roles, helping to establish him as an action star beyond the Hyborian Age franchise.

## Notable For
- One of the few female-led sword-and-sorcery films of the 1980s
- Brigitte Nielsen's film debut in an English-language production
- Features Arnold Schwarzenegger in a supporting role before his rise to superstardom
- Based on a popular comic book character from Marvel's Conan series
- Known for its campy dialogue and over-the-top action sequences
- Has achieved cult film status despite initial negative reception
- Represents an early attempt at creating a female action hero in the fantasy genre

## Body
### Production and Development
Red Sonja was produced by 20th Century Fox and directed by Richard Fleischer, known for films like 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and Soylent Green. The screenplay was written by Clive Exton and George MacDonald Fraser, based on the Red Sonja character created by Roy Thomas and Barry Windsor-Smith for Marvel Comics. The film was shot primarily in Mexico, utilizing locations such as the ancient ruins of Teotihuacan to create the film's fantasy world setting.

### Cast and Characters
Brigitte Nielsen stars as Red Sonja, marking her English-language film debut. Nielsen was relatively unknown at the time, having been discovered by producer Dino De Laurentiis. Arnold Schwarzenegger appears as Lord Kalidor, a character essentially serving as a stand-in for Conan due to rights issues. The cast also includes Sandahl Bergman as Queen Gedren, Ernie Reyes Jr. as Prince Tarn, and Ronald Lacey as Ikol.

### Critical Reception and Legacy
Upon release, Red Sonja was widely panned by critics. Roger Ebert gave the film 1.5 out of 4 stars, criticizing its "inane dialogue" and "clumsy action sequences." The film holds a 21% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 28 reviews. Despite this, the film has developed a cult following over the years, particularly among fans of 1980s fantasy films and those who appreciate its camp value.

### Box Office Performance
The film had a production budget of $17.9 million but was a commercial disappointment, grossing only $6,948,633 domestically. This poor performance, combined with critical panning, effectively ended plans for a Red Sonja franchise, though the character has remained popular in comic books and has been the subject of various reboot attempts over the years.

### Cultural Impact
While not successful in its initial release, Red Sonja has become a notable entry in the sword-and-sorcery genre and represents one of the few attempts to create a female-led fantasy action film in the 1980s. The film's campy nature and Nielsen's performance have contributed to its status as a cult classic. It also represents an interesting footnote in Schwarzenegger's career, coming between his Conan films and his rise to international superstardom with films like The Terminator.

### Technical Specifications
The film has a runtime of 89 minutes and was released in color with a 2.35:1 aspect ratio. The musical score was composed by Ennio Morricone, though much of his work was replaced by a score from Claudio Simonetti due to production issues. The film features extensive use of practical effects and stunt work, typical of fantasy films of the era.

### Related Works
Red Sonja is part of the broader Conan the Barbarian franchise, though due to rights issues, the character could not be directly used in the film. The character has appeared in numerous comic book series published by Marvel and Dynamite Entertainment. Various attempts to reboot the franchise have been made over the years, including announced projects with actresses such as Rose McGowan and Megan Fox attached at different points.

## References

1. [Source](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089893/)
2. [Source](http://stopklatka.pl/film/czerwona-sonja)
3. [Source](http://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Red-Sonja)
4. [Source](http://www.filmaffinity.com/es/film404700.html)
5. [Source](http://www.allocine.fr/film/fichefilm_gen_cfilm=53616.html)
6. [Source](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089893/fullcredits)
7. Česko-Slovenská filmová databáze
8. [Source](http://razzies.com/asp/content/XcNewsPlus.asp?cmd=view&articleid=26)
9. The Movie Database
10. Red Sonja. Rotten Tomatoes
11. Lexicon of international films
12. [IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089893/releaseinfo)
13. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
14. [Box Office Mojo](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0089893/)
15. Kinopoisk
16. [Source](https://www.kijkwijzer.nl/films/red-sonja/)
17. terjesztesre_kerulo_filmalkotasok_nyilvantartasa.xlsx
18. Online-Filmdatenbank
19. Bechdel Test Movie List
20. mymovies.it
21. [Source](https://ui.eidr.org/view/content?id=10.5240/6936-025B-6391-21CA-5EFE-6)
22. Danish Film Database
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24. FilmVandaag.nl