MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE [1987 / 2012] [25th Anniversary] [Blu-ray] [USA Release] Only the Universe Could Hold Adventure This Big!
Planet Eternia and the Castle of Greyskull are under threat from the evil Skeletor who wants to take over the planet. A group of freedom fighters, led by the heroic He-Man are accidentally transported to Earth by a mysterious Cosmic Key which holds the power to make Skeletor all-powerful. Once on Earth, He-Man joins alliances with two teenagers as they attempt to find the key and return home.
FILM FACT: Awards and Nominations: 1988 Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA: Win: Silver Scroll for Outstanding Achievement for Gary Goddard. Nominated: Silver Scroll for Best Science Fiction Film. Nominated: Silver Scroll for Best Costumes for Julie Weiss. Nominated: Silver Scroll for Best Special Effects for Richard Edlund. 1988 Fantasporto: Win: International Fantasy Film Award for Best Special Effects. Nominated: International Fantasy Film Award for Best Film for Gary Goddard. 1988 Razzie Awards: Nominated: Worst Supporting Actor for Billy Barty.
Cast: Peter Brooks [Narrator], Dolph Lundgren, Frank Langella, Meg Foster, Billy Barty, Courteney Cox, Robert Duncan McNeill, Jon Cypher, Chelsea Field, James Tolkan, Christina Pickles, Tony Carroll, Pons Maar, Anthony De Longis, Robert Towers, Barry Livingston, Jessica Nelson, Gwynne Gilford, Walter Scott, Walter P. Robles, Cindi Eyman, Peter Brooks, Richard Szponder, Mike Carlucci (uncredited), Nicholas Grabowsky (uncredited) and G. Wayne Hill (uncredited)
Director: Gary Goddard
Producers: Edward R. Pressman, Elliot Schick, Evzen Kolar, Menahem Golan, Michael Flynn and Yoram Globus
Screenplay: David Odell
Composer: Bill Conti
Cinematography: Hanania Baer (Director of Photography)
Image Resolution: 1080p
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Audio: English: 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio
Subtitles: English SDH, French and Spanish
Running Time: 105 minutes
Region: All Regions
Number of discs: 1
Studio: Cannon Films / Warner Home Video
Andrew's Blu-ray Review: It's no coincidence that Dolph Lundgren took on the role of a franchise action hero character like He-Man directly after he starred in ‘Rocky IV’ with Sylvester Stallone. His enormous physique and menacing demeanour were truly awe-inspiring. Sylvester Stallone was ripped, but Lundgren towered over him in that movie featuring a body with muscles in places I didn't think muscles could be found. It's natural that Hollywood thought Dolph Lundgren might end up being the town's new action star.
‘MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE’ came out in cinemas in 1987, at the height of He-Man's popularity. The cartoon and toys were extremely popular, and a movie seemed like a logical next step for the franchise. Lundgren fit He-Man's impossible body structure and mirrored his Scandinavian appearance. It was a perfect fit. It's too bad that Gary Goddard's film turned into a cheesy B-movie right from the outset and became more of a laugh-at-it-with-a-bunch-of-friends cult classic film than a respected fantasy action film.
To Gary Goddard's credit, he creates a fairly kid-friendly universe in which He-Man and Skeletor [Frank Langella] appear as giant action figures duelling for the universe's ultimate power. The whole movie feels like something imagined by a child in the 1980s as he plays with his He-Man toys in his room. The problem with this approach is that the movie never has any real sense of dread. It's a live-action cartoon and plays out as such.
He-Man lives on a planet called Eternia where Skeletor's forces of evil-doers are plotting to take control. They've already entombed the planet's sorceress in an impenetrable force field and are now seeking to harness the power of Grayskull in order to rule the universe. Because when you're big, evil and look like a giant skeleton, why wouldn't you want to rule the universe? He-Man battles back against Skeletor with the help of his ragamuffin group of renegades which includes an ugly little dwarf named Gwildor, a headstrong soldier [Jon Cypher] and the soldier's even more headstrong daughter [Chelsea Field]. Skeletor has legions of Storm trooper looking troops and He-Man has these three allies. He's grossly outnumbered, but when you're sporting what I assume is a sixteen-pack (Dolph Lundgren is insanely ripped in this film) then maybe numbers don't matter much.
The battle soon finds its way to Earth as He-Man and his crew are accidentally transported there. On Earth they meet a young teenage couple. Julie [Courtney Cox] and Kevin [Robert Duncan McNeill] soon become embroiled in the scuffle for universal power, as the movie checks another cliché off its growing list. Looking back on ‘MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE’ it's glaringly obvious that it's a product of the 1980s. The only way it could've been any more 1980’s and this isn't a bad thing per se, but it's almost too hard to get over the sci-fi film's era-related tongue in cheek corniness. Especially the key that opens interstellar doorways by playing synthesised musical notes.
Personally, I found it great fun to watch ‘MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE’ having a good laugh all way throughout the film, as it is very tongue in cheek humour. Dolph Lundgren's acting flat lines, giving us a glimpse of what his future starring roles would be like. Dolph Lundgren of voirse appeared in the film ‘Rocky IV’ because he simply had to stand there and look menacing as hell. Here, not so much. Most of the time it feels like Goddard is directly off screen telling him exactly what facial expressions to make ("Okay, now you're happy, so smile!" "Now He-Man is angry. Grimace!"). Frank Langella is great as Skeletor though. Buried underneath that dated make-up, Frank Langella provides a perfectly threatening voice for the villainous action figure that he is. The story is a hodge-podge of sci-fi/fantasy ideas and never feels like it really nails down who He-Man really is. However, it's a nostalgia thing, right? If you grew up loving He-Man and therefore loving ‘MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE’ then you'll most likely be chomping at the bit to own this on Blu-ray. It's one of those movies that people remember fondly even though the corniness factor is off the charts.
MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE MUSIC TRACK LIST
PURPLE HAZE (Written by Jimi Hendrix) [Performed by Jimi Hendrix]
WAITIN’ UP (Written by George Highfill) [Performed by George Highfill]
DEAR MR. FANTASY (Written by Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi and Chris Wood) [Performed by Traffic]
LIVING IN A BOX (Written by Marcus Vere and Steve Pigott) [Performed by Living in a Box]
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Blu-ray Image Quality – As with most lower-tier catalogue titles from the 1980’s, ‘MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE’ definitely shows its age. It's predominately soft in the mid- and long-range shots. It has some errant noise here and there. The colours seem a tad faded, but fans need not fear though. Even though the Blu-ray has some issues that should've been expected given its age, the film has never looked better. I was actually very pleased with the amount of detail provided in the movie's many close-ups. I don't remember the DVD of the movie offering nearly as much visible facial hair, pores, freckles, and intricate smile lines. Sure the added detail betrays the make-up that was used on Frank Langella's face more than once, but overall the effect is accurate detail when the camera closes in. When the camera pans back is when the picture gets expectedly hazy. Hair becomes less detailed and clumpier. Skin tones appear a little washed out. Whites become fuzzy and bleed past their edges as softness takes its toll. Edges aren't nearly as crisply defined as they are in close-ups. Blacks seem deep enough, but nothing that should really detract from viewing. It isn't a flawless presentation by any means; however it's definitely worth the visual upgrade if you are a fan of this film.
Blu-ray Audio Quality – A new sound mix hasn't been provided here. This time around it has a stereo presentation. We get a 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio track this time around. I must admit that as a fan I was hoping for a surround sound remix for this movie. The stereo does produce quite a bit more resonance than its inferior DVD counterpart. For one thing in the mix, it seems to be quite a bit clearer. Explosions and laser blasts have a bit more heft than they did with the inferior DVD sound mix. Dialogue still sounds tinny though, along with the musical soundtrack. That's really all I can say about the audio here. Dialogue is clear and that's about it. It's a mix that will get you through the movie, but if you were hoping for Warner Home Video to do a little more with this release you'll probably end up disappointed.
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Blu-ray Special Features and Extras:
Audio Commentary with Director Gary Goddard: Gary Goddard is an energetic commentator, but it had been almost fifteen years since he'd directed the film, and he hadn't directed another one since. Gary Goddard moved from film directing into producing and directing major theme park attractions such as Jurassic Park: The Ride and Six Flags Monster Mansion, through his company, Landmark Productions. Re-watching the film is like revisiting an old scrapbook for him, and Gary Goddard shares many memories from the shoot, but one can sense the distance and the shift in perspective that comes with his career change. Many of Gary Goddard's items have been excerpted and are listed in the film's "trivia" section at IMDb website. All in all, this is a very mundane audio commentary, and if you like torture, then this is for you, but definitely not me.
Theatrical Trailer [1987] [1080i] [1.78:1] [1:42] This is the Original Theatrical Trailer for the film ‘MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE.’ The theatrical trailer is a bit hokey and overdone narration which is almost laughably solemn and a too-darn-serious-for-its-own-good.
Finally, ‘MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE’ what else is there to say, as it's a perfect example of just how corny many 1980’s sci-fi films were at the time. Not only that, but we were able to witness Dolph Lundgren's movie career in a flawless microcosm, which fits the He-Man character perfectly. It starts out with a whole lot of promise and then slowly fizzles away into appreciative cult obscurity. ‘MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE’ is fun to remember. It isn't a popcorn sort of film by any means, nevertheless nostalgic attachment is reason enough to enjoy, which I can vouch for very much. Highly Recommended!
Andrew C. Miller – Your Ultimate No.1 Film Aficionado
Le Cinema Paradiso
United Kingdom
