The years following the release of John Milius’s Conan the Barbarian were a real golden age for schlocky Sword & Sorcery enthusiasts. From Ator, the Flying Eagle to The Beastmaster, there were plenty of options available if you didn’t mind questionable production value and frequently reused tropes. However, one producer was trying exceptionally hard to […]
The years following the release of John Milius’s Conan the Barbarian were a real golden age for schlocky Sword & Sorcery enthusiasts. From Ator, the Flying Eagle to The Beastmaster, there were plenty of options available if you didn’t mind questionable production value and frequently reused tropes. However, one producer was trying exceptionally hard to extract every last possible cent from fans of this trend, and that was legendary filmmaker Roger Corman.
As we covered in a previous article about the 1983 cult classic Deathstalker, Corman’s personal grudge against Dino De Laurentiis (who had snatched up the rights to Conan before Corman) led to his financing of an original movie about a morally grey hero fighting against mystical threats in a primitive world. And with the first Deathstalker becoming an unexpected hit, it’s only natural that Corman would follow it up with cheaply produced sequel. And yet, this obvious cash-grab would go on to be remembered as the most entertaining entry in the Deathstalker franchise (so far), which is why we’d like to invite you to join us as we look back on the beloved sequel.
The final entry in Corman’s international co-production deal with Argentina’s Aries Cinematográfica, Deathstalker II: Duel of the Titans was a fresh start for the series. Instead of tracking down the team that made the first film, Corman decided to make the sequel with a completely new cast and crew, with the only returning elements being brief snippets of recycled footage meant to capitalize on the first film’s memorable goons and tavern brawls.
Corman enlisted the help of Chopping Mall director Jim Wynorski to bring a script written by Neil Ruttenberg to life. However, Wynorski disliked the overly-serious story that Ruttenberg had originally planned for the sequel, so the director ended up rewriting the screenplay alongside actor John Lazar (who plays Jarek in the film) – with further additions made during filming. The director then hired John Terlesky (who he had worked with in Chopping Mall) to replace Rick Hill as our titular hero. This change wouldn’t just be aesthetic, as Wynorski decided to completely recharacterize Deathstalker as more of a dashing rogue with a dry sense of humor rather than an off-brand Conan. Terlesky’s then-girlfriend and Penthouse Pet was also brought onboard in a dual role as both Reena the Seer and her evil double Princess Evie, with the actress later claiming that this was her all-time favorite role.