L'Archer et la Sorcière

I remember seeing this film when it was first broadcast on tv. If memory serves, it was the first of what was supposed to be a series of specials, which would advance the story. Unfortunately, it didn't do well and became the only installment.

I thoroughly enjoyed it initially. It had a great villain and unique concepts. The acting was bad in certain cases (oh, George Kennedy, what were you doing?) but for the most part, it was watchable.

I later found it at a video store and rented it. I was less impressed the second time around, but still found it entertaining. It was vastly superior to most of the other attempts at sword & sorcery films from that era, with the exception of the first Conan.

It was a shame that the series didn't continue, as I always wondered what the intended conclusion was supposed to be. If you enjoy fantasy, give it a try.

When this movie appeared in 1981, I was a young boy filled with dreams of one day becoming a great warrior. Silly as these dreams may seem now, at the time they helped fill what were otherwise boring afternoons in a time when we were all waiting for the 80's to fully materialize. Looking back on this film now after twenty-five years, I still feel young and strong and full of magical powers every time I see it as it gave us the feel of otherworldly power and secrets that may have existed long ago, before movies like THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy put that idea into the minds of young and old alike. The acting was weak and character development was pushed aside in favor of time constraints but all-in-all I liked the way the film made me feel. And, after all, isn't that why we give up two hours of our precious time anyway?

when I was a child. Damn, it's a long time ago I've seen this movie. It seems like an eternity, yet it was only six, seven, eight years ago, back when I was about 12. Man, this movie, it just rocks in my memory. I mean the fact that I saw it about 5 to 10 times and that I even remember seeing it now (about 8 years later) and being able to remember scenes and recognize photo's says it all. I think it is a great film. Underrated, not known to many folk but definitely a truly GREAT film. Although I liked the Neverending story too back then and now I think it is bad. But who cares I bet you it makes very good entertainment for kids.

8 out of 10

For a TV-pilot it was quite ambitious.

The premise is perfectly adequate and the actors do good jobs with what they have.

I think it could have been a good TV-series for its time.

However, the special effects haven't aged very well and the music is so off the overall feel of the film, it becomes more annoying and jarring than enjoyable.

Still, I give it high rating for a lot of good ideas. Maybe it deserves a second chance and a remake?

This was apparently the pilot for a proposed TV series that, for better or worse, failed to materialise.

Indeed it has that curiously distinctive eighties TV series feel to it, which in itself isn't necessarily such a bad thing, although some of the visual effects are sadly now very dated looking, such as whenever the hero (who you'll have to do a double take to make sure isn't in fact Rob Lowe!) scores a hit with his 'Heart Bow'.

It has to be said that the actual film is rather pedestrian in its execution (which is probably partly why it never continued as a series) The characterisations are generally bland at best and the acting never approaches rising above average.

The real problem here however, is that nothing particularly exciting actually occurs. This is decidedly illogical for the idea of a pilot, in which the aim should surely be to initially grab the viewers attention with lots of action and eye candy and hope that they'll be hooked enough to yearn for more.

Nonetheless, this movie must be commended for what was at the time, such a unique and innovative premise for a television series (bear in mind this actually predates Conan the Barbarian and the plethora of sword and sorcery films that followed it)

Ironically, it was perhaps in part due to this last point that the series failed to get off the ground.....perhaps it was TOO ahead of it's time for it's own good.