John Milius was sort of the lesser-known member of the 70's generation, known primarily as a reliable, if eccentric in many eyes, screenwriter with only a few directing credits on his resume after earning an Oscar screenplay nod for APOCALYPSE NOW.
A western American consevative gun nut for sure, but unlike many of his brothers that would later mutate into what some might call the Bush Republicans, Milius shared his own philosophy in his works, which range from men having to be, well, men and the science itself of being a warrior....without Milius having to go one-note nor rather mediocre-ass shit, since he knows to actually make for fleshful characters, even in the wildest of stories.
Take easily his most successful picture as a writer/director in CONAN THE BARBARIAN. At first glance, a very silly and possibly gay trash comic book adventure flick, with a pre-TERMINATOR Arnold Schwarzenegger displaying his "guns" to the world. Actually, that is a wrong assesment, and in fact, more relates to the pretty awful Milius-less CONAN THE DESTROYER.
Instead, Milius' CONAN THE BARBARIAN is really a taunt and ambitious attempt at creating a legendary myth, of a man named Conan(Arnold Schwarzenegger), who will be King at his own hand, who as a boy, his village was burned down, his parents murdered, and sold into slavery at the hands of Thulsa Doom(James Earl Jones). Later we see how the weakling boy is transformed into a muscle freak when hes forced to move a wheel of a grain-grater, then a few years go by as he becomes a valuable pit fighter, learning to be perhaps the best fighter in the known world. Released from slavery, we see him in a brilliant sequence where he accidently falls upon the tomb of an Atlantean King, and which basically in metaphorically grant Conan his royal destiny....along with a great sword.
Then he goes for revenge against Thulsa Doom, now the leader of a ever-growing snake magic cult, and we will see how Conan the myth would begin and soon he will become King....but that is another story.
Perhaps why the movie works as well is because Milius had Arnold barely a few lines, which at the time was brilliant, since it forced the Austrian Oak to use his huge bodily frame and presence to the task to selling the idea of this mythical warrior. Another is Art Director Rob Cobb's super amazing production design which sells the idea of a comic book-like setting in terms of outstanding visuals and locations.
However, perhaps the most important is Basil Ponderous, the composer who would make for easily one of my Top 10 favorite film soundtracks of all time, and has been used as temp music for Universal movies since 1982. Hell, I noticed its use in early trailers for GLADIATOR back in 2000.
Reportedly, Christopher Nolan and David Goyer were inspired in part by the movie, at least in terms of the myth being set up of how the hero gets his weapons, skills, etc., for their successful BATMAN BEGINS.
