A Riddle of Steel: The Definitive History of Conan the Barbarian

A Riddle of Steel: The Definitive History of Conan the Barbarian is not a movie but a documentary. However, a 1981 movie titled Conan the Barbarian directed by John Milius, and a more recent film titled Conan the Barbarian (2011) directed by Marcus Nispel exist, both based on the character created by Robert E. Howard, who drew inspiration from pulp fiction, mythology, and classical literature. However, a 1991 documentary titled A Riddle of Steel, also sometimes spelled A Riddle of Steel: The Definitive History of Conan the Barbarian, focuses on how Robert E. Howard's Conan has affected the pop culture landscape. Robert E. Howard's Conan the Barbarian character originated in the magazine Weird Tales and is the protagonist of 23 short stories, 12 in which Howard wrote directly and others that he developed the concept for, but wrote no part of. The short stories that he wrote directly for the character first appeared in print in the late 1930s, during the pulp fiction era of the 1920s-1950s. The stories revolve around the adventures of a muscular, larger-than-life warrior named Conan, said to be of Cimmerian descent. The documentary goes on to explore the adaptation of Howard's character for film. Starting with Conan the Barbarian (1981), starring Arnold Schwarzenegger as the titular character, directed by John Milius. The film is loosely based on Howard's stories but draws heavily from the writer's own personal influences and literary and mythological influences. This first Conan film features Schwarzenegger as Conan, with a character backstory that takes its cue from some of Conan's short stories, though there are significant creative liberties taken. Schwarzenegger plays a version of Conan who is on a quest for revenge against the warlord Thulsa Doom. The film is an epic adventure, with a richly detailed and imaginative world that owes as much to Robert E. Howard as it does to the mythology of Conan himself. The Conan character's enduring popularity was cemented with the release of Conan the Destroyer, another 1984 sword-and-sorcery film starring Schwarzenegger and directed by Richard Fleischer. However, while Conan the Destroyer's world and characters are based on some of Howard's short stories, the actual plot deviates from his original work. A 2011 remake of Conan the Barbarian, starring Jason Momoa, follows the same narrative pattern as the original. It is a remake that is very much faithful to the original 1982 film, drawing on its action sequences and themes. A more recent 2022 film titled Barbarian, directed by Alex Beggs, takes the idea of the 'barbarian' but instead applies it to suburban Michigan. However, there's no clear link with the character of Conan the Barbarian in it. Overall, the enduring appeal of the Conan character and the many adaptations, reimaginings, and homages to the character that he inspired are the focus of A Riddle of Steel. The documentary looks at the impact that Howard's original stories have had on popular culture and at the diverse ways in which the character has been reimagined and reinterpreted. It goes into great detail not just about Conan the Barbarian himself, but also about the broader world in which the stories were written. It's an in-depth examination of the historical and cultural context in which Robert E. Howard worked, from the influences of classic mythology and literature to the social context in which the stories of Conan were written. The documentary explores the impact of the character on popular culture and how the character and stories have been reimagined and reinterpreted over the years. A Riddle of Steel: The Definitive History of Conan the Barbarian is an essential companion for anyone who is a fan of Conan, sword-and-sorcery, or just looking for an in-depth look at how one character has become a part of our shared pop culture.