Way back in 1987, first-time director Gary Goddard was given the task of bringing Mattel’s wildly successful action-figure line to life in a budget-challenged fantasy adventure more Hollywood cheesy than faithful to the mythology in Masters of the Universe: Limited Edition (Toy Robot Video, not rated, 1.85:1 aspect ratio, 110 minutes, $54.95).
Now available in the 4K disc format, the movie finds mighty blond and muscle-bound warrior He-Man (Dolph Lundgren) in an eternal battle with the ruthless Skeletor (Frank Langella) for control of the planet of Eternia.
After Skeletor captures Castle Grayskull and imprisons the Sorceress (Christina Pickles), He-Man joins forces with the seasoned warrior Man-At-Arms (Jon Cypher), his daughter Teela (Chelsea Field) and the diminutive inventor Gwildor (Billy Barty) to overthrow the tyrant.
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Armed with a mysterious device called the Cosmic Key, which can open portals between dimensions, the heroes attempt to escape Skeletor’s forces but accidentally transport themselves to a 1980s Earth.
There, they encounter two teenagers, Julie Winston (Courteney Cox) and Kevin Corrigan (Robert Duncan McNeill), who become unwilling participants in the interplanetary conflict.
Meanwhile, Skeletor dispatches his merciless lieutenant Evil-Lyn (Meg Foster) and an assortment of monstrous henchmen, including Beast Man, to retrieve the key and eliminate He-Man.
As the battle spills into suburban streets, He-Man must recover the device, rescue his allies and return to Eternia before Skeletor harnesses the ultimate power of Grayskull.
The clear star of the film was not the mumbling Mr. Lundgren but Mr. Langella, wearing an old-school makeup prosthetic skull face.
He dominates any scene, entering each with a Darth Vader swagger and a commitment to deliver the dialogue, no matter how ridiculous.
The movie also blatantly looks to capitalize on blockbusters of the day, including a near rip-off of the opening credits from “Superman,” Skeletor minions that were clearly black-armored versions of “Star Wars” stormtroopers, Skeletor’s Sith Force lightning powers and an orchestral score ripped from John Williams’ playbook.
Fans of the toy line were also woefully disappointed with the lack of characters to appear onscreen and the special effects often defined by a lack of money, leading to lame laser blasts and minions traversing above ground on flying saucers.
Still, this version of “Masters of the Universe” has found a devoted cult following, and its release with new extras will not disappoint its loyal fan base.
4K in action: Toy Robot Video offers a 4K restoration of the movie featuring both the original theatrical presentation and a newly unearthed extended preview cut roughly four minutes longer and containing previously unseen footage.
What stands out throughout are the refined color, clarity, minimal amount of grain and overall surprising visual pop of this vintage film.
Specifically, the 4K screen-filling restoration offers a renewed appreciation for the film’s impressive practical makeup effects, bringing remarkable clarity to the elaborate prosthetics and creature designs that helped populate Eternia.
Especially striking is Skeletor’s menacing skull face, with its deeply recessed eyes, skeletal contours and subtle expressions; the grotesque Karg (Robert Towers) sporting a hideously deformed bat face, pointed ears and a shock of white hair; pint-sized Gwildor with the oversized ears, bulbous nose, wrinkled features and wild mane; and Beast Man’s flattened, feline-like nose, protruding fangs, heavy brow, pointed ears and a snarling mouth framed by thick, reddish-orange fur.
Overall, the greatly improved resolution reveals the intricate textures, sculpted details and craftsmanship of these practical creations while offering a nostalgic reminder of an era when Hollywood relied on talented makeup artists rather than computer-generated imagery.
Best extras: In the two-disc set, viewers will find an optional commentary track with the director on the theatrical cut disc, originally recorded for Warner Home Video’s 2001 DVD release.
Mr. Goddard offers a revealing and appreciative look at the production with often scene-specific comments while overexplaining the plot as he touches on budget limitations, elaborate sets, creature designs and special effects.
The director also breaks down the minutiae of creating the final version of the Skeletor makeup, the trouble with cows acting and the final sword fight between He-Man and Skeletor.
Next, on the preview-cut 4k disc, dive into a truly enjoyable 17-minute interview with production designer William Stout. He has plenty of opinions and memories from working on the film, including hating the Mattel action figures (he thought He-Man looked like a member of ABBA) and that Mr. Langella told him that Skeletor was his favorite role in his career.
And that disc also includes a pair of nostalgic interviews with two of the actors: 14 minutes with Anthony De Longis, who played Blade (and doubled for Skeletor in a key sword battle), discussing mainly sword craft; and 16 minutes with Robert Duncan McNeill, touching on his career and the scheduling complexities of making the movie while also in a soap opera.
The packaging includes a couple of illustrated character cards of Skeletor and He-Man and a reversible art sleeve.
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