Masters of the Universe: He-Man's Awfully Good Classic

Barbie isn't the first time the toy company Mattel tried to make a movie. Children of the 80s remember Masters of the Universe. Now that Barbie has busted open the box office and set records of all kinds, Awfully Good Movies presents another Mattel toy line that had far less luck on the big screen back in 1987: Dolph Lundgren as He-Man in MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE!

Yes, from Cannon Films, the proudly cheap studio that filled up many theaters with glorified skin flicks and Chuck Norris butt-kickers in the 80s, comes the cinematic adaptation of the powerful plastic figures that became a hit animated TV series, with Ivan Drago stepping out of the ring to play the most powerful man in the universe who saves the day in the land of Eternia. However, any significant resemblance to the iconic Filmation show will stop and start at the characters, as a battle with Skeletor (Frank Langella) sends He-Man (Dolph Lundgren), Man-at-Arms and Teela (Orko or Prince Adam playsets not included) off to present day California, thanks to a “cosmic key” made by Billy Barty as a hideous looking locksmith/elf/thing(?).

So you can imagine that having He-Man in our regular old craphole world helping two human teenage lovebirds played by a pre-fame Courteney “Monica Geller” Cox and Robert Duncan “Lieutenant Tom Paris” McNeill who have lost this “cosmic key” is not the stuff which epic adventures are made of, flopping alongside OVER THE TOP and SUPERMAN IV for Cannon that same summer and eventually leading them to bankruptcy instead of legitimacy. Still, the movie that helped blast Cannon Films also has the same Awfully Good delights of their best bad movies: cheap looking effects, tough talking and gun toting cops (played here by James “Commander Stinger/Principal Strickland” Tolkan), and a delightfully campy performance from Frank Langella to offset the still-awkward acting style of Dolph Lundgren.

It’s indeed a hilariously bad masterpiece of 80s cheese, where anyone watching it will have themselves “the power”... of laughter, that is!

#MastersOfTheUniverse #AwfullyGood #dolphlundgren

[shainewhite]

Frank Langella has said in interviews that Skeletor is one of his favorite characters he's ever played and that it's also his son's favorite villain.

[bensneb]

Frank Langella as Skeletor in one of the best and most enjoyable villain preformances of all time

[NotSoPhotogenic]

I love this movie!

Yes, it's cheesy, but it's extremely entertaining.

[orlandoruizjr]

This movie was the first movie I ever saw in a theater. I'll never forget it. I was only 4, but I remember standing in line with my Skeletor and Beastman action figures in each hand. I still enjoy it. Frank Langella is the main reason the movie is worth checking out.

[wonderboy]

totally disagree with the notion that this movie looks cheap - the effects, sets, costumes and huge vehicles still look amazing and were so much better than anything Cannon had a right to expect. The production design is spectacular.

[TheSuf]

This is actually a gem of a movie. I didn’t like it when it came way back in the 80’s, but it has grown on me since. I own it on DVD and now I’m looking to get it on Blu Ray.

[LetsGetitBoah]

I don't care what anyone says, this is a decent movie for it's genre. Cannon films has a way of making really good movies that people don't give enough credit to. The special effects were great for the time, the action is fantastic, the story of is fun and engaging, the characters are memorable and look great and Langella absolutely hits it out of the ballpark. No kid watches this movie and doesn't have fun with it.

[JaycenAmour]

I saw this in the movies as a kid and absolutely loved it lol

[doctorfeelok]

Frank Langella gave an amazing performance as mummified Jack Palance. And Meg Foster was very convincing as Evil Kirstie Alley.

[discingaround]

Masters of the Universe was one of my favorite movies as a kid. THANK YOU for bringing back rushes of warm memories playing with my He-Man toy collection. Definitely watching this again tonight!

[evilzzzability]

FWIW too I have no problem with Dolph's accent. It seems fitting that the main protagonist sounds slightly otherworldly. It gives him gravitas. His voice always went deeper in the cartoon when he transformed into He-Man anyway.

[Poppawoody]

I own this movie on blu-ray and I saw it in theaters. I love this movie.

[LordFinite]

I had a mini crush on Meg Foster as Evil Lyn. She still has those piercing eyes. Frank Langella is a great Skeletor. His performance is so wonderful to watch. And that music when he first enters is epic. This movie is somewhat a guilty pleasure of mine.

[demetriusdillard]

Fabulous (and hilarious) retrospective of one of my all-time favorite childhood films! Thanks for sharing!

[DisillusionedMillennial]

I loved this movie as a kid. Still enjoy it to this day.

[UncleJackOnline]

i remember watching this in the cinema aged around 17 mebbe and enjoying it, especially the scene where He man is being hit by skeletors force lightning and draws the sword of power and shouts "I HAVE THE POWER!" and a kid in the front row jumped up and shouted "YEAHHHH!", the whole audience burst into laughter

[deeacosta]

This is a great movie. Don't believe the haters.

[HomeworkRadio]

Weirdly as a kid I hated the fact this was mainly set at night. Since then I've found out it was due to financial decisions.

[darkwoods]

I always thought the effects were pretty good, especially the practicals. The costumes and face jobs on the bad guys look great. Most of the light effects look good too. The actors for the bad guys all give really good performances. This movie doesn't deserve the hate it gets.

[YoJimBoHugabaJoe]

loved this film as a kid and still find it entertaining today, one of the few fantasy movies where the majority of the story take place within the real world that is actually good