Ostensibly a pulp movie for kids, this animation has many things I like in it, and should not be judged by first impressions.Yes, it has some hopeless plot fails.  Like it seems that the Fire King can totally destroy Nekron at any time by releasing lava from the volcano.  The price is the collateral damage - all the intervening land is destroyed as well.  But hey, they can win the war anytime they want.  You could also make fun of Teegra's virtual nudity.  But maybe this is a tactical solution to a known problem?  If Dad has to take the kids to a PG movie on a Saturday morning, isn't it fair to put something in it to help the time pass nicely for him too?Normally on most movies, I have an idea what is going to happen next, but in this one, the next act is often a surprise.  Of course, it is expected that the Fire King will try sue for peace with   Nekron, and at the end, that Teegra will stop Larn from killing one of the troglodytes ... but this movie doesn't follow the 'established' script in the appalling way that Star Trek Beyond does, for example.For example, none of the baddies, not even Nekron, shows any sexual interest in Teegra.  Nekron, who speaks with a rather gay voice, is contemptuous of her, but is scarily powerful.  Indeed, all the way till the end it looks like he totally outclasses all the opposition and they don't stand a chance.  There is no finely balanced match between good and evil here: for Nekron its  a turkey shoot.  When he says of Larn "you interest me" so commands against killing him, you sense his boredom with life, and with the idiotic allies - and enemies - that he is surrounded by.I like the bit where Teegra steals some meat from Larn's fire, he then says "if you want it take it" and she replies "I am not a thief".  She then leads him flirtatiously to some red berries/cherries which he eats, then SHE stands proudly on a high rock.  There are enough interpretations of this 60 seconds alone to keep you entertained for a while.Later Teegra decides to head off home.  She doesn't invite Larn but just sets off without him!  So like a junior schoolboy, the big strong Larn has to tag along with the 100% feminine Teegra.  Its a nice demonstration of a true power play between the sexes. Feminists take note.When Larn and Teegra get dragged down by the lake monster, I expected them to fight together and even bond by it.  But Teegra swims off leaving Larn to his fate.  I don't think its cowardly and wrong, I actually think its correct, but this is not the kind of realism we are used to in children's or even adult's movies.  "Better one dies than two" is not the kind of mathematical morality we get normally, not even in Die Hard movies. Then for the rest of the movie till the end, she sadly and reluctantly assumes he is dead.Teegra is dropped off at the hut of Moleel, a lesbian witch who appears to want her as a sexual plaything.  So, Teegra is carried off by Artois, the hulking, dangerous looking monster (bad); then found to be in the hut of a kind and beautiful woman (good); then the woman wants to have sex with her (not sure what I'm supposed to be feeling right now?).  If there's one thing this movie is not, its predictable.Later, Teegra makes a bungled escape attempt.  But if it weren't for that, the rescue attempt by Larn and Darkwolf could have been successful.  As it was, it turned out to be a fiasco.  Now there's a plot twist I've never seen before.Nekron's response to Teegra's plea for a common humanity that can live in peace, is priceless.   For a while he seems genuinely baffled as to how to respond.  Is he weighing it up? Is he shocked by her openness and kindness? The normal 'bad guy' response is an instant "I spit on your kindness and humanity", but Nekron also says "I spit on you", to the beautiful and seductive Teegra.  I don't think I've seen this kind of bad guy confusion and contempt before in any fantasy or sci-fi.Nekron then tells his mother not to bring any more of her sluts to him.  Now it really looks like Nekron is gay, his mother doesn't seem to get it, and they have a relationship that Freud could have a field day with.Anyway, I've said enough.  I think this animation is a lost gem.

Queen Juliana rules the ice. She sends glaciers south and her son Nekron to attack with his horde. Larn's village is destroyed by the advance. He survives and escapes south. In Firekeep, Nekron's minions kidnap princess Teegra. Teegra manages to escape and joins Larn. They get separated by a water monster. Teegra is recaptured. Larn is joined by Darkwolf on a journey to battle Nekron.This is standard Conan-like story written by Roy Thomas and Gerry Conway. Director Ralph Bakshi and illustrator Frank Frazetta join to create this world. Bakshi uses his rotoscoping process. It is an animated sword and sorcery movie. It is Conan without the charisma of Arnold. It works fine especially for fans of this genre.

Fantasy has been the first genre I got into when I was a child and animation was the first outlet for it. Animation and the fantasy genre really do suit each other hand in hand since animation has always carried a broader creative freedom in the visual medium that only live action can only hope to match. This is one of my favorite animated films of all time and it's my favorite film from one of my favorite animated directors Ralph Bachi.This film was just a dream come true since as a kid I was into the cartoon show "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe" but also read some of the "Conan" comics, so you can guess how psyched I was watching this.This film is pretty much a straightforward fantasy action adventure, which is fine by me sometimes the best fantasy stories for me are ones that are simple and just being what they should be escapist fun.The animation is just fantastic and I personally things holds up today in my book anyway. Let alone the fact it's been done by Frank Rashatta whom did the art and cover art for "The Savage Sword of Conan", "Vampiera", and "Tarzan" all three I like which makes this film all the more good. From the character and creature animation, but I'm more impressed with the background animation which successfully creates this lush and vast fantasy world that is reminiscent of the "Conan" stories but also some of the worlds in Edgar Rice Burroghs "Tarzan" stories. There are jungles, forests, ruins, temples and a whole lot of other things I don't want to give away, like in any great fantasy story it always made me wonder what more is in that world. I even like the movements of the characters which is realistic all due to the technique of rotoscoping, I thought it was used in this film well and right. It's kinda interesting seeing these characters move this way where in most common animated features the characters movements seem to vary or be uneven in pacing sometimes which is sort of weird when you think about it.The music is just spectacular and memorable, it's personally one of my favorite and I think underrated movie scores. The theme song is one of my personal favorites because it is exciting and has that epic action adventure feel to it.The story I think is great it's not a deep story but as I said before this is escapist fun and the fact that Roy Thomas whom is a writer for the "Conan" comics wrote is is great, it's a shame he didn't write for any more animated films because this film showed how capable he was. This I feel also give the film sort of a throwback feel of some of the pulp fantasy stories from long time ago, our need to excape from reality and dive into a realm away from the familiar and were anything is possible.Characters like the typical hero Larn and princess Teggra both are two dimensional and are simply there to serve their functions. If there is a character that stands out is Blackwolf whom is just awesome, I really like the design of him which might have been a partial inspiration to the caveman version of Batman in Grant Morison's graphic novel "Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne". He has some of the best lines but is just simply a man of action, as he is just kick butt and taking names in the film.Yeah, I know not deep characterization but we're in this film for the action and adventure. And this film's action is just great, it is well choreographed and the battle sequences are creative and different, like one of my favorite battles sequences is seeing the tribe of fire invading by flying in with Teradacdyls. The action sequences are also very violent which is awesome, we do see some blood, I wouldn't say a heavy amount but enough to satisfy. It's always awesome seeing in those sequences Darkwolf use that Axe of his which could make comic book hero "Ax Cop" eat his heart out as we see how well he handles it.Fire and Ice burns.Rating: 4 stars

A king's land is under an impending threat from an ice lord and his army. After his daughter is kidnapped a warrior assists the princess to reunite her with her people.Like Ralph Bakshis' The Lord of the Rings (1978), Fire and Ice has plenty of atmosphere, it actually oozes it but it's dispensable story leaves it lacklustre given its similarities to other tales. It also appears unusual that the sub character, namely Darkwolf is more fleshed out than the main lead Larn. That said, there's some nice fantasy elements notably the sub-human ape-like beings, flying dragon hawk-like creatures and sorcerers to name a few.Given the adult nature of the film it may have been rounded by more blood splatter and Cynthia Leake/ Maggie Roswell (voice) Teegra either being topless through-out or less scantly clad as she almost becomes a titillating distraction.That said, there's no shortage of ambiance with wonderful background paintings on display. The rotoscope technique and animation give it a magical unearthly feel. The Teegra flesh on display and a Conan-esque witch scene that makes it worth a viewing alone. Yes it's flawed but it's also visually masterfully crafted.