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Back in the 1980s , Filmation’sHe - Man and the Masters of the Universecartoon series – and the Mattel action soma toy line it was based on – was the hot thing going ( if you were kid , at least ) .
It derive as no surprisal when a live - action adaptation of the story of Prince Adam ( and his heroic alter ego , He - Man ) was released in 1987 . Whatdidcatch the great unwashed short was just how terrible the film turned out to be !
Director Gary Goddard and product fellowship Golan - Globus – the guilty party responsible for the even worseSuperman IV : The Quest For Peace – served up an escapade scantily recognizable to fans .
Sure , several of the enfranchisement ’s key factor – such asHe - Man , his archvillainSkeletor , and Castle Grayskull – are present and account for . But just as many major aspects ofMasters Of The Universelore ( include Prince Adam himself ! ) are nowhere to be seen .
WhilstMasters Of The Universeperformed poorly at the box office – a $ 22 million haul against $ 17.3 million budget – it ’s since go on to become a furor classic , and there ’s plentitude of interesting trivia hem in its turbulent production .
With this in mind – and in honor of the photographic film ’s thirtieth anniversary last month – here ’s a round up of15 scandalous thing You Did n’t acknowledge About The Disastrous Masters Of The Universe Movie .
15. Filming Was Shut Down Early
captain Of The Universewas the most expensive film notoriously thrifty Golan - Globus ( and dispersion company Cannon Films ) ever produce .
regrettably , bitch up the movie ’s budget by $ 5 million – twin with a bowed stringed instrument of box office bombs released by the studio apartment – finally tipped both production and distribution business into the red .
This leave Golan - Globus and Cannon Films to make the rather extreme call to keep out down film three days shy of the plan conclusion escort , which understandably left the film producer in a bit of a bind .
While the Panthera leo ’s share of footage was in the can , the climactic face-off between He - Man and Skeletor still needed to be shoot . Without a suitable finale and with no budget for additional motion-picture photography , Masters Of The Universelooked specify never to be released !
Fortunately ( or not , depending on your gunpoint of panorama ) , Goddard was capable to successfully lobby Golan - Globus and Cannon Films to scrape together the funds needed to recommence shooting .
Although the mussy closing setting shoot reflect the panicked atmosphere present on the set , they do at least ensure that the film saw the light of 24-hour interval !
14. The Evil-Lyn Costume Was Super Heavy (And Painful) To Wear
It ’s not rare for theflamboyant costume seen in phantasy filmsto prove uncomfortable for the actors who wear them – but Meg Foster ’s Evil - Lyn kit really does take the cake !
For starters , the whole corps de ballet – admit a fibreglass aegis – weighed a whopping 45 lbs , and get Foster hard bruising around her breakwater .
It was also frustratingly restrictive , only tolerate the actress a relatively limited range of a function of movement – which also excuse why Evil - Lyn is never take in sitting inMasters Of The Universe !
For her part , Foster in reality credited her ill at ease wardrobe with helping her to continue in role , and suggested that its immobile figure informed her eccentric ’s touch posture .
Interestingly , several looker have assumed that Evil - Lyn ’s arctic stare was accomplish via physical contact lenses , when in genuine fact , Foster ’s natural ( and distinctive ) peeper were on display !
13. He-Man Wasn’t Allowed To Kill Anybody
As license proprietor of the overallMasters Of The Universeproperty , Mattel set a few ground rules that the filmmakers were obligated to survey .
Of these , the strictest was the stipulation that neither He - Man nor any of his allies were allowed to toss off any figure and blood character .
This cause Goddard a considerable headache , as the director feel audience would expect to see at least some bloodshed . After all , in summation tothe carnage watch in adult blockbusters , even class - well-disposed menu likeStar Warsallowed the heroes to blow the uncollectible guys away !
The solution was to fill the ranks of Skeletor ’s army with automatonlike troops , a compromise which enable He - Man , Man - At - Arms , and Teela to defeat plenty of enemies without harm a single living tool !
12. The Cosmic Key Props Were Super Fragile
A key patch gadget inMasters Of The Universeis the so - phone “ Cosmic Key ” – a pecker capable of possible action portals leading anywhere the exploiter desires .
Visual effects guru Robert Edlund whipped up three Cosmic Key props for the shoot , all of which were insanely delicate and prone to break . The Key props were such a hassle that they in reality required a dedicated team of on - fructify prop technician to handle repairs on the spot , to ensure filming did n’t grind to a halt !
Given that only a handful of Cosmic Keys were ever constructed – and factoring in how strong it is to obtain one in nigh - mint condition – the props have since developed into amuch seek - after collector ’s particular .
If you do materialize to get your mitts on a Cosmic Key , hold onto it – back in 2012 , the airplane propeller were valued at $ 6,000 a pop !
11. Dolph Lundgren Was Almost Dubbed Over
Hollywood has a long history of dubbing over the voices of strange actors with thick accents , with perhaps the most ( in)famous example beingArnold Schwarzenegger inHercules In New York .
Considering that He - Man himself , Dolph Lundgren , was neither an experienced thespian nor a smooth-spoken English speaker , it ’s no surprise that Goddard likewise designate to exchange his vocals with an American actor .
However , Lundgren ’s contract forMasters Of The Universeended up confuse a spanner in the works . In a clever scrap of talks , the effectual understanding afforded the Swedish starthreeattempts at re - recording his dialogue before could be knight over .
As the shoot was run behind behind schedule – and give the time postulate to potentially re - register He - Man ’s negotiation multiple time – Goddard ultimately resolve to retain Lundgren ’s distinctive line meter reading in the finished flick .
10. The Real-World Setting Was A Cost-Saving Decision
As touch on earlier , the vast bulk ofMasters Of The Universetakes berth in our world , rather than in the fantasy kingdom of Eternia .
Interestingly , this was n’t always intended to be the case . Prior to draught the screenplay , the film producer discuss setting the film entirely in He - Man ’s native Edwin Herbert Land , something which did n’t acquit across to the end up script .
There ’s a fairly workaday rationale behind this creative choice : shifting the narrative to Earth intend that less luxuriant ( and expensive ! ) sets and creature need to be fabricated .
Apparently , we have Gary Goddard to thank for the few Eternia - based scenes we do get in the movie , as at one point these were canned entirely !
According to the director , the script he received unfoldedentirelyon Earth , and he had squeeze more money out of Golan - Globus in rescript to add additional , otherworldly venue to proceedings .
9. Dolph Lundgren Did All His Own Stunts
Say what you will about Dolph Lundgren ’s performance inMasters Of The Universe , but physically , it ’s hard to imagine a good match for He - Man .
Standing 6’5 ” marvelous and so rip that his muscles seem to have theirownmuscles , the swedish turnip cuts a befittingly larger than life human body – so much so that finding a convincing stunt double proved unimaginable !
As such , Lundgren was call upon to do all of his own stunts in the film , and despite his unattackable martial arts screen background , the end termination are a decidedly assorted bag .
Lundgren was n’t the only performer to struggle during the action fix pieces , either . To bring reptilian punk Saurod to life , Pons Maar wore contact lens that severely limited his visual modality – meaning he performed all of his stunts blind !
8. The Greyskull Set Was The Largest Constructed In Over 40 Years
As the seat of superpower for the total existence , you ’d bear the Castle Grayskull set to be suitably telling – which excuse why it was the biggest Hollywood set built in over 40 class !
In decree to fit the scale of measurement yield graphic designer William Stout had in mind , the paries separating two huge sound stages was demolish . This created one tremendous space in which to erect Grayskull ’s throne room environment .
In a genuine stroke of creative genius , Stout incorporated both in effect and evil - look computer architecture into the throne room ’s pattern as a reference to the dual nature of the tycoon stored there .
This pass to a two - tiered layout , with the bronze statue - adorned upper level representing the godlike potential difference of Grayskull , and the gargoyle - like frame in the low-spirited floor paint a picture its more demonic side .
7. A Sequel Was Developed But Ultimately Abandoned
captain Of The Universefeatures a post - credits stinger which find out Skeletor threaten to return once more , setting upa sequel that failed to ever materialise !
Interestingly , a follow - up filmwasscripted and even vomit , with Laird John Hamilton employ to sate He - Man ’s boot ( Lundgren apparently require too much money to return ) .
Before the sequel was abandoned , film director Albert Pyun – set to take over from Gary Goddard – begin development work on a script tentatively titledMasters Of The Universe : Cyborg .
The screenplay would have pick up Skeletor invade our earth once more , this time in the guise of an evil embodied top executive , and would have introduced He - Man ’s sisterShe - Raand cybernetic scoundrel Trap Jaw .
However , afterMasters Of The Universetanked at the box office , Golan - Globus and Cannon Films – edging ever closer to bankruptcy – swiftly pulled the plug on production .
They then repurposed the script , bent , costume and props from the planned continuation – along with those belonging to another scrapped project – for Jean - Claude Van Damme vehicleCyborg , helmed by Pyun .
Oh , and that other unrealized film ? Only a small output calledSpider - Man …
6. A Contest Winner Was Shoehorned Into The Movie
As if theMasters Of The Universeshoot was n’t nerve-racking enough , Mattel also forced Gary Goddard to fit an additional extra into the film .
This arrive about because Mattel held a contest that promise the successful newcomer a role in the moving picture , and when fan Richard Szponder snag the prize , Goddard had to think up a part for him .
Despite film being well afoot , the director was capable to find room for Szponder within the wider cast , correct him up as the extra who lead Skeletor his staff upon his return to Eternia .
Incidentally , the name given to this grapheme was “ Pigboy ” – which seems like an unkind soubriquet to bestow upon a loyal sports fan , not to mention a competition winner !
