| The Secret of the Sword | |
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| Editing: | Joe Gall |
| Studio: | Filmation |
| Distributor: | Atlantic Releasing |
| Runtime: | 91 minutes |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
| Budget: | US$2 million[1] |
| Gross: | $6,500,000[2] $7,500,000[3] [4] Notably, it is also the very first nationally released theatrical movie in the Masters of The Universe franchise, predating the 1987 live action movie by over two years. |
The Secret of the Sword, also known as He-Man and She-Ra: The Secret of the Sword, is a 1985 American animated superhero film produced by Filmation. Although released before the series began, the film was a compilation of the first five episodes with minor edits made.[5] The film was part of a trend of theatrically released animated films created by producers of TV shows and toys during the 1980s.[6] It is part of the same continuity as the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe cartoon series, and was created by the same Filmation production team and cast. It was the first He-Man theatrical film, and the first theatrical release to feature She-Ra or any Masters of The Universe/Princess of Power characters.
Six months after its theatrical release, The Secret of the Sword was televised in episodic form, during the premiere week of the She-Ra TV series, from September 9 to 13, 1985. For series purposes, the film is known as the storyline The Sword of She-Ra.
On Eternia, the Sorceress of Castle Grayskull is awakened by the magical 'Sword of Protection', which leads her to a portal known as a 'Time Gate'. She sends Prince Adam and Cringer through the portal to find the person destined to possess the Sword.
Adam and Cringer arrive in the other dimensional world of Etheria, which is ruled by the Horde, an intergalactic army. Adam eventually stands up to some Hordesmen soldiers and defeats them with the help of archer Bow. Bow and his friend Kowl are members of the 'Great Rebellion'. They take Adam and Cringer to the Rebellion's base in the Whispering Woods.
While taking away villagers, the Horde, led by Captain Adora, are attacked by the Rebels, aided by Adam and Cringer in their secret identities as He-Man and Battle Cat. The Sword eventually glows in Adora's presence, revealing that it belongs to her. This distraction allows the Horde to knock He-Man out and capture him.
At the Horde's prison complex, Adora interrogates He-Man. She believes the Rebels are evil and the Horde are benevolent rulers, despite not knowing much about life outside their base. He-Man dares her to see what life on Etheria is really like. The Rebels get into the prison to find him, only to get captured. Kowl manages to free He-Man, who liberates the others and destroys the prison. Meanwhile, Adora witnesses the cruelties citizens endure at the hands of the Horde.
Furious, she confronts the Horde's leader Hordak. However, Hordesman Shadow Weaver casts her into a sleep that makes her forget what she recently learned.
He-Man sneaks into the Horde base looking for Adora, who once again thinks he is evil and arrests him. Hordak then confines He-Man in the energy chamber of the Magna-Beam, a willpower-fueled transporter, to charge it overnight.
That night, Adora has nightmares about He-Man's fate and hears the Sorceress' voice. Talking through the Sword, she reveals that He-Man is Adora's twin brother. When the twins were born to King Randor and Queen Marlena, Eternia was invaded by the Horde. Unable to defeat the combined might of the Eternian army and the magic of Grayskull, Hordak plotted to demoralize them by kidnapping the newborn royals. Although the kidnapping was interrupted by Man-At-Arms, Hordak escaped with Adora. The Sorceress could not discover which dimension Hordak fled to, so she cast a spell that wiped all memory of Adora from all Eternians except for herself, Man-At-Arms, Randor and Marlena. Thus Adam was raised unaware of Adora's existence.
Adora breaks Shadow Weaver's spell then follows the Sorceress's instructions to use the Sword's magic and transform into the superpowered She-Ra, Princess of Power. After she revives He-Man, the pair destroy the Magna-Beam and flee on Adora's horse Spirit, who in She-Ra's presence is transformed into Swift Wind, a winged unicorn.
At the Rebel camp, the Rebellion accept Adora into their ranks. Meanwhile, Queen Angella, rightful ruler of the kingdom of Bright Moon, is being held prisoner on nearby Talon Mountain. As He-Man and She-Ra, the twins free Angella and reunite her with her people.
Adam takes Adora back to Eternia to reunite with their parents. Hordak pursues them through the Time Gate. On Eternia, Hordak goes to his old base and discovers that his old pupil Skeletor is in charge there. Magically disguised as cooks and with Hordak hidden inside a cake, Skeletor and his henchmen kidnap Adora.
Skeletor then forces Hordak back to Etheria, planning to ransom Adora himself. However, Adora outwits her captors and, reclaiming her sword, deals with them as She-Ra.
Adora decides to return to Etheria to aid the Rebellion, a decision accepted by her family. The Sorceress sends Adora and Spirit back to Etheria, saying they can use the Sword to summon aid from Eternia should they ever need it. Adam and Cringer tag along, offering to help the Rebellion.
As He-Man and She-Ra, the twins help the Rebels liberate Bright Moon. He-Man and Battle Cat then return to Eternia, while She-Ra and Swift Wind resolve to stay until Etheria is free.
A comic book, He-Man and She-Ra, Secret of the Sword, was published in 1985 by Mattel Toys as part of their "The Secret of the Sword Sweepstakes." The comic was handed out at theaters prior to seeing the film. The story runs six pages and recaps the film.[7]
In the UK, a film novelisation was published by Ladybird Books.
No consensus among critics is currently available at Rotten Tomatoes.[8] Janet Maslin of The New York Times and Charles Solomon of the Los Angeles Times likened the film to a Saturday morning children's cartoon extended to feature film length. Maslin in particular cited the film's plot as "complicated but entirely predictable".[9] [10] The film was, however, a box-office success, grossing more than three times its $2 million budget;[1] according to IMDb and Lou Scheimer himself, the movie made over $7.5 million before finishing its theatrical run.[3] [4]
The film was picked up by Kidtoon Films as part of its weekend matinee program twenty-one years after its release.[11] It returned to theaters on May 6, 2006 and closed on May 28, 2006, replaced the original Dolby Stereo soundtrack with Dolby Digital and DTS tracks, and even though it was shot on film, was shown digitally.
The film was released on DVD in the United States on a two-disc set titled "The Best of She-Ra: Princess of Power" collection on July 18, 2006 by BCI Entertainment’s Ink & Paint brand, which also included five episodes from the series.[5] The set was also released in the United Kingdom by Right Entertainment/Universal in September 2006.[12]
The film was re-released as a stand-alone release in the United Kingdom on July 16, 2007,[13] and in the United States on May 6, 2008.
The film was recently released on DVD as part of the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe: The Complete Series DVD from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.