The Barbarians

Today on Wheel of Film, we’re diving into The Barbarians, the 1987 sword-and-sorcery cult oddity directed by Ruggero Deodato and starring bodybuilding twins Peter and David Paul—better known as the Barbarian Brothers. The movie follows twin brothers Kutchek and Gore, who go from enslaved performers to revenge-fueled warriors after a ruthless tyrant destroys their family and terrorizes their world. It’s loud, ridiculous, extremely Cannon Films, and exactly the kind of movie that feels like it was forged in the leftover fire of the Conan craze. The film runs a tight 87 minutes, was shot in Rome and the Abruzzo Mountains, and only made about $800,000 at the box office—but over time it’s become a real cult watch for fans of campy fantasy, overbuilt heroes, and gloriously unhinged ‘80s genre filmmaking. Peter and David Paul were even nominated for a Razzie for Worst New Star, which honestly feels pretty on-brand for the whole experience.Music brought to you by Dixon Hill Beats