Robin Hood Prince Of Thieves 10 Reasons Why The 90s Classic Stills Holds Up 30 Years Later

Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves: 10 Reasons Why The ’90s Classic Stills Holds Up 30 Years Later

Over three decades later, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves remains a classic, just as relevant, entertaining, and inspiring as it was in the 90s.

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Even those who haven’t yet experienced the gleefully anachronistic Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves will have heard of the arrow shot into another arrow, the Sheriff of Nottingham ranting about cutting his sworn enemy’s heart out “with a spoon”, and Kevin Costner’s atrocious English accent. The story of Robin Hood has been told dozens of times on screen (twice in the last ten years alone), but Kevin Reynolds’ version remains a worthy -and highly entertaining- adaptation.

Longtime fans of the blockbuster -in which Robin Hood is given a very ’90s mullet- know that even 30 years later it remains a classic. Amidst its cheesy one-liners, over-the-top acting, and power ballads there’s a dependable action-adventure movie at its core, filled with exciting action sequences, memorable characters, and an inspirational story.

10 Perfect Blend Of Genres

Recent adaptations of the Robin Hood legend have changed both the setting and the tone, such as Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood which trades swashbuckling whimsy for mud-soaked realism. Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves blends several different genres to appeal both to fans of the traditional tale and offer something new.

While it’s clearly an adventure story, it relies heavily on the humor contributed by characters like the Sheriff of Nottingham and Friar Tuck, and it doesn’t shy away from focusing on either the love story between Robin and Maid Marian or the creepy black magic going on beneath the sheriff’s keep.

9 Iconic Musical Score

When hearing the rousing theme song played over a montage of medieval tapestries, it’s difficult not to get swept up in the excitement and pageantry. And when the french horns soar as Robin passes the White Cliffs of Dover, where he will finally be able to touch English soil for the first time in years, viewers will be hard-pressed not to empathize with his impromptu role in the surf. It’s hard to imagine that the full orchestral sound was performed by a mere thirteen people.

Primarily known as a composer of rock music with such bands like Pink Floyd, Queen, and David Bowie, Michael Kamen’s style was unmistakable in the popular movie scores he composed thanks to his blend of hard-rock riffs with classical stylings, including Highlander, Lethal Weapon, Die Hard, and License to Kill. He would go on to do the Disney live-action The Three Musketeers a few years later (once again collaborating with Bryan Adams on the love ballad), What Dreams May Come, Mr. Holland’s Opus, and X-Men.

8 Alan Rickman’s Best Performance

The late Alan Rickman may be known the world over as Professor Snape from the Harry Potter franchise, but prior to portraying the curmudgeonly professor of potions, he was the Sheriff of Nottingham, an equally cantankerous but far more hilarious character.

Rumor has it the production was initially supposed to be much more serious, but Rickman didn’t view it that way, mostly owing to its abysmal script. While contributing an outlandishly campy performance threatened to upstage Kevin Costner, the star and executive producer, his creative decision to lend comedy to the role elevated what could have been a two-dimensional antagonist into an iconic cinematic villain.

7 Strong Supporting Cast

Kevin Costner is definitely the star of the movie, but he never seems to outshine the rest of the cast, which consists of a highly versatile ensemble of actors. Not only does it have famous faces like Morgan Freeman and Alan Rickman, but several veteran character actors like Brian Blessed and Michael Wincott, whose role as the secondary antagonist Guy of Gisborne has just the right amount of menace (fans may recognize Wincott as the gravel-voiced villain from many ’90s classics including The Crow, The Three Musketeers, and Along Came A Spider).

Christian Slater, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Michael McShane, Nick Brimble, and even a cameo from none other than Sir Sean Connery himself as King Richard the Lionhearted (who played Robin Hood himself in Robin and Marian) round out the most important players.

6 Modern Sensibilities & Positive Diversity

Given the movie arrived in theaters during a time of great social change, there’s a ripple of modern sensibilities throughout that make it age well. Robin Hood is a thoughtful, populist leader, the merry men engage in what would be considered progressive political ideology and are decidedly anti-fascism, and Lady Marian knows her way around a sword.

Of particular note is the character Azeem, who doesn’t exist in the Robin Hood legend. The movie might take place during The Crusades, but it doesn’t paint all Muslims as the enemy, and Azeem -not Little John- is Robin Hood’s most trusted friend. As portrayed by Morgan Freeman he’s depicted as strong, loyal, and humorous. There are several scenes where Azeem’s resourcefulness upstages Robin’s, from his ability to fight using unique weapons, to using a telescope to spy on enemies.

5 Full Of Memorable Quotes

Because it isn’t staunchly a period piece full of impeccable attention to detail, the language is highly quotable. In the absence of particularly florid ways of talking, there’s a large number of zingy one-liners that fans remember decades later.

One of the most memorable scenes in the movie focuses on the sheriff complaining about Robin Hood, who’s managed to humiliate him and become a hero to the people, while Sir Guy of Gisborne tries to assuage his frustration. It goes like this: “I’m going to carve his heart out with a spoon!”, “Why a spoon cousin, why not an ax, or a –“, “Because it’s dull you twit! It’ll hurt more!”

4 The Action Is Exciting

From the first few scenes where Robin and Azeem escape the dungeons of Jerusalem, to being chased across the English countryside by Guy of Gisborne and his men, there’s plenty of action to keep viewers riveted to the screen.

No Robin Hood adaptation would be complete without several daring swordfights, including Robin dueling the Sheriff of Nottingham in the bell tower. There are even some additional action sequences involving the Sheriff and his hired Celtic mercenaries attacking Robin and his men in Sherwood that raise the stakes and add to the peril.

3 A Classic Love Story

Amidst the rain of flaming arrows and the ever-pressing threat of the Sheriff, the timeless love between Robin Hood and Lady Marian is at the heart of the movie. Having known each other since they were children, the Crusades took Lord Locksley from his home as a young man, and by the time he returned, Marian wasn’t sure she could love him as an outlaw.

Robin’s heroism and unwavering loyalty to the people soon dissuade Marian from these fears, and she joins in his fight against the evil sheriff and his mercenaries. Though it’s inspired by classical romance, theirs is not a stifled courtly love and manages to feel accessible even as depicted centuries ago.

2 A Memorable Main Song

In 1991, Bryan Adams’ “Everything I Do (I Do It For You)” could be heard everywhere, from supermarkets to shopping malls, to radio stations. It reached the number one spot in over a dozen countries, having particular staying power in the UK, where it was number one for months. Selling over 15 million copies worldwide, it’s not only the Canadian singer’s most popular song, it’s one of the best-selling songs of all time.

Thanks to his haunting hoarseness, the power ballad became the summer anthem for lovers, and at the 1992 Oscars, it was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Music (Original Song). The three available live versions of the song on YouTube have nearly half a billion views at this point, and it’s been covered by dozens of singers outside of its genre.

1 It Doesn’t Take Itself Too Seriously

For an update on a tale that’s been told dozens of ways over the past 100 years, with a new interpretation arriving every decade, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves combines the rollicking vibrancy of the Errol Flynn version with the grittiness modern audiences would want, but it doesn’t claim to be anything other than an enjoyable romp.

It’s unapologetically cheesy in parts and melodramatic in others, but it ultimately entertains because it has a good story filled with characters played by actors who appear to be enjoying themselves. It may be a summer blockbuster but it has heart, and though it doesn’t get everything right, fans won’t be able to stop themselves from cheering.

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/robin-hood-prince-of-thieves-90s-classic-still-holds-up-relevant/

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