ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the compositional responses to the sword and sorcery genre, by focusing on arguably the leading example, Basil Poledouris’s score for Conan. It considers how the music reflects the political—economic climate of its day, even as a turn toward neoliberalism was becoming apparent through the early actions of President Reagan (and British Prime Minister Thatcher). While film specialists and cultural historians have already positioned the narrative and ideology of Conan within the emerging neoliberal ethos of its day, no one has attempted to do the same for its music. Practically speaking, these hypermasculine figures might be accompanied by heroizing brass fanfares, driving, assertive percussion, and upward-striving melodic figures, considering the screen styles associated with characters like Rambo or Conan, as well as protagonists from other sword and sorcery movies. Conan has attained the highest level of civilization at that time through enterprise and entrepreneurship.
