The film opens with voice-over from an unnamed, uncredited narrator.
       Listed as screenwriter-co-producer “Tom Karnowski” in opening credits, end credits refer to him as production manager “Thomas F. Karnowski.” Screenwriter-co-producer John Stuckmeyer is also credited as production manager “John V. Stuckmeyer.”
       End credits are preceded by the statement: “Watch for Talon’s Next Adventure Tales of the Ancient Empire coming soon.” Credits indicate that the picture was “filmed at Laird International Studios,” and include the following acknowledgements: “grateful appreciation to: Douglas Shackelton; The Mission Inn, Riverside; Jack Kindberg; and fondly: Tom Hicks, Mike Brenner, Leslie Morson, Roger Darin.” A statement notes that, “This Film is Dedicated to Jack Tyree, Stuntman.” Tyree died during production. The film was also actress Corinne Calvet’s final motion picture. Actor Barry Chase receives an “introducing” credit, though he appeared in films prior to The Sword and the Sorcerer.
       Although the official copyright record lists B.L.C. Services, Inc., onscreen credits name the copyright claimant as “Sorcerer Productions, Inc.”
       According to a 10 May 1982 DV article, first-time motion picture screenwriter-director Albert Pyun developed the concept over four years, creating hundreds of storyboards, high and low-cost versions of the script, and a 300-page budget. Along with Karnowski, Pyun brought the project to New World Pictures, Avco Embassy, Cannon FIlm Group, and Filmways Pictures, none of which expressed interest in financing the production. A 16 Sep 1982 Rolling Stone article claimed that Pyun, Karnowski, and John Stuckmeyer approached Brandon and Marianne Chase’s Group 1 Films in 1979, but Brandon Chase was also unwilling to commit to the project due to the filmmakers’ inexperience and his hesitations about the medieval sorcery genre. Both sources suggested that the financial success of Excalibur (1981, see entry) changed Chase’s mind, and production swiftly moved ahead following Excalibur’s 10 Apr 1981 release. Rolling Stone stated that among the thirty-person pre-production crew, art director George Costello prepared three-dimensional drawings that enabled the filmmakers to plan camera moves weeks before filming began. The 8 Aug 1981 edition of Screen International reported that Chase flew Simon MacCorkindale in from England in order to play “Mikah,” after admiring the actor’s work in the 1978 British film, Death on the Nile.
       17 Jul 1981 HR production charts confirmed that principal photography began 14 Jul 1981 in Southern CA. Screen International stated that the majority of production took place at S&A Studios, formerly known as the Aldrich Studios, in Hollywood, CA, before briefly moving for a week of filming at the Mission Inn in Riverside, CA. The article also noted that director of photography Joseph Mangine designed special color filters, lighting gels, and smoke effects, while production notes from AMPAS library files claimed that only torches were used to light the castle sets at night. In addition, the crew constructed ten dungeon sets, and all weapons and costumes were authentically replicated specially for the production. Actor Richard Moll reportedly spent more than four hours in makeup each day to play “Xusia,” while three special effects makeup trucks and an eight-man explosion crew were present on set each day.
       Despite the preparedness of the large crew, DV stated that the eight-week shoot consisted of frequent sixteen to twenty-hour days. Additionally, several people were impaled or cut during fight scenes, and multiple electrified swords melted during special effects shooting. On 27 Aug 1981, HR reported that stuntman Jack Tyree died 24 Aug 1981, after missing his mark while performing an eighty-foot jump from a cliff in Los Angeles, CA’s Griffith Park. A year later, the 2 Sep 1982 HR indicated that Tyree’s wife and daughter filed suit against the film’s producers, special effects artists, and stunt coordinators, alleging that Tyree’s airbag was improperly positioned. The outcome of the lawsuit could not be determined as of the writing of this Note.
       According to DV, “artistic differences” developed between Pyun and Chase throughout production. Since Pyun was not a member of the Directors Guild of America (DGA), his request for a two-hour first cut was denied. As a result, he believed that the characters, story, and humorous tone were lost once the film was edited to its final runtime of 100 minutes.
       The 28 Aug 1981 HR announced that domestic release would be delayed until Feb 1982, due to the heavy special effects work required in post production. An article in the 14 Jul 1981 HR noted that a major record company offered Group 1 an advance on album rights amounting to “considerably more” than the average $80,000 cost to score a film. A 13 Oct 1981 HR brief stated that Shourt Works Ltd. created special effects for the film, although the company is not credited onscreen.
       Rolling Stone indicated that the Chases decided to quickly and independently distribute The Sword and the Sorcerer through Group 1 before Universal Pictures’ Conan the Barbarian (see entry) opened 14 May 1982. According to production notes, the film was scheduled to open in multiple theaters 23 Apr 1982 and 30 Apr 1982, and DV reported that the film earned over $6 million during its first ten days of release. Rolling Stone, stated that, despite eighty successful sneak preview screenings across the country, Pacific Theaters refused to book the film in Los Angeles until it played an engagement in Hawaii. Although a 28 Apr 1982 Var brief reported a New York City date was expected for Jul 1982, Rolling Stone claimed Chase waited until the successful summer films began to taper at the box office. The article reported that the film earned $35 million before the 6 Aug 1982 New York City opening.