Not Quite a Treasure, But Still a Bit of Fun

I am a sucker for movies with a gimmick or with any kind of kitsch value. “Treasure of the Four Crowns,” the 1983 3-D film that shamelessly rips of “Raiders of the Lost Ark” is very enjoyable even in 2-D as I watched the newly released dvd of the film. “Treasure” is on a new 4-movie dvd set along with the 1982 movie, “The Final Option.”

“Treasure of the Four Crowns” was Ferdinando Baldi’s second and last 3-D movie, following the 1981 film, “Comin’ at Ya,” which sounds like it could have easily been the title of the 3-D porn film, but that film was a 3-D spaghetti western. I recently saw “Comin’ at Ya” in a re-release back in 2012. The 3-D in the restored Real 3-D version of that film was pretty good, making for a fun experience. “Treasure of the Four Crowns” is not so much a good movie, as it is a fun experience for those who enjoy nostalgia from the 1980’s, especially the very narrow realm of 3-D cinema of the early 1980’s. Please continue reading this even if your interest in 3-D films of the early 80’s is minimal, if that. Or Manimal…………. “Treasure of the Four Crowns” tells the story of J. T. Striker (Tony Anthony) and the group of five he assembles to procure said four crowns of the film’s title from a castle somewhere in Spain. There are, of course, many obstacles to the procurement of these crowns, one of which is a flying key which tends to melt half of one’s face. The opening 20 minutes has no dialogue, which is fine, and introduces us to Striker by watching him elude one obstacle and flying sword after another. Soon enough, we meet the members of his intrepid team as he assembles them just short of classic Blues Brothers style. Unfortunately, “Four Crowns” contains no Aretha Franklin or Ray Charles numbers. The enjoyment I gained while watching “Treasure of the Four Crowns” was from imagining what it would have been like to have many, many different objects thrust at me from the screen, such as birds, glass, a feather, a burning stick, and a female trapeze artist. “Four Crowns” throws enough things at the audience to have probably made it worth seeing when it was originally released, given that the 3-D was decent enough in the theater you attended.

I saw only one of the handful of 3-D movies that were released in the early 80’s upon their original release. I saw Jaws 3-D in 1983 at the General Cinema Irving Mall 1-3 with my friend, John. This was the same day my grandmother bought a 1978 Chevy Nova for my parents. Quite a monumental day it was. In my later years, I have seen “Comin’ at Ya” as noted above, “Friday the 13th Part 3,” “Parasite,” “Metalstorm,” “Amityville 3-D” and “The Man Who Wasn’t There.” The latter titles I have only seen in 2-D.

I enjoyed those films, as I enjoyed “Treasure of the Four Crowns,” as artifacts of a brief period in cinema history. You will not grow as a person or gain any insight into life by seeing these movies, but if you are interested in this particular subgenre, the new 4-movie dvd set which includes “Four Crowns” will be a purchase you will want to make.