| “ | Oh, Dagoth! God of Gods! | „ |
| ~ Grand Vizier Xantares worshipping Dagoth. |
Grand Vizier Xantares is a minor antagonist of the 1984 sword and sorcery/fantasy film Conan the Destroyer.
He is the chief scholar of the City of Shadizar and personal advisor of Queen Taramis and a prime worshiper of the "Dreaming God" Dagoth. During the attempt to awaken the demonic deity he also acts as Master of Ceremonies.
He was portrayed by the late Jeff Corey, who also played Plasus in the Star Trek episode "The Cloud Minders", Tom Chaney in the 1969 version of True Grit and furthermore voiced Silvermane in Spider-Man: The Animated Series.
Biography[]
Not much is known about Xantares' past and origin despite being a passionate worshipper of Dagoth the “Dreaming God“. Obviously he made his way to power and influence at the City of Shadizar spreading his Dagoth worshit throughout the entire royal court and the city itself. Being equipped with the wisdom of old age and the experiences of a long life he serves Queen Taramis as Grand Vizier and chief adviser.
The Grand Vizier and Princess Jehnna - Publicity Still of Jeff Corey and Olivia d'Abo (1984).
Due to his profound knowledge of the ancient Scrolls of Skelos he provides Taramis with all the information about the ritual that would bring Dagoth back to life as soon as his long lost jeweled horn is put back in his statue's forehead. According to Xantares' researches Dagoth can only be controlled if the foretold virgin who is destined to find the horn is sacrificed to him as soon as he shows a first sign of life.
After Taramis' niece Princess Jehnna, who happens to be the chosen virgin mentioned in the ancient writings and was sent out to bring back the Jeweled Horn of Dagoth, returns home with the prescious artefact Xantares and Taramis immediately begin to prepare the ritual to awake Dagoth. At the ceremony's climax Xantares takes his ornated dagger ready to sacrifice the princess as soon as the “Dreaming God“ starts to raise his head.
Just before he can kill the innocent girl following the ritual the Grand Vizier is mortally impaled by a wooden spear thrown by Conan the Barbarians allie Zula.
Physical Appearance[]
The Grand Vizier is a gaunt elderly man probably in his seventies with thick greyish-black brows above dark melancholic eyes, a big aquiline nose and a semi long grey beard. He is dressed in impressive flowing black robes with black leather shoulder-attachments and a wide sash around his waist. His entire wardrobe reflects the dignified authority of his position as a high royal dignitary. Most of the time he carries a long dark staff with a top shaped like a horned cyclops' skull.
For the ceremony he wears a broad cloak with very wide sleeves in grey and black with red lining and a silver seam. His extravagant headpiece is shaped like a three-headed bird with spread wings.
Appearances[]
Film[]
- 1984: Conan the Destroyer – Sword & Sorcery-/Fantasy-Film; directed by Richard Fleischer and written by Stanley Mann.
Literature[]
- 1984: Conan the Destroyer – Novelization; written by Robert Jordan based on the script by Stanley Mann. Published by Tor Books in 1984.
- 1984: Conan the Destroyer – Comic Book Adaptation, written by Michael Fleisher and illustrated by John Buscema. Published by Marvel Comics in October and December 1984.
Gallery[]
Quotes[]
| “ | At the first sign of life in our god, the girl must be sacrificed. Or, as the Scrolls of Skelos say, a catastrophe will befall us. | „ |
| ~ Grand Vizier Xantares adressing Queen Taramis |
| “ | Oh, Dagoth! God of Gods! Power above all power! | „ |
| ~ Grand Vizier Xantares beginning the ritual |
Trivia[]
- In the film the Grand Vizier remained unnamed. The name Xantares was given to him in the Conan the Destroyer novelization written by Robert Jordan.
- Albeit it is not mentioned in official sources there do exist some hints that the Grand Vizier may be of the same cultural background as Thulsa Doom the main villain of the previous Film Conan the Barbarian as their respective robes and headgears have quite obvious stylistic similarities. During the making-of interviews for Conan the Barbarian director John Milius as well as screenwriter Oliver Stone talked about the possibillity that their version of Thulsa Doom could be a survivor of the lost Atlantis.
- The Grand Vizier is often confused with the Leader of the Keepers of the Horn by audiences as well as reviewers of the film despite the fact that they are actually two completely different characters beside both of them being old men with dark eyes and grey beards. The Leader by the way was portrayed by the late Ferdy Mayne who also played Count von Krolock in The Fearless Vampire Killers (1967) and General Rosemeyer in Where Eagles Dare (1968).
- The wardrobe Jeff Corey wore as the Grand Vizier weren't designed specially for him. Actually he wears some of the costumes made for James Earl Jones as Thulsa Doom. The black coat for instance is the same coat Thulsa Doom wears in the scene he interrogates Conan and the black robe underneath is the very same piece of clothing Doom wears when he shoots his snake-arrow at Valeria. Xantares' ceremonial vestment actually is the flowing cape Thulsa Doom wears above his armor when he and his henchman ride to their final battle against Conan and his friends and the Grand Vizier's black leather shoulder-attachments are the same as on Thulsa Doom's robe when he welcomes his newly arrived followers just before Conan gets caught as an intruder.