Remembering King Solomon’s Mines (1985): Cannon Films at Their Most Delightfully Unhinged

 

If there was ever a movie that proved Cannon Films could chase a trend with the enthusiasm of a kid hopped up on Pixy Stix, it’s King Solomon’s Mines (1985). Golan and Globus saw the success of Romancing the Stone and said, “We want that Stone woman!” — only to discover they didn’t mean Sharon Stone… they meant the Romancing the Stone woman. But hey, Hollywood mix‑ups are part of the charm, and Sharon Stone still showed up ready to scream, sparkle, and run for her life in true ’80s adventure‑queen fashion.

Richard Chamberlain? Oh, he’s having the time of his life. You can practically see him winking at the camera between takes, swinging from vines, dodging traps, and delivering lines with that “I can’t believe they’re paying me for this” grin. He leans into the pulp, the camp, the chaos — and that’s exactly why the movie works.

Let’s be honest: this might be the funniest Cannon film ever made, intentionally or not. It’s loud, it’s wild, it’s over‑the‑top, and it’s absolutely unashamed of any of it. Explosions? Everywhere. Stunts? Constant. Logic? Optional. Entertainment? Guaranteed.

When Indiana Jones hit the scene, a lot of us went back to the source — H. Rider Haggard’s King Solomon’s Mines. And yes, this movie takes… let’s call them “creative liberties.” But that’s part of the joy. Cannon wasn’t trying to make a faithful adaptation; they were trying to make a Cannon adaptation — big, bold, and bursting with that unmistakable VHS‑era energy.

So if you want a movie night that’s pure popcorn fun, with adventure, camp, and a whole lot of Cannon attitude, give King Solomon’s Mines (1985) another spin. Have fun — because the movie sure did.