Not too many people know about this top secret "Conan the Barbarian" project but now that it is completed, this Arnold fan from Spain is at last ready to share his story. I’ve know about Sam’s project for years but he wanted to keep it on the down-low until this Conan tribute was 100% complete. This amazing fan project, a true labor of love, was some very hard, back-breaking work but what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger! I shall share this story now of Sam’s amazing Wheel of Pain but let’s have his daughter, Valeria, tell the story of high adventure!
My name is Valeria and I am six years old and I like Conan the Barbarian very much! I have grown up surrounded by a thousand things from my dad's collection of this movie since my dad is a big fan. I love to whistle all the songs of the movie when I travel in the car with my dad and we drive listening to this incredible and beautiful music by Basil Poledouris. In 2007 my father searched the original location of the movie for the Wheel of Pain's scene. Following the form of some mountains, arrived at a place of the province of Ávila (Spain), but, what was his surprise when he asked a local person if he remembered those years when Arnold filmed Conan (more than 25 years)? "Yes" He answered.
"Look over there" and he pointed his finger at a place. "Sam, that's the remains of the wheel that was pushed by Conan in the movie!”
My dad could not believe it! Later, this local person pointed out the exact location of the shoot. My father photographed the old irons and traveled a few kilometers towards the place. In a short time I was looking at the giant stone where the fire burned, looked at the same granitic and forgotten landscape, went down the same place where the children were slaves, he saw the cement pillar where the main shaft of the wheel was set and walked in circle around it as once did Conan (Arnold Schwarzenegger).
Then my dad, he asked himself: "Who will own the original remains?” And he began to see in his mind the rebuilt wheel. He returned to the small town and my dad met the owner. He was a very kind person who told him many things about filming. He was the guardian of the set during the shooting and he threw the snow on Arnold thanks to some giant air blower in the winter scenes and many more things. When the shooting ended, he was gifted by the technicians of the movie (Maybe Ron Cobb?) with the complete wheel, except for some of the figures.
25 years later and distributed by several warehouses, my dad could see almost all parts. Some were missing, but the main thing was there! 2500 kg of metal parts, many ropes and 7 heads of the arms, all original. My dad did not think about it, he bought everything and decided to start the project. He moved all the pieces to our home away from there and began the total rebuild. I was born a few years later and little by little I saw as the project progressed. Now that it's completed it's my favorite toy.
A few days ago my father traveled to Barcelona to attend the Arnold Classic Europe 2017, and Arnold was there! Thanks to some contacts and friends, he was able to fulfill his dream and was fortunate to participate in the press conference that Arnold gave to some chosen ones and he got a fantastic photograph with Arnold!
Later, my dad got his autograph on the photo of the rebuilt Wheel of Pain! I hope Arnold will soon see the project more carefully, outside his busy schedule and who knows, maybe someday he wants to dedicate us a few words about the project or come for a visit and such the wheel again?
It would be incredibly amazing to see Arnold Schwarzenegger pushing the Wheel of Pain 35 years later with my dad, family and our friends, like you Randy, but that's another story…and this story shall also be told.
With sincere appreciation,
Valeria