There are constraints with the 1980s filming. It was the time of practical effects. In fact, some scenes may have been deleted by the reality of FAILED. SPECIAL. EFFECTS. Conan the Barbarian (1982) was bound to that constraint. That may explain why Thulsa Doom in the film relied on the SKULL ILLUSION trick vs. the use of an actual skull mask, like Frank Langella did in the 1987 Masters of the Universe film.
Another element is the use of fake blood in cinema. Conan the Barbarian had two scenes that revealed a shower of blood, instead of a realistic stab wound as intended.
One scene was at the Moutain of Power. Thulsa Doom orders a girl to jump off the high place. The second scene (deleted) was that Thulsa Doom ordered a male cultist to end his life with the Fangs of the Serpent. However, it turns out that the bleeding was too exaggerated, forming a fountain of blood, instead of a normal stab wound as intended. Some argue the scene was removed due to time constraints, while leaving a scene why Thulsa Doom held a cloth, unexplained. IMHO, the scene was totally removed due to special effects failure.
There was a scene where King Osric was supposed to die too
The scene would've shown how much moral decay Thulsa Doom has caused via his cultists. A proposed draft had it where Yaro (and later Rexor) announces Thulsa Doom's plan to marry Yasimina, Princess of Zamora. Osric naturally refused because such a union would be too evil. The movie statement "She is to be.. HIS!" indicates a union. The scene was later described by the late Max Von Syndow was this:
All I remember really is from a scene which is not in the film. It was cut out and... that was after the scene when the three thieves are presented to King Osric. King Osric is killed, by his bodyguards I think, who has gone secretely with the snake worshippers. And Milius, who is very found of swords, and decapitations, and things... he actually figured out that I was not going to be decapitated but he wanted a man to hit me with his sword, right over my stomach I believe, and almost cut me in a half. So, I was rigged up with big blood bags all over, underneath his costume. And this guy came up to me and tried to kill me, and hit me with his sword, then I tried to die as realistically as I could. But he missed, so no blood was drawn. And Milius was really upset! So, another time, retake, we did it again, and the same was out, it was not as spectacular as he wanted. So, again, they put up these blood bags... And, finally, he hit the right spot, and there was a fountain of blood! And we all fell into paroxystic laughter, because it was so extraordinary that it was, I mean, blatantly not usable!
This scene made me think of Thulsa Doom's wicked plan. Zamora was a trade route and could've served the Snake Cult's purpose in invading the known world. Thulsa Doom, if he became king after getting rid of the king and marrying Yasimina (whom he may get rid of when she has served her purpsoe) would've had a better strategic launching pad. Turning Zamora into the Kingdom of Set would give Set's worshipers more power than intended.
The special effects failure removed what could've been a powerful scene. I felt killing Osric's death would've revelaed the power of Thulsa Doom as a bringer of death. Instead, the special effects failure made what could've been a dreadfully powerful scene fizzle out.
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