Deathsport (1978)

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

It is interesting even when nothing much happens, which is for most of its 3-hour running time. Read full review

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

For sure, the camera pays as loving attention to the impressive slow-motion explosions as it does to Claudia Jennings' nude form. More so, in fact, and more's the pity. The explosives credit is given to Roger George, who took advantage of every possible excuse to send fireballs roaring into the sky, so if that was you, Roger, we salute you! Otherwise, well, you know you're in trouble when the movie opens with David Carradine riding on horseback in a fur cape and a loincloth, a scene which left me asking myself, "If I had a hand blaster that would vaporize people, would I really bother carrying around a heavy-ass sword?" The answer is, probably, because Range Guides think swords are awesome cool just like everybody else.For most of its brief running time the movie is an unexceptional assemblage of awkward action scenes...for example, when the good guys battle the bad guys on motorcycles, it's rarely clear which stunt guy getting blasted is supposed to represent which actor...and cheesy dialog, although the late great Richard Lynch must have thought it ironic to mutter the lines "A man is a candle...He must set himself afire to create a life." That the movie credits two directors might explain why the final duel, which is set up with a sweeping 360-degree tracking shot, has a sense of style and grandeur which the rest of the movie is sorely lacking, clearly inspired by someone watching a lot of samurai and Wuxia films. Suddenly we realize that wow, this really IS what we were waiting for the whole time, just as David Carradine was waiting for a chance to finally show his stuff.

Following the great Neutron wars, the world in the year 3000 has become divided between totalitarian city states and dangerous desert wastelands. Powerful and nomadic Zen warrior-like Ranger Guides Kaz Oshay (a very hairy David Carradine, who somehow manages to keep a straight face amid the abundant absurdity) and Deneer (a pleasingly feisty portrayal by ravishing 70's drive-in cinema goddess Claudia Jennings) are captured by the evil, deranged, and terminally ill Lord Zirpola (sullen David McLean) to participate in Zirpola's deadly gladiatorial combat game of Deathsport. Of course, Kaz and Deneer manage to escape. The wicked Ankar Moor (deliciously essayed with teeth-gnashing nasty brio by Richard Lynch) gives chase. Man, does this gloriously ghastly abomination possess all the right wrong stuff to qualify as an enjoyably atrocious stinkeroonie: hopelessly ham-fisted (mis)direction by Allan Arkush and Nicholas Niciphor (the latter also co-wrote the nonsensical script), loads of pretentious mystical mumbo jumbo about some silly sacred code of honor, cheesy (far from) special effects (the laughably lousy matte paintings are a truly sorry, yet sidesplitting sight to behold), an uproariously inappropriate wonky-spacey score by Andy Stein complete with annoying droning synthesizer and a little jazzy wailing saxophone (!), ineptly staged action scenes (the climactic swordfight between Kaz and Ankar is weirdly edited and hence totally fumbled, but at least it concludes with a gnarly decapitation), exaggerated and often ear-splitting "Road Runner" cartoon type sound effects, some seriously bad over-the-top acting (Will Walker in particular is just terrible as whiny wimp Marcus Karl), a band of cave-dwelling cannibal mutants played by a gaggle of poor extras in tattered rags who sport ping-pong ball eyes and cheap plastic dime-store fangs, plentiful garish and excessive explosions, and tin-eared dialogue (choice lame line: "Everything is within the self; nothing is outside"). As a much-appreciated added plus, we also got a satisfying smattering of tasty gratuitous distaff nudity courtesy of the always scrumptious Ms. Jennings and hot brunette former "Penthouse" Pet of the Month Valerie Rae Clark (Miss May '77) as a -- what else? -- nude dancer. (Ladies will be glad to know that Carradine spends a fair share of his screen time clad solely in a loincloth ala Charlton Heston in "Planet of the Apes.") Jesse Vint has a sizable part as Ankar's right-hand man Polna, familiar bald baddie H.B. Haggerty appears in one of his customary sneering heavy roles as a sadistic torture-happy jailer, and a baby-faced Linnea Quigley pops up in a quick uncredited bit as a courtesan. Ace cinematographer Gary Graver offers several striking visuals and makes cool occasional use of wipes. A wonderfully wretched riot!

I have to say that this movie was the most surprisingly good movie I have ever seen! (thats why I call it a sleeper hit) I bought this movie mainly because I loved Death Race 2000 so much. Now I want everyone to know it is not a sequel, it just happens to have Death in the title and star the wonderful David Carradine. I also liked how "Deathsport" solved the flaw of "Death race 2000" by saying that the movie takes place in a thousand years after tomorrow. I really thought with the bad rating and the more serious plot that it was going to suck balls big time. But then when I played it I was so shocked, that it actually was awesome. Notice I said "awesome" and not "good" because I even know that, yes, its a terrible movie. But it is also extremely entertaining. I have literally not seen so many explosions in a movie. The movie does have huge flaws and is done horribly, but its definitely a "its so bad, its good" type movie. Now it isn't so bad that its unwatchable (i.e. Plan 9), in fact I find it very watchable. I will say go into this movie prob with a friend who also likes s***ty b-movies because its hard to laugh at this movie by yourself. *Minor Spoilers* If you like movies with naked playmates, motorcycle explosions, some overkill, horses when shot disappear, awesome music by "Jerry Garcia", sci-fi cliques, anti-climatic deaths (including a too short duel), gladiator fights, cavemen, painted backgrounds, nomad groups a thousand years in the future, city-states, and a little girl in a guinea pig cage then this movie is for you!

I loved Death Race 2000 when I found out there was a sequel I bought the DVD and was very dissapointed with the film. I dont know why this film is called a sequel to DR 2000 as its nothing like it the only similarities are that it stars David Carradine and has the word Death in the title