Der Todesmajor

My review was written in August 1990 after watching the film on Shapiro Glickenhaus video cassette.

Erik Estrada visits the Far East for this redundant war actioner apparently made several years ago in Thailand.

Constituting a minor video title Stateside, "The Lost Idol" concerns a stolen golden statue that a group of American soldiers stash in a cave in 1975 Kampuchea. Some eight years later they're greedily looking for the booty, with nice guy grunt Estrada forced to help out as a guide since his wife and kid have been kidnapped by the heavies, led by James Phillips.

Pretty Red Cross worker Myra Chason is roped into the caper (she's Phillips' old flame). The Vietnamese have coincidentally bu9ilt a huge base right where the idol is hidden leading to a final reel showdown with supernatural overtones imitative of "Raiders of the Lost Ark". Just substitute Vietnamese soldiers for Nazis.

Poor scripting is not helped by the stilted line readings. The performance of a Vietnamese major who tortures Estrada, Phillips and Chason is stereotyping right out of World War II movies like "The Purple Heart". Hodgepodge has a mountainous German bodybuilder, Christoph Kluppel, popping up as one of the bad guys. Film's ending is bitter and nihilistic, in line with its propaganda content.

Generally it is really a bad movie. I have been unable to watch the whole thing without falling asleep or finding something else to occupy my time.

BUT!! I am buying my second copy (the first one was damaged) and will buy another (if that one fails), to watch the introduction (I love the narration) and the award/promotion scene where a General promotes and decorates the bad guy.

I play the part of the General in that scene. I was stationed in Thailand (I was only a Major) when they filmed this movie and got the bit part along with several other Army folks that fill out the award and promotion ceremony scene. Later, the Thai director asked me to voice over the beginning of the flick with their narration (which I had to polish up to be real English....).

I saw the movie for the first time in Bangkok at a local theater. It was dubbed in Thai at the time and I was the only farang (Foreigner) at the theater. I stuck out like a sore thumb and all the Thais were wondering why I was there. Then came the award scene and they all turned and looked at me, pointed and whispered to each other. I was a celebrity!!! Gave up on ever seeing the "Thai Movie" again, but then found "The Lost Idol on Estrada's filmography, realized it was the one and indulged myself on Amazon.Com to buy a copy.

Never got to meet Estrada, but my wife did at the local Hilton Hotel in Bangkok over brunch, and got his autograph and spent some nice time speaking with him and his wife.

All in all my one minute of fame, captured forever on video tape....a terrible movie.....but one I will keep and remember forever!!!

So, this film would only be a 1 if i should vote only considering the storyline, plot and acting. But the the fact is that the film is SO bad made (the worst i EVER seen) that it makes the movie a really funny one to watch... If you ever see this movie in the videostore and want a good laugh, dont hesitate to rent it :-)