Dimension de la mort

Death Dimension (1978)

** (out of 4)

A mad scientist known as The Pig creates a bomb that when it explodes it can freeze anything close to it. Detective J. Ash (Jim Kelly) is asked to try and track down the people behind it before it falls into the wrong hands.

Al Adamson was the master at creating ultra-cheap movies for the drive-in circuit. He could make just about any type of genre and more times than not he was able to mix the various genres into one crazy little film. He created some good movies like Dracula VS FRANKENSTEIN as well as countless really awful ones. DEATH DIMENSION is pretty much cheap non-sense that fans of the blaxploitation and martial arts genres should enjoy.

Obviously, if you're walking into an Adamson picture, you shouldn't be expecting high art or a quality picture. Basically what you want to do is just sit back, turn your brain off and just enjoy what's in front of you. Storywise the film is certainly a mess and it rarely makes too much sense but if you're a fan of Kelly and his martial arts style then there are plenty of fights here. The fights certainly aren't going to rival ENTER THE DRAGON but they're fun enough for this type of action picture.

There's obviously nothing ground-breaking here but for a cheap drive-in picture it at least has some energy and some charm.

I think anyone studying film making should be required to watch this film, and learn how NOT to make a film! This is just plain stupid!! I can see why the "Goldfinger" director had OddJob mute. Because Sakata's line readings are so bad, they might as well have dubbed in his voice. Why was poor George Lazenby cast to play in such trashy films? Was he really that bad in "On Her Majesty's Secret Service"? Did the director of this film think that by casting two Bondian actors in this film that he would be raising the production value of such a horrible script? The action scenes are so tame and unexciting, that you can't believe why Jim Kelly would allow this to be vehicle in his career after the success of "Enter The Dragon". The only one aspect of this film worth viewing (with the exception of the Bondian actors) is the soundtrack. Not that it's completely brilliant, but it definately has a Rare Groove edge to it (if that's your bag), but I doubt a Soundtrack album ever accompanied this "drive-in" "B-" movie. Oh, and Jim Kelly has a cool red jump suit to wear. But that's about it. If the opening scene (with a woman getting stitched up in a nauseating slow pace) doesn't get you to turn the video off, the action will slowly put you to sleep. Only interesting if you were ever curious to see what George Lazenby got up to after his turn at James Bond.

Death Dimension aka The Black Eliminator is one of two films that Jim Kelly made with infamous schockmeister Al Adamson. Both of these movies are really bad, this is the worst of the two. Black Samurai was the better of the two, it was just as poorly made as this. However, it was more over the top and entertaining. This has a lame plot that has Jim Kelly go after a villain named "The Pig" and has to save a woman from getting killed by a freeze bomb. The only reason to watch this movie is Jim Kelly, who really deserved better. There are a few decent karate fights and Jim Kelly still is a cool hero. I would have rather Jim Kelly fired his agent to get him better projects, but doing crap like this you can't really blame the guy for his exit from the film industry to pursue a career in tennis.

Afro-tastic! When Odd Jobb from Goldfinger forces a scientist to create a freeze bomb to sell to the arms community, the scientist implants the instructions for the bomb into the head of his assistant, sends her off, then kills himself. Odd Job is miffed at this turn of events and sends his cronies off to track her down. Meanwhile, Big Jim Kelly is investigating the murder of a cop (by Odd Job's right hand man) and sets out to find the killer and the assistant, but Odd Job's men are out to get him too. What's a brother to do?

Get out them lightening fast fists and beat them turkeys, that's what! Jim visits one of Odd Job's brothels for no reason, but after that he's kicking heads in left and right and centre, sometimes with the help of a sidekick. You get fights on boats, car chases, punch ups, a gunfight between a cable car and a helicopter, Odd Job threatening a woman with a turtle (I mean he's brandishing a turtle at a woman rather than threatening a woman in possession of a turtle), loads of hookers and Aldo Ray (Psychic Killer, Haunts) shouting at the top of his voice.

What more do you want? George Lazenby? Well, he's here too! Throw in a very funky soundtrack, non-stop action and that's pure entertainment. Sure, it's all done on the cheap and some of the fights are a bit hokey (especially between Kelly and Odd Job, but that ain't Big Jim's fault), but this is pure seventies gold.

The freeze frame of Kelly's triumphant flying kick at the end seals the deal. RIP big man – you'll be missed.

Pure comedy. I hired this film from a video store as a kid in the late 80's. Along with brothers and friends we were looking for dodgy 70's films with afro's, car chases, gun fights and most importantly a 'twangy' 70s soundtrack. We were not disappointed. We still talk about this film today. There is one scene where a character called 'The Pig' holds a turtle above a woman's breast and declares 'one bight of your tit and you have to cut head off before he let go'!!! (Said in dodgy Chinese accent - same guy who played Odd Job in Bond movie). If you are looking for laughs, get this film. Terrible plot, awful acting, hilarious fights and an amazing script!! I just want to get my hands on this again!!!