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A Game of Death is a remake The Most Dangerous Game (1932) in fact it's one of many remakes. This however is a very close "Loyal" one which though has tweaks could easily be confused with the original because of both the visuals, plot and actor choices.

Once again it tells the story of people involved in shipwrecks who find themselves taken in by a mysterious stranger on an island. Little do they know he is a hunter and his choice of prey, man!

It's a great premise and the movie once again does a decent enough job of telling the story. I do however think that 13yrs earlier they told the tale better.

Again this is fairly loyal, it's essentially the same movie just with couple of tweaks and structural differences. Ultimately it's the near identical so if you've seen the original you'll get absolutely nothing out of this.

Watchable stuff, but inferior to The Most Dangerous Game (1932).

The Good:

Well made remake

The Bad:

I cannot root for a hunter

Recycled footage

Too close to the original

A Game of Death (1945)

A legendary big game hunter is shipwrecked and lands on an island where a reclusive man and his motley crew of servants has been trapping humans and hunting them like wild game. A great idea, and this movie is pretty good at making an entertainment about it.

It's not helpful to jump to the obvious, I suppose, but for those of us who have seen the two major versions of this sordid and contrived tale, the original short story is much better. In fact, the "The Most Dangerous Game" (as the Richard Connell story is called) has wit and drama and surprise, and an economy of telling, that makes it a classic and very readable still.

So this 1945 version of "The Most Dangerous Game" falls short partly because it doesn't want to be as chilling and scary as the story. For one thing, it adds a shade of romance to the thing which cheapens the real essence of the conflict. When our hero, played by John Loder, arrives he finds a pretty young woman (Audrey Long) and her brother are captives there from an earlier wreck, and so we all know the brother is expendable and the man and woman are likely to win the day and drive off in the sunset at the end.

Which ruins the point. The original has a tension of survival built in. It really does turn around the notion of the hunter becoming the hunted. The crazed hunter in this case, since it's 1945, is a German named Erich Kreiger (played by the very American actor Edgar Barrier, who came out of Orson Welles's Mercury players, and who played Banquo in the Welles MacBeth a couple years later).

While we are name dropping, the director is the young Robert Wise, who it might be said never made a bad film in his life, and who had his own start as an Orson Welles tagalong. Even here, where the thrust of it is watered down, there are so many visually terrific parts it is a thrill to watch. In particular are the night shots of the pursued couple in the jungle, with moving camera through the weeds presaging the more famous running shots of Kurosawa's "Rashomon." In fact, the whole movie is very well made and edited, clearly an intelligent technical achievement. On that level, you can watch it with real pleasure.

And the plot will just carry itself along. If you like this at all you should find the Joel McCrae and Fay Ray version from 1932, called "The Most Dangerous Game." It was shot partly on the "King Kong" sets at night when the more famous film crew was at home in bed, except Fay Ray, who of course was the heroine in both. It's essentially the same idea, with Max Steiner music, and it was here that the brother and sister were added to the Connell plot. You can also look for the very good Richard Widmark version, which has a very different feel and intention but ends up with the same hunter becoming hunted scenario, called "Run for the Sun" (1956), currently streamable on Netflix.

Utilizing many shots from the original The Most Dangerous Game and that RKO jungle set that so many classics like King Kong was shot on, RKO made a perfectly acceptable remake of that film now entitled A Game Of Death. Stepping into the leads that were previously done by Joel McCrea, Fay Wray and Leslie Banks are John Loder, Audrey Long, and Edgar Barrier respectively. All are suited to the parts they play, especially Barrier who is a wonderful Teutonic villain. In 1945 every other film had a Germanic type villain, they were so easy to hate.

The major change is from Robert Armstrong to Russell Wade as the brother of the leading lady. Armstrong certainly was far more entertaining as the dissolute drunken playboy. But Wade was certainly more of a challenge to the hunting skills of Barrier.

As we know the game that Barrier hunts for sport is man. Barrier is excited to find that one of the shipwrecked who visit the island is a noted Frank Buck type hunter in Loder. Like the original Loder proves to have just the right stuff.

If you liked the original, you'll find A Game Of Death suited to your taste.

Game of Death, A (1945)

** (out of 4)

Robert Wise directed this RKO remake of their 1932 classic THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME. This time out, world-known hunter Don Rainsford (John Loder) washes ashore on a strange island where he learns that its owner Erich Kreiger (Edgar Barrier) likes to hunt humans for sport. You know it's never a good sign when a remake borrows footage from the original film but that's not even the start of the problem with this film. You certainly can't blame the studio for trying their hand at another version of the story but there was so much set against this film from the word go. For starters, that 1932 film is a flat-out classic and one of the greatest and most gruesome action pictures you're ever going to see. With the Hayes Office in full force by 1945 that meant the story had to be toned down and this really kills a lot because you haven't a shot at building up any atmosphere and even worse is that this remake doesn't contain that creepy and raw energy of the original. It also doesn't help but Wise seems to be all wrong for this material. Even though the subject matter had to be toned down that's not a reason for everything to be so lifeless. There's really no chemistry between the cast and when the final hunt does happen it's more boring than anything else. There's not an ounce of energy to be found anywhere and that's a real shame because the story itself is so good that it really shouldn't take too much to get it on the screen. Of course, another major problem is that the 1932 film had such a wonderful cast that it would be nearly impossible to try and match it. I thought Loder was pretty good in the lead but the screenplay really doesn't give him too much to do in terms of acting. Barrier isn't nearly as perverted or creepy as Leslie Banks but he has a few interesting bits. Audrey Long is pretty bland as the female on the island and Russell Wade doesn't do much as her weak brother. At just 72-minutes the film goes by at a rather good pace but the entire time you're just sitting there wishing that you were watching the original.

It's been a couple of years since I watched the 1932 "Most Dangerous Game", but from what I recall this "Game Of Death" is an almost shot-for-shot remake at times. That means that there are few surprises for those who have seen the original; on the other hand, the remake is made competently (by the director of some future megahits Robert Wise). Edgar Barrier makes for a suitably hissable villain (in keeping with the new time period, he is now German and hates "weaklings"). **1/2 out of 4.

Why RKO felt the need to remake The Most Dangerous Game 13 years later eludes me, but they did and really did so poorly. This film bears little resemblance to its forerunner except in the basic plot, which it even has the temerity to change in all the wrong places. Director Robert Wise, early in his career, has little to work with here. The script is shallow, the sets and budget very small...so small in fact that most of the chase scenes and scenes with dogs are from the 1932 version of the film. In point of fact, very little has been added here at all, except some third-rate performers(with the exception of Edgar Barrier in the Zaroff role) and some tedious and plotting scripting and direction. Noble Johnson is back...yes he was in the first film..and they even use footage of him from the earlier film looking completely different. Why? Oh well...I guess it was not suppose to be anything real good...and to be sure it does not even come close to being good. Do yourself a big favour and watch the original. That is a masterpiece!

John Loder ("Now, Voyager") plays Don Rainsford, a renowned big game hunter & author. He survives a shipwreck, but is able to make it to a nearby island, presided over by a seemingly genial host, Erich Kreiger (Edgar Barrier, Welles' "Macbeth"). He also meets other guests of Kreigers' who are also shipwreck survivors. However, Kreiger turns out to be a fellow hunter and genuine madman who's now hellbent on hunting the ultimate game: his fellow man.

13 years after "The Most Dangerous Game", R. K. O. Filmed this second screen adaptation of the enduring Richard Connell story. While this itself doesn't really qualify for classic status, it's still a lot of fun. It DOES have a fair amount of set-up to sit through, but the "game" is made intriguing by the fact that the heroes are onto our villains' plan fairly quickly, but HE knows that they know. Although fairly atmospheric, this film consists mostly of talk until a reasonably exciting finish.

Directed by the talented and versatile Robert Wise ("The Sound of Music", "The Haunting", etc.), made when he was an in-house director at R. K. O., this features a solid cast, with Barrier standing out as the deranged bad guy. Loder is a jut-jawed, stolid hero. They receive able support from Audrey Long ("Born to Kill") - playing the sole female character, Russell Wade ("The Body Snatcher"), Russell Hicks ("The Little Foxes"), Jason Robards Sr. ("Isle of the Dead"), Gene Roth ("Earth vs. The Spider"), Noble Johnson (who was also in "The Most Dangerous Game"), and Robert Clarke ("The Hideous Sun Demon").

Although this may well be a somewhat watered-down version of the tale, that will only serve to make this viewer interested in the 1932 film, which is supposed to be quite intense and nasty for its time.

Seven out of 10.

When I saw this unobtainable remake on one of the cable channels, I was immediately drawn in, which was the opposite of what I was expecting. Credit the director for this, as it may not have been possible if it had been by a less than skilled professional. He got the most out of the actors, and and the sets were believable. I give this movie high marks for production value and telling the story again, but just as compelling a way.

This is a pretty straightforward remake of RKO's 1932 adaptation of "The Most Dangerous Game" with Robert Wise at the helm, his first directorial outing outside of Val Lewton's production unit. John Loder is the lead. Edgar Barrier is the villain ... German this time as would be appropriate just post WWII. Audrey Long and Russell Wade (returning from "The Body Snatcher") are Barrier's other guests.

This version is fine, is rather unnecessary. Loder is not a very exciting lead, but Barrier is pretty good if nowhere near Leslie Banks' caliber. Really ... the film's greatest sin is being an okay remake of a masterpiece.

In a weird touch, outtake footage from the 1932 film is used as a cost-saving measure resulting in Noble Johnson showing up in two different roles in the same movie ... as Barrier's mute servant in the 1945 footage and as the hound handler in the 1932 footage.

This is basically the same exact film as the original The Most Dangerous Game (1932) - only a few changes involved in this remake... and the casting isn't as good either. I highly suggest the original 1932 film over this one... the changes in this remake kinda mess up the original idea to a degree. Now if all you can get a hold of to view is this remake then I will say it's worth watching.

Might I suggest a LOOSE remake: Bloodlust! (1961)?! It isn't a carbon copy of the the 1932 nor this 1945 close remake. It doesn't pretend to be Most Dangerous Game - but it's simply a LOOSELY made remake. Bloodlust! makes enough changes to give us a different story along the same vein where A Game of Death is faded carbon copy of the original film.

I like Bloodlust! better than this 1945 film. This 1945 is so close to the 1932 original (made only 13 years later) that it's makes you question RKO why did you bother to remake the sublime original into a faded copy? No A Game of Death is NOT an awful film - it's pretty good - but why did RKO bother making this remake when the original film is so much better?! 5.5/10

Director Robert Wise shows what he can do with Connell's classic story, THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME.

Big game hunter, Don Rainsford (John Loder) finds himself on a mysterious island after surviving a shipwreck. He soon becomes a guest at the fortress-like mansion of Erich Kreiger (Edgar Barrier), who also happens to be a hunter.

As Rainsford begins talking to other "guests" of Kreiger, he discovers a sinister plan to hunt the ultimate quarry.

Though I personally prefer the original 1932 version, and Leslie Banks' Zaroff over Barrier's Kreiger, Wise adds some nice touches and upgrades here and there. The inside of the mansion is impressive, and the "trophy room" is far more ghoulish!

This movie is reminiscent of Wise's work with Val Lewton. The suspense builds perfectly to the inevitable climax.

Highly recommended...

As directed by Robert Wise, this remake of The Most Dangerous Game (1932) isn't a bad film but it suffers from being totally redundant. The script changes a few scenes, but for the most part the plot sticks very closely to the original, with many moments being re-enacted shot for shot.

John Loder plays world renowned big game hunter Don Rainsford, who swims ashore on a supposedly deserted island after the yacht on which he was travelling hits rocks and sinks. Exploring the jungle, Don finds a castle and is surprised to find it occupied: the owner is Erich Kreiger (Edgar Barrier), also a keen hunter; the other occupants are Krieger's staff, and Ellen and Robert Trowbridge (Audrey Long and Russell Wade), survivors of a previous wreck.

It eventually transpires that Krieger has been deliberately luring ships onto the rocks and using any survivors as quarry in his nightly hunts.

If you haven't already seen the excellent 1932 classic, then you'll probably find A Game of Death hugely entertaining; however, those familiar with the earlier film won't find it anywhere near as gripping, especially since the original pre-code movie was able to be far more shocking, and featured a much better cast (Joel McCrea, Leslie Banks, and the lovely Fay Wray).

1945's "A Game of Death" was the second official screen version of Richard Connell's enduring 1924 short story "The Most Dangerous Game," a battle of wits on a tiny island where the hunter becomes the hunted and vice versa, first done at RKO under its original title in 1932 by "King Kong" filmmakers Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack. Both RKO versions add more characters to the mix, an inebriate unable to escape his fate and a beautiful sister, the ultimate prize for the victor. Don Rainsford (John Loder) is a world-renowned big game hunter who gets more than he bargained for after his ship is destroyed on dangerous coral reefs over shark infested waters near a small island that he soon learns is not deserted but houses the elaborate abode of Erich Kreiger (Edgar Barrier). His host is delighted to meet a fellow sportsman and revels in sharing his own exploits in tracking and killing across the globe, revealing a forehead scar where he was gored by a Cape buffalo. Kreiger's zeal in the chase led him to forsake the rifle for bow and arrow, freely admitting that even this had grown tiresome before moving to this South American island hideaway, once a haven for pirates, now his own private game reserve. Pretty Ellen Trowbridge (Audrey Long) and her brother Robert (Russell Wade) confide in the new arrival that two other guests have disappeared since they went hunting with Kreiger, and a search of his trophy room reveals a head being pickled in a jar. Now that the game is afoot, Rainsford must find a way to lure his host into a tiger trap set in the jungle while avoiding Kreiger's masterful use of weapons and dogs to assure victory. The climactic hunt is held back until after the 50 minute mark, whereas the 1932 version got down to business sooner with its shorter running time and Pre-code atmosphere (the painting on the staircase revealed the bare breasts of its captive female, and the door knocker is similarly adorned). John Loder was perhaps a better choice for protagonist than the much younger Joel McCrea, but his performance is only adequate, juvenile leads Audrey Long and Russell Wade lacking the gravitas of Fay Wray and Robert Armstrong. Also coming up short is Edgar Barrier's near comatose performance in the role of German villain, the intensity of Leslie Banks' Russian Zaroff sorely missed in his lackluster portrayal (Banks clearly had an edge in partially paralyzed facial muscles that made his wide staring eyes bulge out). Present in both entries is the welcome sight of "King Kong" veteran Noble Johnson, repeating his mute manservant role and also appearing in stock footage once the hounds are let loose. Here is where the original footage clashes with the new, shots of Zaroff alternating with Kreiger, and director Robert Wise repeating the POV camera shots behind and in front of the actors on the run. Wise had previously scored his finest early triumph with Val Lewton's "The Body Snatcher," and seems handcuffed by slavishly following another filmmaker's work, unable to maintain tension during the lengthy buildup where the audience has to wait for the characters to catch up with events. As remakes go it's not terrible, just relentlessly mediocre.

It is not widely shown in the great director's filmography, and I can't explain why. It is the remake of a classic from the previous decade: THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME. But that's not a reason, despite the "copycat" scene for scene filming, I admit. As Roy Boulting will do one decade later in RUN FOR THE SUN, the Nazis, fierce Nazis, are the villains in this adventure film. It is not Bob Wise's best, of course, especially if you consider the rest of his filmography, but it should be named on the same level as THE BODYSNATCHER or BORN TO KILL. CURSE OF THE CAT PEOPLE is also a Wise's gem which not legions of movie buffs talk about. Anyway this one is pretty good, even with an used story which will be over and overused in the future by dozens - if not more - of directors and screenwriters, novelists.... It is forbidden to neglect the view of this film. From RKO pictures. And available on You Tube.