Deathsport

Co-Directed by the one-and-only Roger Corman, DEATHSPORT takes place in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, where David Carradine runs around in his underwear and a cape. He also gets to wave a clear plastic sword around. Nefarious forces, led by Richard Lynch, are trying to stop those like Carradine's character from escorting people to freedom.

Once captured, our heroes are sentenced to participate in the titular tournament, sort of a souped-up motorcycle version of DEATH RACE 2000.

You've really got to hand it to Mr. Corman, who could always be counted on to keep churning out Drive-In fodder like this for the hungry masses. Co-star / schlock goddess, Claudia Jennings, spends a lot of her screen time in a groovy bikini, or completely naked. Usually while being tortured, so, fans take note.

Absolutely ridiculous from start to finish, the entertainment value is sky-high. Cheeeze addicts, gather your friends, distribute the intoxicants, and prepare for a rollicking good time!...

Anyone visiting the Hollywood hills during the late seventies had be prepared for running across film crews perpetrating monstrosities like this little beauty on which Quentin Tarantino gorged during his misspent youth.

New World supremo Roger Corman's name on the credits wasn't the recommendation it was fifteen years earlier, especially as it suffers from the usual seventies infelicities of ghastly haircuts, hideous synthesised music, hordes of mutants with eyes like ping pong balls and exteriors that look like giant jelly moulds.

Feminists might take issue at casting a Playboy playmate as the female lead, but the late Miss Jennings wields a mean blaster and never wears anything remotely as humiliating as David Carradine's loin cloth (a sight it's going to take me a long time to forget).

Some film makers, such as Ed Wood, produce movies so bad that they have a peculiar charm in spite of their overwhelming flaws. And then there's Roger Corman.

"Deathsport" was meant to ride on the coat tails of its successful predecessor "Death Race 2000," using motorcycles in place of automobiles as principal motif. However, although it does feature the same leading man (David Carradine), it lacks two key elements from the first film -- the self-caricature known as Sylvester Stallone, and the arch humor of director Paul Bartel who went on to direct cult favorites "Eating Raoul" (1982) and "Lust in the Dust" (1985). Principal director Allan Arkush, on the other hand, was soon relegated to the wasteland of television. Roger Corman wears his producer's hat for "Deathsport" but is also listed as an uncredited director. One noteworthy point: listed in the credits for "guitar" is Jerry Garcia. Could it really be THE Jerry Garcia of Grateful Dead fame?

This film should be seen by anybody interested in learning how NOT to make a movie. It is bad in so many ways that the 1000 word IMDb comment limit precludes me from even beginning to describe them. I would rate this film as low as possible if it weren't for two redeeming features: hilarious trailers for other Corman productions (in the video version), and completely gratuitous full frontal female nudity. Rating: 2/10.

A followup flick to Deathrace 2000,Deathsport is a wild thrilling ride.Very much underrated,and a cult classic for sure.You like deadly laser blasting dirt bikes?Futuristic noble knights of the apocalypse?Crystal sword fights?And a host of bad-guys dying ever few minutes?And an insane dictator with sadistic sexual tastes?If you find you like this movie or Deathrace 2000,check out Circle of Iron,another lost Carradine seventies classic that was scripted by Bruce Lee and stars Mr Carradine in four different roles.This ain't no academy award winning stuff,so don't expect a lot from a low budget sci fi opus.Just enjoy it for what it is,and tell all your friends.

In a dystopian distant future, warriors called Range Guides protect people in the desert wastelands from mutant cannibals. Beside the wastelands lie the powerful city states. Lord Zirpola of the city state Helix has captured Range Guide Kaz Oshay (David Carradine). Next, he captures female Guide Deneer (Claudia Jennings) to pair up with Kaz in his Deathsport game. They are tormented by Ankar Moor.

This is a Roger Corman B-movie. It has a lot of B-movie cheese. Of course, Jennings is a Playboy Playmate. The Deathsport is basically motocross bikes with lasers. They spent a bit of money on explosions. They blow up a few bikes and does one fire walk. Overall, it's a solid B-movie.