Safari 3000

"Safari 3000" is a movie which was shelved for two years before it was ultimately released. This usually is a very bad sign, as most of the time it means that the folks at the studio have no faith in the movie...or the production was small time and they ran out of money. Neither is a great alternative. And, after watching the movie, I can say the big problem with it is that it isn't sure WHAT it should be...a drama, a comedy or a romance. In some ways, the film is like combinging "The Gumball Rally", "Death Race 2000" and "The Cannonball Run"...which a tough of "Spaceballs"! Why do I add "Spaceballs"? Well, look at Christopher Lee's character, the Count...he looks like Dark Helmet's brother!!

Eddie Miles (David Carradine) works for Count Borgia (Lee). But the Count is a jerk and fires him right before the big race acress Africa...and Eddie is in need of a car. At the same time, an idiot reporter (Stockard Channing) has bought a terrible used car and plans on finding someone to use it in the race. Eddie agrees but the car is a mess...and it needs a new engine. So do they stand a change against the unscrupulous Count as he drives in the race?

I wish the film had chosed to be a comedy...period. But it's not especially funny...other than Christopher Lee's ridiculous outfit in the race. It could have also worked as a drama...but the dialog and helmet ALSO work against that. And, as a romance, it doesn't work especially well either as the chemistry between Carradine and Channing is poor at best. Overall, not a terrible film and it probably didn't deserve to be shelved...but it is NOT a good one by any standard.

In the tradition of " Cannonball Run " and " The Great Race " " Safari 3000" tells the basically simple story of a African continent road race. It's not a classic and there aren't any great stunts but all the actors ( Stockard Channing and Hamilton Camp in particular) look like they're having a roaring good time with the silly dialogue and consequently so will you. There are a couple of raunchy lines that will go right over the kiddies heads so it's one for the entire family. Lots of wild animals and some natives who are aren't as primitive as they appear, actors having a great time, all in all a fun way to spend an hour and a half. Of course, as in all low budget movies there are some unintentially funny moments, like the African used car dealer at the beginning who only gets his accent down in the second half of his scene.

So, it's a rally movie. From my own experience, the rally movie craze started with the real life rally Canonball Baker Sea-To-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash. Brock Yates, a Car and Driver writer created the race to protest the double nickle national speed law.

Inspired by this event there have been a number of movies. The main list is probably Canonball (76), Gumball Rally (76,) The Canonball Run (81).

Before those was another Carradine car movie, Deathrace 2000. Carradine was also in Canonball.

Which brings us to this 1981 "classic", Safari 3000.

This movie is not like those other movies in some ways. It focuses mostly on the Carradine/Channing team, and their nemesis, a count.

The movie is innovative in no obvious way. That's not a terrible strike against it, how many movies are? The movie is a comedy/adventure. So it should be funny. And it is, in spots. I laughed more at the clichéd lines than anything else, which is fine. I don't mind laughing AT a movie, as that's also legitimate entertainment.

Don't expect much for adventure. It's not like Indiana Jones or similar movies. You never feel like the protagonists are in any real danger. I hope that's intentional, or the movie makers are pretty bad at creating real tension.

This all sounds like I am down on this movie. In fact, I sat and watched most of it. That means I was entertained. I don't love Carradine but he has his moments. Channing is cute at times, and pretty likable. Reminds me a bit of Sally Field in Smokey in the bandit - a cute chick riding along in the car with a cute voice and a cute personality.

If you dig 80s cheese, rally movies and comedy-adventures with more silliness than substance, you might like this. And there's some nice scenery of African animals I thought was well done.

My review was written in December 1984 after watching the movie on MGM/UA video cassette.

Once upon a time, stuntman Chuck Bail directed "The Gumball Rally" for Warner Bros., Pual Bartel directed David Carradine in "Cannonball" for New World and later on, Hal Needham piloted Burt Reynolds and friends in the "Cannonball Run" pictures. "Safari 3000" comes midway during this car-racing trend, with the novelty of location lensing in South Africa and Zimbabwe. Minor pic, inoffensive but not very stimulating, was originally titled "Rally" and "Two in the Bush", filmed in 1980, test-booked by MGM/UA in 1982, surfaced later on pay-cable and is now a home video entry. Carradine toplines as a former Hollywood stunt driver ("I'm a real Burt Reynolds" he cracks) competing in the African International Rally against Count Loenzo Borgia (Christopher Lee), a descendant of the murderous family, and other teams from around the world. A gung-ho Playboy Magazine reporter J. J. Dalton (Stockard Channing), tags along as Carradine's navigator.

Up until its who-cares, end-of-race ending, pic offers mild humor, effective camaraderie between the pleasant leads Carradine and Channing, and attractive visuals of the African landscape and fauna. Unlike the Reynolds' pics, the cast is thin, with other teams barely in evidence.

About the only item worth noting on this lackluster film was the chemistry between Stockard Channing and David Carradine. It seemed as if the two actors were reading off each others reactions rather than a script. Perhaps that was part of the problem with this movie.

At times this film reminded me of the Disney film "The Love Bug." Of course "Safari 3000" is no where near as good a movie as "The Love Bug," and that isn't saying very much. Absolutely skip over this movie and be glad you haven't given up two hours of your life.