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Deathstalker

  • 1983
  • R
  • 1h 20m
IMDb RATING
4.6/10
7.2K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,161
2,707
Rick Hill in Deathstalker (1983)
Official Trailer
Play trailer2:03
2 Videos
99+ Photos
B-ActionDark FantasyQuestSword & SorceryActionAdventureFantasy

A lone warrior nicknamed Deathstalker is sent by a witch on a quest to find a sword, a chalice, and an amulet, two of which are held by the wicked king and sorcerer, Munkar.A lone warrior nicknamed Deathstalker is sent by a witch on a quest to find a sword, a chalice, and an amulet, two of which are held by the wicked king and sorcerer, Munkar.A lone warrior nicknamed Deathstalker is sent by a witch on a quest to find a sword, a chalice, and an amulet, two of which are held by the wicked king and sorcerer, Munkar.

  • Director
    • James Sbardellati
  • Writer
    • Howard R. Cohen
  • Stars
    • Rick Hill
    • Barbi Benton
    • Richard Brooker
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    4.6/10
    7.2K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    4,161
    2,707
    • Director
      • James Sbardellati
    • Writer
      • Howard R. Cohen
    • Stars
      • Rick Hill
      • Barbi Benton
      • Richard Brooker
    • 79User reviews
    • 75Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Videos2

    Deathstalker
    Trailer 2:03
    Deathstalker
    Deathstalker
    Trailer 2:10
    Deathstalker
    Deathstalker
    Trailer 2:10
    Deathstalker

    Photos101

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    Top cast22

    Edit
    Rick Hill
    Rick Hill
    • Deathstalker
    • (as Richard Hill)
    Barbi Benton
    Barbi Benton
    • Codille
    Richard Brooker
    Richard Brooker
    • Oghris
    Lana Clarkson
    Lana Clarkson
    • Kaira
    Victor Bo
    • Kang
    Bernard Erhard
    • Munkar
    Augusto Larreta
    Augusto Larreta
    • Salmaron
    • (as August Larreta)
    Verónica Llinás
    Verónica Llinás
    • Toralva
    • (as Lillian Ker)
    Marcos Woinsky
    Marcos Woinsky
    • Gargit
    Adrián De Piero
    • Nicor
    • (as Adrian De Piero)
    Jorge Sorvik
    • King Tulak
    • (as George Sorvic)
    Boy Olmi
    Boy Olmi
    • Young Man
    Horacio Marassi
    • Creature Leader
    • (as Horace Marassi)
    Patrick Duggan
    • Colobri
    Maria Fournery
    Maria Fournery
    • Anella
    Gabriela Rubinstein
    • Tarra
    Sebastián Larreta
    • Talan
    • (as Sebastian Larreta)
    Amalia Marty
    • Zaptiah
    • Director
      • James Sbardellati
    • Writer
      • Howard R. Cohen
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews79

    4.67.2K
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    Featured reviews

    amesmonde

    Cheap and cheerful Conan nonsense.

    A warrior named Deathstalker is sent on a quest by a witch to find a chalice, an amulet, and a sword. Soon, he's making new allies while battling warriors, creatures, and a wizard, in a story that's as thin as parchment but somehow still compelling in its brazen absurdity.

    Hot off the back of Conan the Barbarian (1982), director James Sbardellati (credited as John Watson) delivers a film in the vein of The Sword and the Sorcerer (1982), though without the latter's sense of scope or panache. Howard R. Cohen's adult-oriented plot is paper-thin-more a skeleton for chaos than a story-but it suits the kind of low-budget, testosterone-fueled nonsense this era of sword-and-sorcery demanded.

    Modeled on He-Man, Rick Hill (with a dash of Peter Weller and Dolph Lundgren) does a serviceable job as Deathstalker, bulking up the brawny charm while looking permanently winded from wearing so little. The late Lana Clarkson, however, steals every scene she touches, exuding both danger and allure with effortless presence. Richard Brooker as Oghris is a welcome oddity; one of those performances you remember for no good reason other than sheer theatricality.

    Gratuitous nudity, a dash of unnecessary rape, and all the hallmarks of Roger Corman production shortcuts are on full display-cheap sets, choppy editing-but the high-concept lunacy carries it for the most part. Óscar Cardozo Ocampo's score deserves a nod: it lifts the proceedings, energises the fight scenes, and even when intrusive, it somehow feels part of the charm, like a synth-powered alarm announcing chaos.

    The giant pig-man gladiator fight scene is a highlight, ridiculous and unwieldy, nothing like the promotional art but all the better for it. The showdown borrows from Superman II (1980) with Flash Gordon's Ming-like sorcerer Munkar, played by Bernard Erhard, getting his moment to shine-somehow lending gravitas to an otherwise gleeful trashfest.

    Overall, it takes itself seriously, it's violent, and wall-to-wall scantily-clad leads and extras parade through every frame. Yet there's an undeniable appeal: low-budget 1980s sword-and-sorcery shenanigans, a dash of audacious nonsense, and just enough spectacle to make it one of the better Conan cash-ins. Poster art is still better than the film, but in that gleeful, slightly trashy way, Deathstalker has its own charm.
    5unbrokenmetal

    The days of heroes are over

    The man known as Deathstalker (Rick Hill) is asked by an old king to rescue his daughter from the evil wizard Munkar (Bernard Erhard). Deathstalker rejects this plea saying that the days of heroes are over. But when all sword-fighters of the land are called by Munkar to a tournament, he can't resist...

    "Deathstalker" picks up all the clichés of fantasy movies, from wizards and princesses to mystical artifacts with great powers, and it adds a whole lot of sex and violence. Actually that happens to a degree that it gets hilariously funny. For example a giant kills a dwarf with several strokes of a heavy war hammer - and only a bit of blood red mud remains. Or the female warrior Kaira (Lana Clarkson) fights topless throughout the film. Go figure. "Deathstalker" goes w-a-y over the top, the ironical music indicates this was probably intended, and the action scenes are at least better directed than those of all the following flicks.

    Lana Clarkson became the "Barbarian Queen". Screenplay writer Howard Cohen went on to script "Barbarian Queen" and "Deathstalker 3". Rick Hill returned for "Deathstalker 4". Executive producer Roger Corman spent another 75 bucks (roughly estimated) on the 3 Deathstalker sequels and "Wizards of the Lost Kingdom", to name but a few. And why not, if "Deathstalker" was a success.
    6HaemovoreRex

    Deathstalker - He's a real gentleman! - *cough!*

    This is the first of four movies (so far) to feature the hero/barbarian/rogue character of Deathstalker.

    Now when you think of heroes in the Sword & Sorcery genre, they often have, shall we say, somewhat loose morals.....fair enough, as the films are often set in the dark ages or even earlier and we could therefore theoretically suppose that chivalry, at least as we know it today was not exactly in place back then (for that matter does it exist now?!) However, having said this, the heroes do still tend to be basically amiable chaps who adhere to some form of justice and honour.

    Take Dar from The Beastmaster for instance, he seems like a really decent chap in fact (as long as you don't get on the wrong side of him - in which case he'd probably slice you in twain!)

    The case of the eponymous Deathstalker is rather different however, for here we have a 'hero' who's immoral actions (particularly against women) give the main villain of the film a good run for his money! Yes, it has to be said that in the annals of cinematic good guys, Deathstalker (at least as portrayed in this entry in the series) will hardly be winning any accolades for his chivalry!

    Aside from the somewhat unlikeable hero, the film itself starts off in a decidedly disjointed manner.

    In fact, the first half of the film is filled with a series of scenes that make very little sense whatsoever! For instance one particularly stupid, pointless scene set in a cave from which our hero must retrieve a magical sword, left my jaw agape at just how ridiculous it was!

    Thankfully, the second half of the movie is much better and features some rather exciting fight scenes as our hero battles it out in a gladiatorial contest. There is also a fair amount of gore on display here to, a factor which always ups the enjoyment value in these type of films.

    Another positive for the movie (at least from a red blooded males perspective) is the copious amount of nudity displayed by the female cast in this. Hardly a minute seems to go by without a beautiful woman baring her breasts (all in the most gratuitous manner of course!)

    Overall then, whilst this film isn't likely to be remembered as a milestone in cinematic history, it does have a few of it's own (B-movie) merits and is certainly not a bad way to spend an hour and a half or so, on perhaps a lazy night in.
    8rlcsljo

    The best of the sword and sorcery flicks!

    This movie is packed with everything you would expect in a sword and sorcery film(except explicit sex)!

    There are twenty-five breast shots, twenty-seven butt shots, six sword fights, fifteen impalings, two amputations, one arrow in the neck, three beheadings, on horse dragging, one eye-candy, one finger food, one mud wrestle, one pig face, one magical trans sexual operation, two bitch slappings, one crotch stabbing, one head smashing, and one draw and quartering.

    It doesn't get much better than this!
    4Vomitron_G

    One boobie, two boobies, four boobies, six boobies, eight...

    Woosh…! Man… What can I say...?

    The opening-scene, maybe? We see a bunch of mongoloid-barbarians with bad make-up jump off the walls of some ruins. They sneak around and attack some dude with a scantily clothed captive girl. The dude runs off, the mongoloids follow him and one of them stays behind seemingly to rape the girl, but instead he exposes one of her breasts and kidnaps her. Then, the dude (still on the run) sees a horse and tries to steal it. Suddenly… a blond god-like looking hero with a bad wig appears, saying "That's my horse!". The Mighty Deathstalker just made his appearance. The mongoloids arrive, Deathstalker kills all of them (including the dude) on the tunes of some rather inappropriate Mexicanos western score (this is supposed to be a Swords & Sorcery flick, so what's with the 'arriba-trompettos'?), and then goes up to Captive Girl and exposes both her breasts. He starts to rub them and Captive Girl seems to like it. She starts liking her lips and caressing Deathstalker. Just when they are about to get down to it, this old dude appears, interrupting what could have been the end of a perfect day for Deathstalker (and a possible perfect ending for a short-film).

    Now tell me… Isn't that the point where either a feminist would angrily switch off the movie, or any other male viewer would say "This is going to be one hell of a good movie!" The plot is as simple as throwing a kitten from the balcony: Deathstalker must obtain the Sword of Justice and use it to steal the Amulet of Life and the Chalice of Magic from the evil sorcerer Munkar.

    Aside from decapitations, dismemberment, random bloodshed, retarded fist fights and embarrassing sword fights, this film also contains a massive amount of t!ts & a$$ shots. I initially wanted to add one extra point to this movie for each gratuitous shot of naked boobies I could count. After 9 points (not even halfway into the movie), I had to give up counting. It was distracting me from the rest of the movie. And the rest of the movie was worth it. Totally crazy stuff. Check out this mutant cat/worm-like creature Munkar has as a pet and which he feeds eyeballs and fingers. And here's an interesting question: What would you do if a man in a woman's body would enter your bedroom and try to kill you with a knife? The answer is simple: You slap him around a bit, take away the knife and then try to rape him. Then you discover that he's actually not a woman, so you throw him out of your bed and tell him to leave your room. It works out well, I tell you. Deathstalker does it too, and the Deathstalker-way, is the right way!

    DEATHSTALKER is a wonderful movie, really, as pointed out in other comments. The villains are vile. The women are delicious. There's blood, sex, violence, rape and tasty chicken. There's a completely pointless tournament which just features a bunch of barbarians beating, slashing and hacking the crap out of each other. My favorite weapon used in that tournament was a giant wooden hammer, used to beat a poor contender to bloody pulp. And my favorite contender undoubtedly was that one brute with the Warthog-head (reminiscent of the Gamorrean Guards from RETURN OF THE JEDI). I won't reveal how the movie ends, but just prepare to ravish in delight when I tell you a 4-way dismemberment is thrown into the movie's climax.

    And of course, there's a wonderful display of ineptitude throughout the whole movie. See a guy being dragged behind a horse over a dirt road, and the next point-of-view shot shows him being dragged over grass (no road). See that awesome tattoo on the sorcerer's head magically change sides within the same scene (on shot has it on the left side of his head, the other on the right). Well, after all, Munkar is a magician. It's that, or this movie was shot in an alternate universe where things like "continuity" simply don't exist.

    As much as I enjoyed this and as much as I am looking forward to the other 3 installments in this series, I do have enough shreds of decency left in me to not let this movie pass. I am prepared, though, to give it the maximum amount of minimal points, just so I could be able to deduct a couple of more points for the possibly inferior sequels to follow. DEATHSTALKER might be a superbly fun, trashy & sleazy CONAN rip-off, it also is an abominable movie.

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    Related interests

    Mathew Karedas in Samurai Cop (1991)
    B-Action
    Doug Jones and Ivana Baquero in Le Labyrinthe de Pan (2006)
    Dark Fantasy
    Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, Jack Haley, and Bert Lahr in Le Magicien d'Oz (1939)
    Quest
    Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sandahl Bergman, and Gerry Lopez in Conan le Barbare (1982)
    Sword & Sorcery
    Bruce Willis in Piège de cristal (1988)
    Action
    Still frame
    Adventure
    Elijah Wood in Le Seigneur des anneaux : La Communauté de l'anneau (2001)
    Fantasy

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Playboy Playmate Barbi Benton's last film role and last nude scenes. After this, she only appeared in guest spots on TV shows.
    • Goofs
      In the torture chamber, the tattoo on Munkar's head switches from its usual position on the left side to the right side. When he appears again it is back on the left side.
    • Quotes

      Deathstalker: I steal and kill to stay alive. Not for the luxury of glory.

    • Connections
      Edited into Kaine le mercenaire (1984)

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    FAQ18

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 16, 1983 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • Argentina
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • El cazador: el último rey guerrero
    • Filming locations
      • Argentina
    • Production companies
      • Aries Cinematográfica Argentina
      • Palo Alto Productions
      • Palo Alto
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $457,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $11,919,250
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $456,700
      • Sep 5, 1983
    • Gross worldwide
      • $11,919,250
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 20m(80 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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