User reviews

Inexpensive sequel to "Death Race 2000" (1975), that bares little relation (both in content and quality) to the original. Gone is the camp dialogue and black humour - arrived is a painfully ear-splitting synthesiser score, pyrotechnic displays and banal screenplay. The only redemption that can be attributed to "Deathsport" is its cast and some of the action sequences. In a distant, post apocalyptic future, reticent hero David Carradine (no reprisal of his Frankenstein role here) competes in a motorcycle race that is actually a spectator sport. Having mashed a few brains beneath the wheels of his motorcycle, our cyborg hero develops a cult following much to the chagrin of the evil Ankar (Richard Lynch in fine form). Ankar considers himself the bigger enchilada, and sets out to annihilate Carradine and his flock.

Formula science fiction fare, with a just a hint of talent, courtesy of a capable cast and some light humour. Alongside the fearless Carradine is former Playboy playmate, Claudia Jennings, whose frequent disrobing more than compensates for her apparent lack of thespian skills. Sadly, this was to be her swansong. The three principals are ably assisted by veterans William Smithers (playing it straight, as always), and David MacLean (playing it up, as always).

"Deathsport" features some fluent action sequences and macabre special effects, but unlike its witty predecessor, the laughs are largely unintentional. When all the trailblazing is over and done, and Jennings has put her clothes back on, you can't help but feel short-changed. But then, as the credits disappear into the back of your TV set, the film's origins are revealed. You nod your head and forgive, because you understand. It's a New World Picture. They don't write 'em like that anymore ...

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.

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 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).

This is the ultimate "get your freinds togeter and yell at movie"!! Agreed the effects are cheap, the acting bad, and the "jet" motorcycles. But it's endering in it's ineptness, defiately worth a rental.

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.

The previous comments hit the mark perfectly. This is one of the clunkiest, most inept, most plotless post-apocalyptic "sci-fi" flicks you're ever likely to see. Claudia Jennings has a showstopping nude scene, but that's not a strong enough reason to sit through "Deathsport"'s awful sound effects, insufferably bad dialogue and lame action scenes. (*1/2)

There was no discernible story. They noise (I suppose it was a soundtrack) was horrific. Half the film was motorcycles driving about without any discernible direction. The acting was awful. Seriously folks, how could any one rate this above a 1, let alone a

10!!!

David Carradine and Claudia Jennings ride around on motorcycles that have been decorated with "armor" of particleboard painted silver, fighting David McLean and mutants.

In other words, same old same old. Of course, 99% of all movies are that, and there's no reason to sneer at them. While I am sure some love this movie (62 people, almost 5% of those who voted, rated this 10 out of 10), and I have disdain for it, I am willing to admit the technical issues are decently tended to, as much as they can be on a Roger Corman budget back then. It's the choices they made. Broadswords may look cool as you ride along on your Kawasaki, chopping at the Man, but there's a reason why cavalry sabers are comparatively light swords, and often curved.

Neither is it interesting to me to see a landscape shot in as ugly a fashion as possible. Yes, I know. The future is horrible! Because of stuff! Even if it is, I don't want to look at the Vasquez Rocks shot in as unappealing a look as a willing cameraman can manage through a brown lens. Perhaps it would have helped if the leads hadn't been stoned during the entire shoot.

This was a hit for 1978. Sigh.

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.

There's your standard B-movie cheese and then there's the gloriously goofy "Deathsport". A follow-up, rather than sequel, to "Death Race 2000" (with David Carradine returning in a protagonist role), it shows us a Dystopian future in which "range guides" like Kaz Oshay (Carradine) and Deneer (B movie goddess Claudia Jennings) do battle with villains called "Statesmen". These baddies are led by a hilarious Richard Lynch (playing Ankar Moor), a guy given to making supposedly meaningful statements. Moor works for a dictator named Lord Zirpola (David McLean), whose sexual tastes tend towards the strange and sadistic.

You'll be busy trying to keep track of all the humans, objects, and animals zapped out of existence with this riotous debacle, began by a man named Nicholas Niciphor (a.k.a. Henry Suso), who proved to be not up to the task. Allan Arkush ("Get Crazy", "Rock 'n' Roll High School") then did his able best to try to salvage this production. The action is often very good, with tons of explosions, some intense camera-work, a bit of gore, some fire gags, and an occasional decapitation. There's even some cribbing of "Star Wars" sound effects, and a music score (composed by Andy Stein, with guitar performances by Jerry Garcia) that is PRICELESS in its tackiness. The script is by Niciphor and Donald E. Stewart, and it contains some of the funniest, most ridiculous dialogue that you'll hear in a movie of this kind. The so-called "mutants" are very low-rent: basically a few actors in rags scurrying about with golf-ball eyes.

Fortunately, the filmmakers aren't stupid, contriving a means to get Jennings, as well as Valerie Rae Clark as a dancer, out of their clothes. The performances are pretty straight-faced from all concerned, which only makes the "story", such as it is, even more humorous. Carradine runs around in a diaper for a while and is a hoot as the good guy, while Jennings retains her appeal as a performer. The supporting cast includes a couple of familiar faces, such as Jesse Vint, William Smithers, H.B. Haggerty, and Brenda Venus.

A real comedown from the social commentary, dark humour, and campy appeal of "Death Race 2000", but yet "Deathsport" has undeniable pleasures for anybody looking for a "so bad it's good" type of movie. At least it keeps moving.

Six out of 10.

"Deathsport" is one of those films that have been lying on my DVD-shelf unwatched since years already because, quite frankly, it always looked like a really stupid movie and I have to be in a rare and specific mood to enjoy really stupid movies. But right now I was in urgent need of a movie starring David Carradine and this was the only one within reach. Come to think of it, I ought to have selected a much better movie for my tribute to this terrific cult/action cinema legend that sadly passed away this week (3rd of June 2009). "Deathsport" is a prototypic Roger Corman product from the late 70's. Obviously cheap and rapidly put together in order to further cash in on the unexpected but giant success of the previous "Death Race 2000"; also starring Carradine and also set in a crazed futuristic setting. But apart from this handful of superficial elements (also including the similar title), there's actually no real connection between "Death Race" and "Deathsport". This is merely an attempt to imitate "Star Wars", with a lot of cheesy light-and-laser weaponry, and an unintentional predecessor to post-apocalyptic gladiator movies that became particularly popular during the 80's. In a very distant future, practically the entire world has been destroyed due to nuclear warfare. Only a few big cities are left, surrounded by endless wastelands where cannibalistic mutants are continuously on the prowl. Life inside the big city isn't that much better, though, as Lord Zirpola is slowly going bonkers through brain disease and becomes increasingly obsessed with "Deathsport". This is a Roman-type of arena battle and Zirpola ordered his right hand – the malignant Ankar Moor – to capture the mystically empowered Range Guides Kaz Oshay and Deneer to fight till the death. The Guides are good hearted nomads, however, and rather than to obey and fight, they flee into the wastelands. Okay, admittedly this sounds like a rather complex and ambitious plot, but I can assure you that "Deathsport" is actually a pretty brainless and rudimentary Sci-Fi vehicle. Everybody always complains about the low quality level of early 80's Italian apocalypse movies, but honestly flicks like "The New Gladiators", "The Atlantis Interceptors", "Endgame" and "The New Barbarians" are a whole lot better than this dud. "Deathsport" is boring and repetitive, with really laughable special effects (the vaporizing weapon looks like a vacuum cleaner) and pitiable scenery (the so-called Death Machines are ordinary bikes with a metal plant on the front). The only highlights in the film occur whenever Richard Lynch appears on screen, as he gives away a deliciously over-the-top cheesy performance as the evil and crazy-eyed Ankar Moor. Well okay, other highlights include Claudia Jennings' multiple nude sequences and the scene where a dude drives off of a tremendously high cliff in slow-motion. David Carradine is sadly mundane and uninspired in this lame production and this definitely isn't one of the movies he'll get remembered for. I can list at least two dozen of movies that I rather watched instead. Rest in peace, grasshopper. You were the total definition of cool and handsome.

Deathsport (1978)

* 1/2 (out of 4)

Many people, magazines and books have called this a follow-up to DEATH RACE 2000 but I really don't see it as such. Yes, this film takes place in the future, has David Carradine and deals with a violent sport but I personally saw no connection to the previous film and not to mention Carradine is playing a different character. Set a thousand years in the future, an evil lord (David McLean) has eliminated the death penalty and instead inmates must earn their freedom by taking part in the "deathsport," which is a violent game on dirt bikes. A man (Carradine) and woman (Claudia Jennings) are selected to take part in the game and of course they're better than anyone who has played before. DEATHSPORT easily is no where near the quality of the original film (hey, I'm a fan) but at the same time it is so bad that I think bad movie fans might be able to have a good laugh at it. Whatever the budget was the majority of the money had to go towards the stunts in the film but more on that in a sec. Outside of the stunts everything in this film looks about as cheap as cheap can get and this includes the silly, futuristic dirt bikes, the silly looking swords and the countless bad costumes that are worn by everyone. Even worse is that the story itself really makes very little sense and in fact not too much happens throughout the running time. Those wanting gore will be disappointed because the majority of the kills are down with some sort of ray guns (obviously ripping the laser stuff from STAR WARS) that just make the people vanish into thin air. Both Carradine and Jennings are good sport about their roles but neither one exactly shines. Former Playmate Jennings has all sorts of nude scenes here so fans should at least enjoy this. Just wait until you check out the electrocution room and how it makes her jiggle for you. The stunt work here is actually rather incredible as there are all sorts of dangerous things being done. The highlight deals with an explosion where a man gets set on fire and he's in the middle of this amazing fire. I'm not sure how they did this stunt the way they did but it was very impressive to watch. Still, DEATHSPORT is pure cheapness from start to finish and only fans of the bad need to view.

Directed by Nicholas Niciphor & Allan Arkush. Starring David Carradine, Richard Lynch, Claudia Jennings, David McLean, William Smithers, Will Walker. (R)

In the distant, desolate future (some time after those pesky "Neutron Wars"), criminals are pitted against each other in a deadly sport called Deathsport (how apropos) where motorcycle riders fight it out to the death on a minefield. Making "The Running Man" look like the work of Isaac Asimov, this brainless, incoherent, ultra-cheap concoction is terminally strange and often off-putting, despite plentiful nudity and gratuitous explosions. Starts out with Carradine on horseback wearing only a cape and diaper-like loincloth while wielding a Plexiglas sword (so far, so amazing), but the filmmakers forgot to make anything that followed actually fun. As unpleasant as it is visually (aside from Valerie Rae Clark's birthday-suit dance, of course), it's even worse on the ears, with an execrable synthesizer score and Z-grade audio effects that sound ripped from terrible dubs of "Star Wars" and "Looney Tunes" shorts. Produced by Roger Corman, who also did some uncredited directing work (because two directors weren't enough?).

10/100

Heralded as a pseudo-sequel to DeathRace 2000, this film is a weak, poorly composed annoyance. Between the empty plot, misdirected actors, and absolutely bothersome soundtrack/sound effects you'll be reaching for the remote before the halfway point. You'd be happier watching DeathRace 2000... OR, grab a forty and some friends and make whatever jokes you can about Deathsport.

Seems to be a roger corman project..... he's the producer, as well as an uncredited director. David Carradine is "Kaz", at some point in the future. he arrives on a horse, and does battle with the soldiers on "death machines", souped up motorcycles, with a whole lot of heavy metal. filmed at Bronson Canyons, in Griffith Park, Los Angeles. some wack synthesizer music, and some ca-razy fur hoody costumes. Claudia Jennings is Deneer, the fearless chick. she was a playboy playmate, so of course she has (full frontal) nude scenes. and several similarities to Logan's Run, which was released two years prior. it's all preposterous, and hardly any plot. Jennings runs around nude for a while... Carradine in his loincloth. nothing too new and exciting here, although some fun sci-fi backgrounds are shown. the big showdown is the Deathsport battle. sadly, Jennings died quite young, theoretically by falling asleep at the wheel. it's all just very okay.

For sure, the camera pays as loving attention to the impressive slow-motion explosions as it does to Claudia Jennings' nude form. More so, in fact, and more's the pity. The explosives credit is given to Roger George, who took advantage of every possible excuse to send fireballs roaring into the sky, so if that was you, Roger, we salute you!

Otherwise, well, you know you're in trouble when the movie opens with David Carradine riding on horseback in a fur cape and a loincloth, a scene which left me asking myself, "If I had a hand blaster that would vaporize people, would I really bother carrying around a heavy-ass sword?" The answer is, probably, because Range Guides think swords are awesome cool just like everybody else.

For most of its brief running time the movie is an unexceptional assemblage of awkward action scenes...for example, when the good guys battle the bad guys on motorcycles, it's rarely clear which stunt guy getting blasted is supposed to represent which actor...and cheesy dialog, although the late great Richard Lynch must have thought it ironic to mutter the lines "A man is a candle...He must set himself afire to create a life."

That the movie credits two directors might explain why the final duel, which is set up with a sweeping 360-degree tracking shot, has a sense of style and grandeur which the rest of the movie is sorely lacking, clearly inspired by someone watching a lot of samurai and Wuxia films. Suddenly we realize that wow, this really IS what we were waiting for the whole time, just as David Carradine was waiting for a chance to finally show his stuff.

This is one of those films where everything, and I mean everything, explodes. Which is a good thing. Also, this is the type of seventies film where, if you're of a certain age, you'll start feeling anxious about your mortality as every single lead actor here is dead. Sigh.

David Carradine and Claudia Jennings are range guides (whatever that is) in the post-apocalyptic future (which is my favourite kind of future). I don't know what a range guide is, but they sure do spend a lot of time spouting semi-philosophical crappenshite. Bottom line is they are a threat to a dictatorship and kidnapped and forced to partake in Deathsport.

Deathsport somehow means making subversive non-citizens go up against Death Machines, which to you and me are motorcycles. Before we get to see that we get to see Carradine and Jennings are prisoners of Lynch having their arses kicked an awful lot, but once Deathsport starts Carradine turns the table.

Mostly this film involves people riding motorcycles and things blowing up. Some full frontal nudity too within some weird disco set up where the boss of the evil folk can electrocute girls in the skud or something. I paid a pound for this and it was worth every penny.

I spent most of the film to be honest wondering what was up with Richard Lynch's skin. Now I've read that the poor guy set himself on fire in the sixties after taking LSD? Jesus.

Also, Jesus directed and starred in this.

No redeeming features to this movie. Action scenes on motorcycles laughably bad, virtually no dialogue. Like this one between the 2 heroes: "They're trying to surround us" "Good. Then lets attack." Or "Man is like a candle he must light himself to radiate life." Stage uplights used as "ray guns." Good number of torture scenes with nude girl writhing in pain. About 20 different times the movie just shows motorcycles riding by the camera with some "futuristic" motor noise. High school play quality props. Only positive: Guitar by Jerry Garcia!!!

A thousand years in the future, in a little bubble of the 1970's, deadly efficient Ranger-Guides led by iconic (and doomed) schlock-thesps David Carradine and Claudia Jennings (both armed with Lucite lite-sabers) evade a renegade and his of army 'Death machine' riders, battle mutants that look like homeless Marty Feldmans, and spend a lot of time running around a post-apocalyptic Bronson Canyon. The film is dreadful at many levels, something that, in retrospect, many of the principals seem to agree on. Deathsport, as portrayed in the film, seems to be a cross between motocross and paintball (but with lasers), and makes about as much sense as Quidditch but fortunately, despite the title, 'the deathsport' per se has little to do with the film. The dreaded 'death machines' are small Yamaha dirt bikes with large, awkward-looking aluminum fairings that sound like TIE fighters (the film postdates Star Wars and it shows) when going through tunnels. The cast, led by Jennings (1970 Playboy Playmate of the Year, who spends an appropriate amount of time naked), and Carradine (who wears a breechclout for a while) are uniformly terrible (admittedly, the script doesn't give them much to work with), verging on amateur (especially Will Walker, who looks like he escaped from a '70's San Fernando Valley porn studio). The story, such as it is, makes little sense and is essentially an excuse for a long, drawn-out and boring chase that leads to one of the worst 'climatic duels' I have ever seen. Really awful but, as Roger Corman was involved, the movie made money, so all in all, a happy ending (unlike the real-life endings of Jennings and Carradine). The only good parts of the opus are some imaginative matte-paintings and the pyrotechnics - things seem to explode for no reason and the crew (supposedly stoned much of the time) must have had a lot of fun blowing stuff up. Watchable only as campy retro-trash - but that's not necessarily a bad thing.