The Blood of Heroes

1989
R
1h 30m

IMDb RATING

6.4/10

7.7K

YOUR RATING

Rutger Hauer and Joan Chen in The Blood of Heroes (1989)

In a future where most of mankind and technology is wiped out, six people travel from place to place playing a brutal form of football with a dog skull. They hope one day to play in the league in a city.

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In a future where most of mankind and technology is wiped out, six people travel from place to place playing a brutal form of football with a dog skull. They hope one day to play in the leag... Read allIn a future where most of mankind and technology is wiped out, six people travel from place to place playing a brutal form of football with a dog skull. They hope one day to play in the league in a city.In a future where most of mankind and technology is wiped out, six people travel from place to place playing a brutal form of football with a dog skull. They hope one day to play in the league in a city.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.4/10

7.7K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Trivia
Extras Casting Coordinator Judith Cruden described the one hundred fifty Coober Pedy local extras as the "most extraordinary bunch of characters I've ever met."

Goofs
In the opening credits, the last name of actor Hugh Keays-Byrne, who plays the part of Lord Vile, is misspelled as 'Bryne.'

Quotes
Gonzo: Lord Vile, I've broken Juggers in half, smashed their bones, left the ground behind me wet with brains. There's nothing I wouldn't do to win. But I never hurt anyone for any reason other than sticking a dog's skull on a stake.

Crazy credits
Pre-title card: "People no longer remembered the Golden Age of the 20th Century. They didn't remember the miraculous technology or the cruel wars that followed. They didn't remember when juggers first played The Game or how it came to be played with a dog skull..."

Alternate versions
The US version stops a little short and omits the "real" not quite so positive ending found in the European/Asian/Australian version.

Connections
Featured in Hollywood Chinese (2007)

User reviews58

Review

Featured review

10/10

Excellent

It was a while ago when I first saw this movie and watched it again recently. People might complain that it doesn't have enough dialogue, plot is not intricate enough, there aren't any special effects for a Sci-fi movie, and it is too low budget to be considered a good movie. But I'll say people who say such things, they don't really know how to appreciate a good movie or understand what a good movie is, because they are too used to modern day rubbish jam packed with special effects, explosions, unnecessary twists and horrible scripts.

I think everything is done just right in the movie and I especially love the way they give no sentimentality to the backdrop to the movie. No discussion of the past as to why the world they do jugging is the way it is and everyone in this world just get on with their lives in this gritty desolate world without any lamenting thoughts to the past.

I won't go into much detail, but all I'll say is just watch the movie and you'll be glad that you did. By the way, it seems like there are two versions which I didn't realise until I read the comments here and seems like the shorter version cuts out the ending. Since I thought the ending was very fitting I do recommend you watch the longer version, it just won't have the same impact without the proper ending.