Deathsport
Encyclopedia
Deathsport is a 1978 science fiction B-movie produced by Roger Corman
, directed by Allan Arkush
and Nicholas Niciphor. The film stars David Carradine
and Playboy Playmate Claudia Jennings
.
In this future, the death penalty was replaced by Death Sport, where criminals battle each other to the bloody death for their freedom. The mad Lord Zirpola (David McLean) is using the "Death Machines" against some Range Guides he managed to capture. Foolishly, one of these guides, Kaz Oshay (Carradine), is the son of a legendary Range Guide. He forges a bond with the female guide Deneer (Jennings) and vows to escape with her and find her child who was taken by the mutants before her incarceration.
After enduring tortured from Zirpola and facing his mother's killer, Ankar Moor (Richard Lynch), Oshay and Deneer are forced onto the Death Sport motocross
field which is mined with explosives. They easily defeat the Death Machines riders and escape into Helix city with two of the other prisoners, Doctor Karl (William Smithers
) and his son Marcus (Will Walker), but during the escape, the doctor is killed.
Eventually they rescue Deneer's child from a cave of mutant cannibals, and battle the other Death Machine riders who followed them. Finally safe, Deneer delivers Marcus to Tritan, while Kaz Oshay faces his nemesis Ankar Moor in "honorable" combat, using Whistlers (plastic swords that sound like music). After a bloody battle Kaz decapitates Ankar, becoming the greatest guide alive. The film ends with him and Deneer riding their horses off into the sunset.
released Deathsport along with the 1982 film Battle Truck
on a double-feature Collector’s Edition DVD.
and featured guitar riffs from Jerry Garcia
.
Roger Corman
Roger William Corman is an American film producer, director and actor. He has mostly worked on low-budget B movies. Some of Corman's work has an established critical reputation, such as his cycle of films adapted from the tales of Edgar Allan Poe, and in 2009 he won an Honorary Academy Award for...
, directed by Allan Arkush
Allan Arkush
Allan Arkush is an American cult film and television director and frequent collaborator of Joe Dante....
and Nicholas Niciphor. The film stars David Carradine
David Carradine
David Carradine was an American actor and martial artist, best known for his role as a warrior monk, Kwai Chang Caine, in the 1970s television series, Kung Fu, which later had a 1990s sequel series, Kung Fu: The Legend Continues...
and Playboy Playmate Claudia Jennings
Claudia Jennings
Claudia Jennings was an American model and actress. Jennings was Playboy magazine's Playmate of the Month in November 1969 and later Playmate of the Year 1970...
.
Plot
1,000 years in the future, after the great Neutron Wars, the world is divided into a barbaric collection of small city states, surrounded by wastelands where only mutant cannibals and independent warriors, known as Range Guides, can live. The city state of Helix is planning war on another capitol, Tritan. Hoping to prove their newest weapon's superiority, the "Death Machines" (laser equipped Dirt bikes), they create a new, special Death Sport.In this future, the death penalty was replaced by Death Sport, where criminals battle each other to the bloody death for their freedom. The mad Lord Zirpola (David McLean) is using the "Death Machines" against some Range Guides he managed to capture. Foolishly, one of these guides, Kaz Oshay (Carradine), is the son of a legendary Range Guide. He forges a bond with the female guide Deneer (Jennings) and vows to escape with her and find her child who was taken by the mutants before her incarceration.
After enduring tortured from Zirpola and facing his mother's killer, Ankar Moor (Richard Lynch), Oshay and Deneer are forced onto the Death Sport motocross
Motocross
Motocross is a form of motorcycle sport or all-terrain vehicle racing held on enclosed off road circuits. It evolved from trials, and was called scrambles, and later motocross, combining the French moto with cross-country...
field which is mined with explosives. They easily defeat the Death Machines riders and escape into Helix city with two of the other prisoners, Doctor Karl (William Smithers
William Smithers
William Smithers is an American actor, perhaps best known for his recurring role as Jeremy Wendell in the television series Dallas. He appeared in the series in 1981 and from 1984 to 1989...
) and his son Marcus (Will Walker), but during the escape, the doctor is killed.
Eventually they rescue Deneer's child from a cave of mutant cannibals, and battle the other Death Machine riders who followed them. Finally safe, Deneer delivers Marcus to Tritan, while Kaz Oshay faces his nemesis Ankar Moor in "honorable" combat, using Whistlers (plastic swords that sound like music). After a bloody battle Kaz decapitates Ankar, becoming the greatest guide alive. The film ends with him and Deneer riding their horses off into the sunset.
Release
On August 3, 2010, Shout! FactoryShout! Factory
Shout! Factory is an entertainment company founded in 2003 that was started by Richard Foos , Bob Emmer and Garson Foos initially as a specialty music label...
released Deathsport along with the 1982 film Battle Truck
Warlords of the 21st Century
Warlords of the 21st Century is a science fiction film starring Michael Beck....
on a double-feature Collector’s Edition DVD.
Soundtrack
The film was scored by Andy SteinAndy Stein
Andy Stein is a saxophone and violin player in the United States best known for his appearances with the country rock band Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen. He is also known for the Guy's All-Star Shoe Band on the radio show "A Prairie Home Companion" and the movie. He has played on a...
and featured guitar riffs from Jerry Garcia
Jerry Garcia
Jerome John "Jerry" Garcia was an American musician best known for his lead guitar work, singing and songwriting with the band the Grateful Dead...
.