The Dungeonmaster
Encyclopedia
The Dungeonmaster, is a 1984 low-budget science fiction/fantasy film, rated PG-13, starring Jeffrey Byron
, Charles Moll
and Leslie Wing
. The film is produced by Charles Band, and is split up into seven distinct story segments, each written and directed by a different person: Dave Allen
, Charles Band, John Carl Buechler, Steven Ford
, Peter Manoogian, Ted Nicolaou
, and Rosemarie Turko. The film's theme was influenced by the popularity of Disney's 1982 film Tron
. Principal filming began in 1983 but the film was not completed until 1984. The film features an appearance by the heavy metal
band W.A.S.P.. A sequel
segment was planned for the anthology
Pulse Pounders, but the unfinished film was never released due to the collapse of Empire Pictures.
).
The movie begins with Paul, a skilled computer programmer who uses a neural interface he has developed to link his mind with his advanced home PC called X-CaliBR8. He uses X-CaliBR8 to scam money from ATMs
and do other tricks like change traffic lights. The computer has been given a female voice and a jealous Gwen thinks Paul has become more interested in his computer than her.
It appears that some dark intelligence has been observing Paul and Gwen's difficult relationship and pulls them both into a computer-generated world. The being then puts Paul to the test to see if he is worthy of Gwen. If he wins the game, they will both be freed, but if he should lose, he forfeits Gwen's soul. Offered nothing more than a wrist-mounted version of his trusty computer X-CaliBR8, Paul has little choice but to accept the challenge.
Throughout the movie's various segments, Paul must avoid a rock-throwing giant and some evil dwarves, enter a "land of the dead" to destroy zombies, save Gwen from a murderous heavy-metal band during the making of a twisted music video, enter a strange world to fight ice people, battle a cave monster, save Gwen from a night-stalking serial killer, race against post-apocalyptic mutants in a road-warrior battle, then face Mestema for a final showdown to save Gwen.
of MythBusters
.
Jeffrey Byron
Jeffrey Byron is an American actor and writer of screenplays. Bryon has acted in both film and television, and co-wrote one movie script ....
, Charles Moll
Richard Moll
Charles Richard Moll is an American actor and voice artist,best known for playing Bull Shannon, the bailiff on the NBC sitcom Night Court from 1983 to 1992...
and Leslie Wing
Leslie Wing
Leslie Wing Pomeroy, also known as Leslie Wing, is an American actress who is most famous for the short role of Lucille Bolton, mother to Troy Bolton in the High School Musical trilogy....
. The film is produced by Charles Band, and is split up into seven distinct story segments, each written and directed by a different person: Dave Allen
David W. Allen
David W. Allen was a film and television stop-motion model animator.Considered among the finest stop-motion model animators, Dave Allen has contributed some of the best stop-motion sequences to many feature films, rivaling the work of other premier model animators Ray Harryhausen and Jim...
, Charles Band, John Carl Buechler, Steven Ford
Steven Ford
Steven Meigs Ford is an American actor and son of former United States President Gerald Ford and Former First Lady Betty Bloomer Ford.-Early life:...
, Peter Manoogian, Ted Nicolaou
Ted Nicolaou
Ted Nicolaou is an American film director, screenwriter and producer.After graduating from the University of Texas film program, he joined the crew of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre as a sound recordist...
, and Rosemarie Turko. The film's theme was influenced by the popularity of Disney's 1982 film Tron
Tron
-Film:*Tron , a franchise that began in 1982 with the Walt Disney Pictures film Tron** Tron , a 1982 science fiction film by Disney, starring Jeff Bridges, Bruce Boxleitner, Cindy Morgan, Dan Shor and David Warner...
. Principal filming began in 1983 but the film was not completed until 1984. The film features an appearance by the heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band W.A.S.P.. A sequel
Sequel
A sequel is a narrative, documental, or other work of literature, film, theatre, or music that continues the story of or expands upon issues presented in some previous work...
segment was planned for the anthology
Anthology
An anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts...
Pulse Pounders, but the unfinished film was never released due to the collapse of Empire Pictures.
Plot
A computer engineer/enthusiast Paul Bradford (Jeffery Byron), and his girlfriend Gwen (Leslie Wing), get sucked into another world where a demonic sorcerer named Mestema, known as "The Dungeonmaster" (Charles Moll), has them interact in seven different scenarios/riddles to see who can survive. They must figure out how to escape from each scenario; in most cases the riddle's solution involves zapping things with Bradford's wristband computer X-CaliBR8 (a name reminiscent of the mythical sword ExcaliburExcalibur
Excalibur is the legendary sword of King Arthur, sometimes attributed with magical powers or associated with the rightful sovereignty of Great Britain. Sometimes Excalibur and the Sword in the Stone are said to be the same weapon, but in most versions they are considered separate. The sword was...
).
The movie begins with Paul, a skilled computer programmer who uses a neural interface he has developed to link his mind with his advanced home PC called X-CaliBR8. He uses X-CaliBR8 to scam money from ATMs
Automated teller machine
An automated teller machine or automatic teller machine, also known as a Cashpoint , cash machine or sometimes a hole in the wall in British English, is a computerised telecommunications device that provides the clients of a financial institution with access to financial transactions in a public...
and do other tricks like change traffic lights. The computer has been given a female voice and a jealous Gwen thinks Paul has become more interested in his computer than her.
It appears that some dark intelligence has been observing Paul and Gwen's difficult relationship and pulls them both into a computer-generated world. The being then puts Paul to the test to see if he is worthy of Gwen. If he wins the game, they will both be freed, but if he should lose, he forfeits Gwen's soul. Offered nothing more than a wrist-mounted version of his trusty computer X-CaliBR8, Paul has little choice but to accept the challenge.
Throughout the movie's various segments, Paul must avoid a rock-throwing giant and some evil dwarves, enter a "land of the dead" to destroy zombies, save Gwen from a murderous heavy-metal band during the making of a twisted music video, enter a strange world to fight ice people, battle a cave monster, save Gwen from a night-stalking serial killer, race against post-apocalyptic mutants in a road-warrior battle, then face Mestema for a final showdown to save Gwen.
In popular culture
The quote "I reject your reality and substitute my own!" (said by film character Paul Bradford) was later popularized by Adam SavageAdam Savage
Adam Whitney Savage is an American industrial design and special effects designer/fabricator, actor, educator, and co-host of the Discovery Channel television series MythBusters. His model work has appeared in major films, including Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones and The Matrix...
of MythBusters
MythBusters
MythBusters is a science entertainment TV program created and produced by Beyond Television Productions for the Discovery Channel. The series is screened by numerous international broadcasters, including Discovery Channel Australia, Discovery Channel Latin America, Discovery Channel Canada, Quest...
.