Over the weekend I continued my assault on 1980s B-movie sci fi.
First I polished off 1984's THE DUNGEONMASTER.
I remember this film from the ubiquitous painted poster that was in many 1980s video stores.
This film's other claim to fame for me is that it stars Richard Moll (BULL from NIGHT COURT) as the evil demonic sorcerer Mestema.
I definitely give this one a thumbs up. It's great cheesy fun.
The first thing I liked about it is it's an anthology film. The hero faces seven different challenges. Apparently, each segment was written and directed by a different person. There's a story arc that connects them all, and works adequately. The film mixes genres, covering some fantasy, sci fi and horror.
The challenges are as follows:
-A scene with some Ray Harryhausen-esque stop motion work involving a stone giant. By 1984 this was not cutting edge technology, but as a fan of the genre I liked it, especially as it's just one scene in an anthology and not the entire film.
-Some good quality make-up work on two decaying zombie skeletons, in a scene that also features a demonic puppet.
-A segment filmed at a concert by the metal band W.A.S.P.
I admit I was a fan back in the day, so for me this was fun to see.
-A rather weak scene that takes place in a wax museum. They must have gotten a bulk deal on some costumes or something. It's not terrible, just mediocre.
-A scene involving a serial killing slasher that's loose in Los Angeles, and a race against time.
-Another rather weak scene involving a fight with a troll in a cave.
-A scene filmed outdoors in an aircraft graveyard, followed by a chase involving a dune buggy and some then-futuristic looking vehicles (of a very B-movie quality).
If there's a failing to this movie it's that the action is rarely exciting, and not well choreographed.
I found the final showdown to be anti-climactic.
Still, just to be able to enjoy this film you need to suspend disbelief on some major themes (a wizard transports a computer expert and his machine to another realm, and holds his girlfriend hostage).
If you're looking for Shakespeare this clearly isn't it.
This is a simple film, with sharp 1980s visuals.
In that respect I found that it worked for me.
I was expecting some old-school VHS trash, and that's exactly what I got!
The second film I watched was 1988's WORLD GONE WILD.
Of the recent films in my 1980s sci fi VHS blitzkrieg this is the first one that I'd give a thumbs down to. I thought it was a terrible film, and wouldn't even be worth watching on television.
The first thing that's bad about it is that it actually has a known, professional cast.
Bruce Dern plays an aging hippy warrior guru to a desert encampment centered around a watering hole. I guess he's a working actor and will perform in anything, even in this dog of a film.
It's a shame, because he has demonstrated many times before that he has real talent when given good roles.
Michael Pare is another lead. This is after he had appeared in GREATEST AMERICAN HERO, EDDIE & THE CRUISERS I & II, and STREETS OF FIRE.
I'm guessing he cursed his agent after performing in this one.
Catherine Mary Stewart had already been in THE LAST STARFIGHTER, NIGHT OF THE COMET and a few other notable films before WORLD GONE WILD.
She's really the only bright spot in this film.
She's earnest, and she beams throughout.
Not sure how she pulls it off, when so many of the other actors feel like they're just reading lines.
Adam Ant plays an over-the-top psychopathic cult leader in the post-apocalyptic wasteland.
It felt hard to take seriously, just like this entire film.
Visually, this film must not have had much of a budget.
It looks like they're running amok in a junkyard.
The explosions are unremarkable, and there are ridiculous firefights with machine guns.
The dialogue in this film is crap.
I don't think the storyline (an isolated desert community in a post-apocalyptic wasteland defends a valuable resource against a hostile aggressor by hiring a bunch of mercenaries) had to be bad.
It worked in the ROAD WARRIOR.
But everything about this film was unable to pull it off.
1987-1988 (the years this was filmed and released) were the height of bad hair metal, and this figures heavily in the aesthetic and soundtrack of this film (especially when they visit 'the city').
That's what this film feels like.
The visual equivalent of a derivative, latter-era hair metal album by a B-level group.
That's how exciting this film is.
One interesting fact: this movie was filmed in various places across Arizona.
One location was Bisbee, AZ.
I'm familiar with Bisbee because it's where comedian Doug Stanhope lives.
So, if nothing else, this film of very few redeeming qualities has provided me with an idea of what Bisbee, AZ looks like. There's my small blessing.
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