Deathsport (1978)

Directors:

Allan Arkush
Nicholas Niciphor
(more)

Writers:

Frances Doel (story)
Nicholas Niciphor (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

April 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Sci-Fi | Sport

Tagline:

In the year 3000 there'll be no more Olympic Games, World Series, or Superbowl. There'll be only...

Plot:

Futuristic Science Fiction about a sport to the death, using "destructocycles". |

Plot Keywords:

Sword | Bare Chested Male | Biker | Game Of Death | Fictitious Sport

Cast

David Carradine	...	Kaz Oshay
Claudia Jennings	...	Deneer
Richard Lynch	...	Ankar Moor
William Smithers	...	Dr. Karl
Will Walker	...	Marcus Karl
David McLean	...	Lord Zirpola
Jesse Vint	...	Polna
H.B. Haggerty	...	Jailer
John Himes	...	Tritan President
Jim Galante	...	Tritan Guard
Peter Cooper	...	Mr. Bakkar (as Peter Hooper)
Brenda Venus	...	Adriann
Gene Hartline	...	Enforcer Sergeant
Chris Howell	...	Stateman Officer
Valerie Rae Clark	...	Dancer
Archie Freeman	...	Mutant
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Russ Dvonch	...	Mutant (uncredited)
Ron Gans	...	Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Paul Kimatian	...	Range Warrior (uncredited)
Linnea Quigley	...	Courtesan (uncredited)
Richard Whitley	...	Mutant (uncredited)

Directed by
Allan Arkush
Nicholas Niciphor		(as Henry Suso)
Roger Corman		(uncredited)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Frances Doel		story
Nicholas Niciphor		screenplay (as Henry Suso)
Donald Stewart		screenplay

Produced by
Roger Corman	....	producer

Original Music by
Andy Stein		(as Andrew Stein)

Cinematography by
Gary Graver

Film Editing by
Larry Bock

Art Direction by
Sharon Compton

Makeup Department
Molly Martin	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Paul Kimatian	....	unit manager
Richard T. Schor	....	production manager (as Richard Schor)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jim Burnett	....	assistant director
Tom Jacobson	....	assistant director

Art Department
R. Bruce Steinheimer	....	set dresser (as Bruce Steinheimer)

Sound Department
Richard L. Anderson	....	sound editor (as Richard Anderson)
Stephen Hunter Flick	....	sound effects editor
Paul Hunt	....	sound
David Lewis Yewdall	....	sound editor (as David Yewdall)

Special Effects by
Roger George	....	explosives
Ben Haller	....	special lighting effects

Visual Effects by
Phil Huff	....	opticals: special photographic effects, titles and opticals (as Philip Huff)
Darrell Huston	....	lineup: special photographic effects, titles and opticals
Jack Rabin	....	mattes: special photographic effects, titles and opticals
Hank Stockert	....	camera: special photographic effects, titles and opticals

Stunts
Art Barda	....	stunt rider
David Eakins	....	stunt rider
David R. Ellis	....	stunt rider (as David Ellis)
Debbie Evans	....	motorcycle stunts (as Debbi Evans)
Bobby Ferro	....	stunt rider
Gene Hartline	....	stunt coordinator
John Hateley	....	stunt rider
Chris Howell	....	stunt rider
Jonathan Pendragon	....	stunt double: Richard Lynch (as Jonathan Yarbrough)
Michael M. Vendrell	....	stunt performer
Robert Winters	....	stunt rider
Harry Wowchuk	....	stunt consultant
Greg Walker	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
John Bollinger	....	assistant camera
Steve Eichenlaub	....	assistant camera
Paul Hunt	....	additional cinematographer
William Duney Paul	....	grip (as William Dunney Paul)
Harvey Rubin	....	assistant camera
Gary Strange	....	grip
R. Michael Stringer	....	gaffer (as Michael Stringer)
Gil Valle	....	electrician

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jane Ruhm	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Allan Arkush	....	associate editor
Steve Grossman	....	assistant editor
Patricia Lee	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Jerry Garcia	....	musician: guitar
'Blue' Gene Tyranny	....	musician: synthesizer

Other crew
Laurie Cohn	....	production assistant
Carol Depace	....	production assistant (as Carole Depace)
Russ Dvonch	....	production assistant
George 'Fully' Fullwood	....	choreographer (as George Fullwood)
Janine Green	....	script supervisor
Sandy King	....	script supervisor
Steven Kovacs	....	assistant to producer
Lou Levy	....	production assistant
Linda Pearl	....	production assistant
Caren Singer	....	assistant to producer
Kathryn Zatarga	....	production assistant (as Kathy Zatarga)
Bob Ziembicki	....	production assistant

Distributors

• New World Pictures (1978) (USA) (theatrical)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2008) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1981) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Electric Video (19??) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• New Concorde Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• New Horizons Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• New Horizons (video)
• Prism Leisure Corporation (2003) (UK) (DVD)
• Shout! Factory (2010) (USA) (DVD)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2008) (Australia) (DVD)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2008) (Australia) (TV)
• Warner Home Video (video)
• World Beyond Video (video)

Other Companies

• Ryder Sound Services  sound by

Also Known As:

Runtime:

82 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | UK:18 | USA:R | Sweden:(Banned) (1978) | West Germany:12 | Spain:18

Filming Locations:

Bronson Caves, Bronson Canyon, Griffith Park - 4730 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles, California, USA

Trivia:

Original director Nicholas Niciphor, a.k.a. Henry Suso, was a USC film student who had made some excellent shorts. He had been in an agent's office pitching himself in order to get representation, when the agent called Roger Corman. As it turns out, Corman and others at New World had seen and enjoyed Niciphor's shorts and Niciphor subsequently got hired to do a re-write for and direct "Deathsport".

Goofs:

Continuity: Kaz is seen wiping blood from his sword onto his cape, in the next shot there is no blood on his cape.

Quotes:

Kaz Oshay:Taste my blade!

Movie Connections:

Edited into Saturday the 14th Strikes Back (1988)

So Bad It's Almost Good

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.