Max (20 Jan. 1984)

In the opening episode of this series John Peter McAllister is introduced as an American who remained in Japan after the War and became a Ninja. He has just discovered he has a daughter ... See full summary »

Director:

Robert Clouse

Writer:

Michael Sloan

Stars:

Lee Van Cleef, Timothy Van Patten, Shô Kosugi

Cast

Episode credited cast:
Lee Van Cleef	...	John Peter McAllister
Timothy Van Patten	...	Max Keller
Shô Kosugi	...	Okasa (as Sho Kosugi)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Michael Abelar	...	Mechanic
Claude Akins	...	Mr. Trumbull
Gerry Black	...	Truck Driver
John Di Fusco	...	Man in Bar
Clu Gulager	...	Mr. Christensen
John Lehne	...	Havilland
Peter Looney	...	Jim Powell
Bill McKinney	...	Sheriff Kyle
Demi Moore	...	Holly Trumbull
W.T. Zacha	...	Bartender

Storyline

In the opening episode of this series John Peter McAllister is introduced as an American who remained in Japan after the War and became a Ninja. He has just discovered he has a daughter after many years and decides to go to America to find her. On his way out he is wounded by a former protégé who vows to track him down to stop him from breaking the Ninja code. Meanwhile in America in the town of Ellerston a drifter and wannabe hero Max Keller runs into a girl who flags him down on the road. Apparently the girl was being attacked or come on to be a corrupt Sheriff. Max saves her and learns that the girl, Holly Trumbull and her father own an airport which is trying to be closed and bought out by a scheming land developer. The Master meanwhile arrives and runs in to trouble with the sheriff at the bar. The Master demonstrates his amazing skill to Max during a fight in the bar with the Sheriff and other hoodlums. Max decides he wants to become a ninja. Arson to the Trumbull's Airport ...

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | Action

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 January 1984 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Viacom Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

When Christensen turns and fires his gun in Max's direction, a shot can be heard but no muzzle flash comes from the gun.

User Reviews

"A ninja does not betray his destiny. You will die."

These are lines uttered by the antagonistic ninja played by Sho Kosugi (Revenge of the Ninja) in this episode of The Master, a dose of classic television kitsch from the 1980s, that golden decade of ninja schlock.

Western star Lee Van Cleef is miscast but still cool as the only occidental American ever to be trained as a ninja. He's returned to the U.S. to locate a long-lost daughter and along the way he meets freewheeling, van-driving Timothy Van Patten (notable as the scariest punk in Class of 1984), joining him in combating an evil real estate developer (Clu Gulager from Return of the Living Dead) looking to put up a mall on Demi Moore's father's land.

Fast-paced, easy-going viewing, and fun in innocuous 80s fashion, the show features exotic ninja weapons, the expected ninja wisdom, and the absolutely obligatory scenes of ninja martial arts training. For the curious, this episode is included in Mill Creek's Ninja Assassins DVD 10-Pack along with some other glorious ninja crapola.