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The Gratuitous B-Movie Column: Warrior of the Lost World

June 26, 2020 | Posted by Bryan Kristopowitz
Warrior of the Lost World

The Gratuitous B-Movie Column Issue #560: Warrior of the Lost World

The Robert Ginty Movie Marathon: Week 4

Hello, everyone, and welcome once again to the internets movie review column that has no interest in owning or even riding on a motorcycle in real life because it looks incredibly dangerous but is okay with seeing people operate them in movies and TV shows because they’re movies and TV shows, The Gratuitous B-Movie Column, and I am your host Bryan Kristopowitz. In this issue, issue number five hundred and sixty, The Robert Ginty Movie Marathon concludes with the classic low budget Italian post-apocalyptic sci-fi action flick Warrior of the Lost World, which was released in Italy in 1983 and then released in the United States two years later in 1985.

Warrior of the Lost World

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Warrior of the Lost World, also known as Mad Rider in some parts of the world and written and directed by David Worth, is a movie that I reviewed in issue number twenty-five of The Gratuitous B-Movie Column. That particular review, which was published in conjunction with some other movie (I don’t remember what that second movie was), appears to have disappeared from the internets. So, I figured that, since I’m doing this “Robert Ginty Movie Marathon” thing, I would check out the movie again and review it again. It’s easily one of Ginty’s signature B-movie roles, right next to John Eastland in the Exterminator movies, although it doesn’t get the same acclaim or respect that the Exterminator movies get, which really is saying something as those movies are considered trash. Warrior of the Lost World was featured in a very popular episode of the original Mystery Science Theater 3000, which is where most people seem to know the movie from. I like that episode, and I don’t mind anyone riffing on the movie for being ridiculous. The thing is, I personally love Warrior of the Lost World as an actual movie and have loved it since I first saw it after renting it from a long gone but still awesome “Mom and Pop” video store one summer long, long ago. So I’m not going to make fun of the movie here. What I am going to do is laud it for being a terrific, weird, and supremely awesome low budget Italian post-apocalyptic sci-fi action flick. Because that’s exactly what it is.

Ginty stars as The Rider, a badass loner who rides the roads of a dystopian post-apocalyptic future on a supersonic, weaponized motorcycle that also has a kind of AI computer. This computer, called Einstein, is The Rider’s only friend. The Earth was destroyed by nuclear war, and civilization eventually reordered itself into various forms of governments. After fighting off a series of police soldiers from the Omega Force government run by the evil Prossor (Donald Pleasance) and a band of 1980’s punk rock mutant types, The Rider passes through a wall and is injured. The Rider is then rescued by members of the Enlightened, quasi supernatural humans that can levitate and, I assume, do other supernatural things, and are the mortal enemies of Prossor’s Omega Force. The Enlightened are allies of The New Way, a sort of rebel group that wants to destroy Prossor and, well, bring about a New Way. The leader of the New Way, McWayne (Harrison Muller Sr.), has been captured by Prossor’s forces and faces imminent execution. The Enlightened would like to hire The Rider to infiltrate Prossor’s headquarters/main city and rescue McWayne. McWayne’s daughter Nastasia (Persis Khambatta) would tag along and help, as she sort of knows where her father is and knows the ins and outs of Prossor’s society.

At first, The Rider has zero interest in helping the Enlightened or the New Way do anything. Rider just doesn’t want to get involved in anyone’s issues (he specifically says that he doesn’t want to get involved in anyone’s “politics”). Nastasia eventually convinces Rider to volunteer (Rider may be kind of a prick but he has a soft spot for beautiful women who need his help. Nastasia also threatened to shoot him in the balls. It’s kind of hard to ignore that kind of thing). So Rider and Nastasia infiltrate Prossor’s city by travelling underground, fighting off a different band of weird mutants before finding a way inside the Utopia club, one of Prossor’s S and M clubs (S and M appears to be one of Prossor’s interests and, I guess, it’s an activity that’s considered a reward for obeying the rules of Prossor’s society).

Now, getting inside Prossor’s city is one thing, navigating it is an entirely different thing. The Omega Force society is very robotic, as the people all dress alike and act the same (no one is allowed to express any sort of emotion). People are also bombarded with direct messages from Prossor as you can hear his voice doling out edicts pretty much everywhere. Rider and Nastasia manage to get through the city without arousing suspicion and make it to the public execution field, where McWayne is set to die alongside several other “criminals” (some of these “criminals” are New Way followers, like McWayne, while others are just regular, random people who defied Prossor’s rules). After watching multiple “criminals” be electrocuted and then set on fire, Rider and Nastasia spot McWayne and put their rescue plan into effect.

What is Rider and Nastasia’s rescue plan? Beat the shit out of some Omega Force guards, grab some machine guns, and start shooting anyone that gets in their way. So that’s what they do. After killing multiple guards and destroying all sorts of “important” crap in Prossor’s city, Rider manages to get McWayne on a helicopter and out of the city. Unfortunately, in the chaos of the rescue attempt, Nastasia was captured by Prossor’s men. McWayne wanted to go back immediately and get his daughter back, but Rider refused. He was hired to rescue McWayne and he did that. The Rider’s job is finished.

But is it really over for The Rider? Of course not. McWayne convinces Rider to stick around to fight of the Omega Force, rescue Nastasia, and help create a kind of grand army of misfits to take down Prossor. Will that scheme work? Can the New Way, the Enlightened, and the assorted punk mutants that inhabit the Lost World really work together to defeat Prossor?

While all of that is happening, Nastasia meets Prossor face to face and is tortured and brainwashed into becoming a member of the Omega Force. What better way to destroy McWayne and his subversive New Way than by having his daughter shoot him dead?

The last quarter or so of the movie is the New Way’s grand army, led by The Rider and McWayne, blasting their way into Prossor’s city, killing as many Omega Force soldiers as they can, and trying to find Prossor and Nastasia. This part of the movie sees the Megaweapon, a gigantic truck that can destroy pretty much anything put in front of it and is Prossor’s ultimate weapon, destroyed when The Rider decides to sacrifice Einstein for the greater good. It’s a sad scene because you don’t want to see The Rider lose his only real friend in the world, but at the same time it was the only way the New Way army was going to be able to take down Megaweapon and keep fighting.

The final scene between Prossor, Rider, and McWayne plays out like you expect it to, with Prossor sending a seemingly fully brainwashed Nastasia after Rider and McWayne, only to have Nastasia turn on Prossor and shoot him in the fucking head. With Prossor and the Omega Force soundly defeated, you would think it’s smooth sailing for the New Way and its new Enlightened government. But then, as we see at the very end of the movie, Prossor isn’t dead, as the Prossor that was shot in the head was a cyborg clone. The real Prossor is still very much alive, and he intends to regroup and continue on with the Omega Force in some way. Evil may have been defeated but it has not been completely vanquished.

And so The Rider gets his bike fixed, makes up with Nastasia, and kisses the girl. The Rider doesn’t stick around, though. Being a part of a group just isn’t his thing. The Rider belongs on his bike, riding through the wastelands. The Rider is, after all, the Warrior of the Lost World

One of the reasons I think Warrior of the Lost World works as well as it does, and why it was ripe for MST3K riffing and ridicule, is that it wears its heart and innocence on its sleeve. It isn’t ironic, nothing that you see is done tongue in cheek. The movie and everything in it, including the talking motorcycle, is meant to be taken seriously. The movie is meant to be a kind of futuristic western, with The Rider as the “Man With No Name” type hero/anti-hero. Is the movie wholly successful with its action scenes and sound design? Maybe not by modern standards, but I don’t think anyone involved in the movie thought they were making a comedy. The machine gun sound is not what you expect it to be (it sounds like someone making a weird sound with their mouth). And why are the machine guns even machine guns? Why aren’t there lasers and shit?

The action scenes are well done and exciting. The car chases evoke Mad Max and the low budget Italian post-apocalyptic sci-fi action movie world. Yes, some of the sequences look “cheap” as compared to the Mad Max movies, but they’re still done with skill and are, again, fairly exciting. The various car crashes and explosions are cool. And the Einstein motorcycle scenes are fun, especially when The Rider interacts with the computer. There are also several decent hand-to-hand fight sequences.

The Omega Force/Prossor city set design isn’t necessarily anything we haven’t seen before (it actually kind of looks like a wicked low budget version of THX-1138) but it still looks good and well thought out. The Prossor society costumes look exactly how you expect them to in a cult of personality dictatorship, which is what the Omega Force ultimately is. Some of the mutant costuming is a little too 1980’s for its own good, but it works (why can’t weird 1980’s pink fashion “come back” in the post-apocalyptic dystopian future?).

The Einstein motorcycle doesn’t look at that formidable from certain angles, at least when it’s standing still. When you see the motorcycle in action, though, it’s as badass as its reputation suggests. And The Rider’s look is both cool and strange. Where did he get blue jeans in the future? And where did he get the leather jacket?

The movie’s soundtrack is amazing. Created by Daniele Patucchi, it’s a classic bit of 1980’s synth music that still, to this day, rocks. And the main theme, which is heard over the opening crawl and the end credits, is easily one of the best themes of the post-apocalyptic genre. As far as I know, no soundtrack of the movie has ever been released, at least not in North America. There could, I guess, have been one released in Europe, but if there was there’s no trace of it now. It’s something I would like to see happen one day. That and a special edition DVD/Blu-ray of the movie.

Ginty is phenomenal as The Rider. He gives the character a low key intensity that draws you in because you want to know how the hell can he be so serene in the post-apocalyptic future? Even when he’s being chased by heavily armed car cops The Rider doesn’t get too excited. In fact, The Rider is a smartass most of the time when he’s in mortal danger. It’s too bad we never got a sequel because I would have loved to see The Rider adventure, either taking on a regrouped Prossor or some other villain. I bet it would have kicked ass.

Persis Khambatta does a great job as Nastasia, the daughter of New Way leader McWayne. She’s smart and capable and can kick ass when necessary, and she has decent chemistry with Ginty’s The Rider. Her best scene is when she points her gun at The Rider’s balls to convince him to help her rescue her father. The smile on her face is everything. Khambatta also knows how to make the Omega Force machine gun, with it’s ridiculous sound, seem like an actual dangerous weapon.

Harrison Muller Sr. does a good job as McWayne, the leader of the New Way. You really get the sense that McWayne believes in this New Way stuff and that he isn’t going to end up being just as bad as Prossor. His line readings are a little stiff at times, but that could be just how he talks. He also just went through some nasty shit as Prossor’s prisoner. I’d imagine that experience would mess a person up.

Donald Pleasance is awesome as Prossor. Pleasance is in full scenery chewing mode the entire movie and he makes Prossor so goddamn evil you can’t wait to see him get his ass kicked/get set on fire/get shot in the fucking head/whatever. He gives Prossor such a serene voice, and yet, in action, the man is a total bastard. And what’s the deal with his one glove? Who knows, but it’s exactly the kind of thing you expect to see with this kind of villain (did he burn that hand in an accident? Does he have some sort of hand disease that he doesn’t want people to see? Is he just a guy that likes to wear one glove because why not? He’s in fucking charge here). What would Pleasance have done in a sequel?

Fred “The Hammer” Williamson is in the movie for some reason, playing a character that doesn’t have a name (he’s listed in the credits on imdb as Henchman). I’m just going to assume that Williamson was set to be a bigger part of a sequel since he actually figures into the ending in a big way. I’m also going to assume that he’s in the movie because why not? It’s a low budget Italian post-apocalyptic sci-fi action movie from the 1980’s. Why wouldn’t Fred “The Hammer” Williamson be in the movie?

Be on the lookout for Geretta Geretta, who plays one of the mutant punks that join the New Way army. I didn’t realize it was her.

Warrior of the Lost World is in desperate need of a special edition DVD/Blu-ray of some sort. The movie is also in desperate need of an action figure line. Imagine having a NECA style action figure of The Rider along with the Einstein motorcycle, or a G.I. Joe series of action figures (figures, vehicles, playsets. It would rock so hard). I think the movie is well known enough to have that kind of thing happen. It likely won’t because the world just isn’t cool enough to have that happen, but I can dream, can’t I? And, really, ask yourself, wouldn’t your desk or bookshelf or action figure display case be better with a The Rider action figure?

You fucking know it would be better. Infinitely better.

I love Warrior of the Lost World. It’s a terrific low budget Italian post-apocalyptic sci-fi action flick that deserves a critical reassessment. It’s a movie that deserves to be seen as more than an unfair joke. It deserves to be seen as the awesome bit of B-movie cinema that it really, truly is.

See Warrior of the Lost World. See it, see it, fucking see it! It’s awesome!

WarrioroftheLostWorldTheRider

So what do we have here?

Dead bodies: 74 (thanks Joe Bob Briggs)

Explosions: Multiple, both big and small.

Nudity?: None.

Doobage: An awesome theme, an opening crawl, a guy riding a motorcycle, alone, down a long road, a talking computer, a high speed police chase, multiple bike cops, weird sounding gun shots, exploding motorcycle cop, cop car accident, exploding cop car, a truck full of soldiers, junkyard hooey, punk mutants, cross bow arrow to the leg, double .45’s, a motorcycle that can drive itself, grenade throwing, exploding truck, a giant rock wall that leads to a mystical place for some reason, mystical wound fixing, some guy that can levitate for some reason, a weapons training/exercise montage, testicle threatening, an underground passageway, tarantula attack, more mutants, a pen flamethrower, an S and M club, a lack of emotion, a voice that’s everywhere, multiple public executions, electrocution, flamethrower attack, machine gun attack, sniper hooey, multiple high falls, people running down multiple flights of stairs, attempted chopper stealing, bullet to the leg, chopper chase, rocket launcher attack, exploding chopper, interrogation, torture, face spitting, face slapping, even more mutants, nunchuck practice, an impromptu group beat down, ass kicking, kung fu hooey, forced fist raining, more torture, strangulation, car stealing, another crossbow attack, bike stealing, a convoy, police roadblock jumping, grenade to the crotch, another exploding cop car, a chopper fall, a shootout, exploding barrels, multiple big explosions, megaweapon hooey, bike sliding, bike crushing, bomb attack, exploding megaweapon, choking, a hilarious political/philosophical discussion, a wicked head shot, a celebration, robot clone hooey, a big surprise, a big kiss, and the hero rides on down the road to set up a sequel that we’ll never get.

Kim Richards?: None.

Gratuitous: An opening crawl, motorcycle rider POV, Robert Ginty, a talking computer, a computer that misspells perimeter, “Bad Mothers,” ultimate velocity, 1980’s punk rock mutants for some reason, mystical hooey, Fred “The Hammer” Williamson, Persis Khambatta, tubular, an S and M club, Donald Pleasance’s voice, public executions, Robert Ginty and Persis Khambatta kicking ass, machine guns that don’t sound like machine guns at all, Donald Pleasance, Donald Pleasance wearing one glove, Robert Ginty kicking even more ass, midget throwing, a woman eating a giant turkey leg for some reason, Geretta Geretta, a cop urinating on the side of the road, Robert Ginty leading a convoy, a computer saying “Holy Shit.” Megaweapon, a hilarious political/philosophical discussion, a weird as fuck song about the brotherhood of man, a song that sounds like it could have been a Bond song, and the hero rides on down the road to set up a sequel that we’ll never get.

Best lines: “Good morning, Einstein,” Rough way to start a day,” “Wat’s happening to kids today?,” “Time for cowboys and Indians,” “I don’t really care about your problems with the Omega. It’s none of my business,” “You’re not listening. The only damage I care about is this bike,” “What’s a nice girl like you doing in a place like this?,” “Are you going to be okay? I think so. I can face just about anything, but the mutants make my skin crawl,” “Relax and enjoy the entertainment provided,” “This is turning out to be more than I bargained for, lady!,” “Take her away. Prepare her for the assembly line,” “What the hell are we doing here?,” “What is this, some kind of party?,” “You see, my dear, the real world is not a very nice place,” “Hey, soldier, you want me to shake it for you?,” “You’ve become a real wise ass,” “This is a bad time for a little ride out in the country,” “You’re not getting lost, are ya?,” “Barricade my ass!,” “You’re getting pretty good at this,” “Well, professor, are the meek inheriting the Earth?,” “I’ll take marginal over butchers every time,” “You will learn to hate me,” “Kill him. Kill your father. Now,” “Remove the microchips from the clone. Destroy the body,” “It’s incredible. The gullibility of mankind,” “Such animals,” and “Kiss the girl. Shut up.”

Rating: 10.0/10.0

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Things to Watch Out For

PowerbombDVD

Powerbomb: This is some sort of mega low budget horror thriller about an obsessed pro wrestling fan that kidnaps his favorite indy wrestler. It almost sounds like a Misery but it’s about pro wrestling fandom.” Matt Capiccinoi is the wrestler in question (I guess his ring name is Matt Cross) and he’s a real deal wrestler. I don’t think I’ve seen him perform in the ring, but then I’m not as up on the whole indie wrestling scene. Anyway, this looks decent enough. I think I would rent it first, though, just to see if it works out or not. The trailer is pretty good.

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Human Zoo: This appears to be some sort of mega low budget sort of horror flick about a bunch of people who decide to participate in a game show where they isolate themselves in cells and, as tends to happen, they all go insane. Or something like that. Robert Carradine, Louis Skolnick hisself, appears to be the guy that’s running the show. According to the movie’s imdb page, the movie has an almost two hour running time, which seems insane. Can this idea really be sustained for that long? Is it possible that this movie is actually less than 90 minutes? That would be my hope. Anyway, this movie appears to be worth at least a rental, just to see if it works. Anyone out there see this? Anyone at all?

DreamDemonBRD

Dream Demon: The fine folks at Arrow Films are releasing this late 1980’s British horror flick that features the great Kathleen Wilhoite and is directed by Harley Cokeliss (he did Battletruck, Malone, and Black Moon Rising. I’ve heard of this movie but I’ve never seen it, and it sure seems like the people who have seen it compare it to the A Nightmare on Elm Street movies. And that seems to make sense because Freddy is a dream demon, right? This movie certainly looks decent enough, but, really, if it’s coming from Arrow Films it’s all about the home video presentation and the special features, which are plenty (multiple interviews with the various people involved, a making of featurette/documentary, and some sort of commentary track. Even if the movie stinks the presentation is going to be fucking sweet. Definitely want to see this and check out the Blu-ray. Anyone out there a Dream Demon fan?

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Warrior of the Lost World

Robert Ginty– The Rider
Persis Khambatta– Nastasia
Donald Pleasance– Prossor
Harrison Muller Sr.– McWayne
Geretta Geretta– Amazon (as Janna Ryan)
Fred “The Hammer” Williamson– Henchman

(check out the rest of the cast here

Directed by David Worth
Screenplay by David Worth

Distributed by -Visto International Inc., Thorn EMI Video, Star Classics Video, Trinity Entertainment, 905 Entertainment, and Shout! Factory (MST3K version only)

Rated R for violence and language
Runtime– 92 minutes

Buy it here or here