The Dungeonmaster (1984)

Too much of everything

Overrated

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

Ok... Let's be honest. It cannot be the best movie but is quite enjoyable. The movie has the potential to develop a great plot for future movies

Not much brain to it but a fun watch. Would recommend giving it a go

This is a cheesy B-movie. That much is not in dispute. But is it cheesy good? That is the big question. It certainly has potential. The actors are watchable. It certainly has all the silly FX. It has all the silliness that is quintessential B-movie. The biggest problem I had was its disjointedness.The fact that this movie was written and directed in segments mean that there was some jarring transitions. Sure the evil wizard sends them to different scenarios each time which alleviated the need for an explanation. But it certainly was distracting to go into such divergent trials. Having so many different directors with their own styles makes this a disjointed experience.

Charles Band's 80s production company, Empire, produced this odd assortment of "challenges" a computer nerd (played by geeky Jeffrey Byron who also had a chance to portray the hero in another Empire production, "Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn") must complete in order to rescue his girl (Leslie Wing) from the clutches of a demonic Richard Moll in some sort of hellish realm. If Byron loses any of the challenges Wing will be forced to remain with Moll's Mestema in Hell. Of course, Byron will be cursed as well, but this isn't an option, he must survive the "contest" where his very soul hangs in the balance. Seven directors contributed to "Ragewar" (an alternate title for "The Dungeonmaster"), including David Allen (the highlight of the movie for me personally as Allen has his most Harryhausen sequence, creating a giant stone temple creature come to life, pursuing Byron in a canyon), Band (with definitely the most surreal sequence, Byron having to contend with the psychotic lead singer of WASP during a concert as he threatens to mutilate Wing with a sword?!?!), make-up effects artist John Carl Buechler (his sequence features nightmarish looking zombies and a rat cave monster of some sort which threaten Byron's life), Steven Ford (the most dull of the sequences which is basically an uninspired slasher scene where a scalpel psycho targets Wing and Byron must elude police and stop the killer), Peter Manoogian (I have no idea what the point of this was, as Byron enters the cavernous dwelling of a little demon monster, discovering an angel of some sort imprisoned there), Rosemarie Turko (this sequence has an "ice gallery" of wax sculptures modeling events of the past as they come to life with Byron and Wing having to evade them), and Ted Nicolaou (yet another rip from "The Road Warrior" with Byron and Wing confiscating a junk-heap on wheels from marauders in a post apocalyptic world, which includes a cool graveyard of the skeletal remains of airplanes). While I had fun watching Moll of "Night Court" fame ham it up as evil incarnate, Byron is a weak hero, his challenges unconvincing. The film is a harmless fantasy for kids which is why it didn't necessarily thrill me all that much. The plot is really poorly constructed, particularly in how Byron and Wing find themselves in Moll's Hell and how the hero is able to escape certain doom time and again with help from a computer device located on an arm band. Byron's costume looks like it was made out of a fencing uniform. I must admit, although I can't say this is a very good movie, it has a certain charm that left its mark on me. Moll's theatrics, for one, I found irresistible and there's a sense of child-like wonder to be found..maybe that's why so many who grew up with the movie in the 80s still have a place for it in their hearts.

Well this movie has been a favorites of mine for years. It was one of the first Empire films to make it to my collection. I think this is one of the better movies Charlie did in the 80 era. The original title was Ragewar – The challenges of Excalibrate. This film had a few problems in post production, due to what I think was lack of funds. The editing shows that it was rushed a bit, the seven challenges that Excalibrate, played by Jeffery Byron has to face in order to save his girlfriend is out of sequence a cording to the start and End credits. In results of this post production mess up some of the transitions to the different challenges seems rushed and the part "Cave Beast" directed by Peter Manoogian give me the felling that something is missing and got left on the cutting room floor. Then I got my Lightning video Laserdisc edition of Dungeonmaster, I was surprised to see that the opening dream sequence was cut from it. I own a UK. Entertainment in Video. VHS tape, I purchased about 8 years ago. Here is the relative long Dream sequence included. "As shown in the end credits." I remember thinking back then, that it was odd for Charlie to include an opening sequence in Cinema Scope. Fans would know this is unusual for him in the old Empire days. However, I must say that this opening in Cinema Scope do the film credit and give it a sort of prospective look. Everybody has a favorites part of a movie. Mine in this one is the "Heavy Metal" sequence. Directed by Mr. Band him self. Here is just such a cool performance by W.A.S.P (1980 Rock Group). All in all This is a highly entertaining film and should be viewed frequently by anybody who has a love for those old sci-fi / horror films.