Review: Death Race 2000

We’re in the future where the 20th annual Death Race is to commence, a violent blood sport where drivers get points for running down various pedestrians. The reigning and defending champion is the mysterious Frankenstein (David Carradine) a leather-wearing freak whose name derives from the fact that his frequent crashes have resulted in multiple body part replacements. There’s barely a recognisable human being behind the mask anymore. His chief rival is perpetually angry, Tommy Gun-wielding ‘Machine Gun’ Joe Viterbo. The other racers include Calamity Jane (Mary Woronov), Mathilda the Hun (Roberta Collins), and Nero the Hero (Martin Kove), whilst Simone Griffeth and Louisa Moritz play the navigators for Frankenstein and ‘Machine Gun’ Joe, respectively. Real-life disc jockey ‘The Real’ Don Steele turns up as an excitable TV reporter, with Joyce Jameson having a cameo as another reporter. While the racers are competing, a band of revolutionaries are carrying out plans to ruin the race.

 

Before violent video games like ‘Carmageddon’ and ‘Grand Theft Auto’, producer Roger Corman and director Paul Bartel (director of the cult black comedy “Eating Raoul”) gave us this lean, and very, very mean black comedy from 1975. An unquestionable cult classic, it’s a long way from being a masterpiece but it’s a lot more fun than a lot of supposed masterpieces. Where else are you gonna see Louisa Moritz and Roberta Collins naked, elderly people being run over for extra points, a ‘head crush’ gore set piece, and a bunch of outlandish “Mad Max II” meets “Wacky Racers”-inspired vehicles all in the same film? It’s even got Mary Woronov playing a racer named Calamity Jane!

 

Cult actress Woronov is terrific, and if you don’t laugh at Roberta Collins’ ‘Mathilda the Hun’ or David Carradine’s bizarro leather outfit (which apparently wasn’t actually leather), this film’s gonna be a bit of a rough experience for you. If you can’t get into any of that, you’re sure as hell not gonna enjoy the ‘Euthanasia Day’ scene at the geriatric hospital. Me, I was busting a gut. I’m going to hell, aren’t I? A preening, pre-“Karate Kid” Martin Kove is hilarious as the dumb Nero the Hero. However, the most enjoyable performance is by a pre-“Rocky” Sly Stallone as a misogynistic brute named ‘Machine Gun’ Joe Viterbo. Whether it’s firing a Tommy Gun he keeps in his car or throwing insulting verbals in the direction of his ditzy navigator Louisa Moritz, he’s a hoot. Sure, some of his dialogue is completely unintelligible (and it’s not just the sound quality), but that somehow makes it even funnier. The late David Carradine is perfect as the grotesque and mysterious driver Frankenstein, who as the name suggests is seemingly barely even human after so many dangerous races. Even better is his monstrous-looking vehicle, one of the coolest-looking cars in cinematic history.

 

If you love “Yogi’s Space Race” but wish it had violence and gore and points for running over old ladies, this B-movie is for you. Lean, mean and nasty as hell, it’s a darkly hilarious hoot with a one-of-a-kind cast (Look out for the requisite Dick Miller cameo). Easily one of the most wildly entertaining movies Roger Corman’s name has ever been associated with. High art? No, but so what? The schlocky screenplay is by long-time Corman associate Charles B. Griffith (“A Bucket of Blood”, “Little Shop of Horrors”) and Robert Thom (Corman’s “Bloody Mama” and the similar “Crazy Mama”) from a story by Ib Melchior (writer-director of the awful “Angry Red Planet”, co-writer of the even worse “Journey to the 7th Planet”).

 

Rating: B+

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