End Game — End Game( Blu Ray & CD)

From the early 1980s End Game is a post-nuke euro action romp, which blends together elements of The Running Man, Mad Max, and the X Man franchise. It’s a cheap, cheerful, but largely entertaining ride featuring a narrowed eyed all-in black leather hero, plenty hand to hand and gunning it up action, a good selection of campily quirky at times bizarre characters, and a great throbbing synth to dramatic orchestration soundtrack. Here from the guys at Severin is a double-disc Blu Ray and CD release of the film.

Released in 1983 End Game (Endgame - Bronx lotta finale) is an Italian production, which was helmed by prolific and notorious euro schlock creator Joe D'Amato. It was one of six films he made in 83, so surprisingly it’s relatively well & evenly made- sure it’s cheap and trashy, but he often uses these elements to his advantage- making it one of the more wholly enjoyable and entertaining films of his filmography that nears the two hundred picture mark.

The film kicks off in fine mood-setting fashion- as we get credits with brooding shots of mushroom clouds and simmering synth tones. Next, we see desolate, mist-shrouded, and debris strewn tunnels where we hear a radio report of the daily radiation level, as a grey, bloody and infected body is dragged along by a rag covered figure. Fairly soon we meet Lilith (Laura Gemser) who is the leader of a band of so-called mutants, all of whom have either telepathy or telekinesis powers. She’s hiding in the tunnels from the SS black helmeted and gas mask-wearing totalitarian storm troopers who are hunting and killing her kind. Next, we switch to a TV ad for the biggest show of post-nuke times- End Game, which finds a group of gold, silver, and red face painted (ala kiss like) warriors stalking and killing each other in the tunnels. One of the key warriors is Ron Shannon (Al Cliver)- he’s won the game several times, and when we first see him, he’s putting on silver star eye make-up on, and moody strutting out of his caravan dressed in black leather and a few studs.
Shortly the next episode of End Game starts filming- and Ron bumps into Lilith in the tunnels asking for his help to get her and her mutant friends out of the tunnels to the wastelands beyond it- he’ll be paid in gold bars, so he decides to accept. The first half of the hour and thirty-five minutes film finds Ron battling and killing fellow warriors in the tunnels- and we get a good selection of fairly tense and taut fights, taking in hand-to-hand combat, knife sparing, and a few shot-ups/ traps. In this part of the film D'Amato makes great use of the tunnels- pumping them full of stark hazing mists, skeletons, rats, and of course the stormtroopers.
In the second half, after gathering together a selection of warriors to join him on his trip, Ron sets off into the wasteland. And here he and his group meet and tattle semi-blind all in black shroud wearing evil monks, mohawked tubby and leering lizard men, and a selection of campily mean-looking baddies. Along the way we get telepathy or telekinesis use from the mutants- all moving towards a storm rising, tank lifting, and stormtrooper's bowled over finale.

Cliver is really hamming it up in the mean and moody stakes- coming off as a mix of Mad Max, Snake from Escape from New York, and a ragged hair gunslinger. Gemser is a good blend of mystic eastern princess and sly sexiness. Other worthy mentions are D'Amato regular George Eastman, as red and black leather-wearing Kurt, who starts off battling Cliver. And Gordon Mitchell, as often yelling and teeth showing Col. Morgan, who's in charge of the storm toppers. Though there is a good selection of characters pop-up throughout the film. On the whole End Game is a great romping slice of Sci-fi action- high in euro camp and cheese, and all the better for it.

Moving onto this region A Blu Ray- and we get a new 2k scan of the film, and this nicely enhances both the moody atmospherics of the tunnels and the more dramatic stunts & fleeting effects. There’s only one extra on the disc aside from the trailer, and that’s a fourteen-minute on-screen interview with Luigi Montefiori aka George Eastman. Here he talks about writing the script for the film and its influences. Moving on he discusses his role, his fellow actors and his memories of them. The tunnel location, which was apparently a huge, abandoned factory near Rome, and his thoughts on the film then & now. This is well worth a play, and as always Montefiori has a great memory and has some nicely entertaining stories too.

The second disc is of course the film's soundtrack, this is by Rome born score composer Carlo Maria Cordio- whose other credits take in the likes of Troll 2, Pieces and Body Puzzle. The CD takes in twenty-two tracks- and I must say it’s both varied and memorable- going from broodingly simmer synth-scapes, gliding and futuristic Blade Runner like cues, dramatically orchestrated and darting piano workouts, pulsing and tight keyboard runs, and a few more sentimental and cheesy moments- be they synth or string led. So, a great extra, which stands along as a good listenable score in its own right.
 
There’s no doubt that End Game is one of the consistently entertaining and enjoyable films to appear from post-nuke/ futuristic action films of the 1980’s euro exploitation cycle. And it’s great to see it getting this double-disc release on Severin- it's a pity there weren’t a few more extras on the Blu Ray, but I know this isn’t always possible and of course, we do get the enjoyable and varied soundtrack CD, which is a great bonus.