UHD Release – 4/5
Jungle Raiders
Director – Antonio Margheriti (Yor: The Hunter from the Future, Cannibal Apocalypse)
Starring – Christopher Connelly (1990: Bronx Warriors, Night of the Sharks), Marina Costa (The Final Executioner, Greggio e Pericoloso), and Lee Van Cleef (Escape from New York, For a Few Dollars More)
Release Date – 1985
Rating – 3/5
Tagline – “In the heart of the tropical rain forest lies a world of endless danger, mysterious romance, and wild adventure”
The 1980s was a wild ass time and I hate that I was born halfway through the decade. I would have loved to have lived through the entire 80s as an adult so I could truly appreciate everything as it was being released. The first Indiana Jones film, Raiders of the Lost Ark, was released in 1981 and immedately became a hit. So much so that it inspired a series of copy cat films which really took hold in Italy.
Director Antonio Margheriti helmed several of these films and my friends over at Severin released three of them in a box set. They were kind enough to end it over for me to review and when I could I tossed in the first film that I pulled out which was Jungle Raiders from 1985. I want to thank Severin for sending this one over.
**Spoiler Alert** The film follows Captrain Yankee (Connelly) who scams rich adventurers into thinking they are exploring uncharted jungle for undiscovered treasure. His easy meal ticket is thwarted when a real adventure presents itself and he is forced to uncover an ancient ruby for someone else. **Spoiler Alert**
I watched a few of these action adventure films growing up but I never realized that they were Jonesploitation. However, now I can totally see that these films are and kind of appreciate them more than I originally did. Jungle Raiders was a new one to me and I was excited to see it but it was a film that lost it’s steam fairly early on.
The acting in this one is fairly inconsistent and unintentionally funny at times. Connelly and Van Cleef deliver solid performances but the remainder of the cast is comical for the most part. I went into this one sober and still found myself laughing during a few of the scenes due to the acting.
The story for this one borrows all the fun stuff from movies like Raiders of the Lost Ark but forgets to add a protagonist that the viewer can get behind along with something new for the viewer to enjoy. The film starts out strong enough with the fake tours scamming the rich but soon loses it’s gas as the film progresses. The unlikable characters and predictable story makes this one difficult to finish.
Finally, the film is not one that memorable deaths or fun effects. We have some cheap effects here and there but nothing that really stands out. Overall, Jungle Raiders is a alright if you want something to watch but don’t have access to Indiana Jones. I wanted to like this one but it wasn’t for me.
The Ark of the Sun God
Director – Antonio Margheriti (The Last Blood, Treasure Island in Outer Space)
Starring – David Warbeck (The Beyond, Razor Blade Smile), John Steiner (Tenebre, Sinbad of the Seven Seas), and Susie Sudlow
Release Date – 1984
Rating – 2.5/5
Tagline – “He is looking for action…”
I didn’t know what I was getting into when I tossed in the first film in the Antonio Marghertiti – The Jungles of Doom: His 80’s Adventure Films. Jungle Raiders was a decent watch but didn’t offer up anything original. Honestly, all it did was give us stuff we had seen already in Indiana Jones and the copycat films that followed. That didn’t stop me from wanting to dive deeper into this set where I tossed in 1984’s The Ark of the Sun God. Once again, I want to thank Severin for sending this one over for review.
**Spoiler alert** The film follows a professional thief working a big score when he realizes that he has been set up. Someone far more influential knows about him and his talents and plan on using him to get an ancient relic with unlimited power. He is then forced to steal the Ark of the Sun God which is the sceptre believed to have belonged to Gilgamesh. **Spoiler Alert**
I went into this expecting to find a painfully generic Indiana Jones clone but found myself really interested in the story even though it did fizzle out. With that being said, it was still a little fun fora first time watch.
The acting in this one is just as uneven as Jungle Raiders but the unintentionally funny moments are not there. Honestly, I was looking forward to some of the laughs that I enjoyed in Jungle Raiders and was a bit disappointed that they were not here. The main cast does a decent enough job with their roles while the supporting cast and extras were clearly locals plucked to be in the film.
The story for this one was surprisingly intriguing for the first half of the film but it does run out of gas before we hit the hour mark. When you toss in the unlikable characters and bland action you are left with a film that just doesn’t go the distance. Finally, don’t go into this one expecting a lot of action and memorable deaths. We have some quick deaths with no effects and low budget action scenes but that is the extent of it. Overall, The Ark of the Sun God is an easily forgettable film but it does have it’s moments. Stick with it and enjoy it.
The Hunters of the Golden Cobra
Director – Antonio Margheriti (Killer Fish, Death Rage)
Starring – David Warbeck (Breakfast with Dracula, Sudden Fury), Almanta Suska (The New York Ripper, The Gravy Train), and Luciano Pigozzi (Strike Commando, Robowar)
Release Date – 1982
Rating – 2.5/5
Tagline – “The Mission: Recover the world’s most priceless treasure. The odds: impossible”
I’ll be completely honest here when I say I didn’t know what to expect when I took a dive into this box set from Severin Films. I was familiar with Antonio Margheriti and his horror titles so I knew I was going to see some campy writing and a rushed story that somehow finds a way to be cheap fun. So far that has been exactly what these Indiana Jonesploitation films have been in this set.
Movies, much like the women I love, are a lot of fun when they are cheap and these three films are just that. After Jungle Raiders and The Ark of the Sun God, I was left with the final film in the set which was the 1982 flick The Hunters of the Golden Cobra. I once again want to thank Severin for sending this one over.
**Spoiler Alert** The film follows an American soldier who partners with a British officer on a mission. Things happen and the American soldier is left for dead. Fast forward a few years and the British officer finds the American soldier in an Asian country. After a quick scuffle, the pair make ammends an agree to once again team up to retrieve an ancient artifact said to have a supernatural power. **Spoiler Alert**
The Hunters of the Golden Cobra is the only film in the set where we have well written characters but lacked story. This one was shot in 1982 and I would almost wager that it was rushed into production to cash in on the Indiana Jones craze while writing it as they went. It’s the weakest in the set but does have it’s moments.
The acting in this one is easily the most inconsistent but my favorite of the set. David Warbeck delivers my favorite performance of the three films. It looks like he is having a lot of fun on set and that shows in each scene. His on screen chemistry with John Steiner is fantastic. The pair feed off each other and make the film as enjoyable as possible. The supporting cast is hit or miss with some showing zero acting experience while others were clearly locals paid to fill space in front of the camera.
The story for this one, like the other three, starts out promising enough but does run it’s course fairly early on. We once again encounter rush stories with everything from Indiana Jones and other like it tossed at the viewer hoping something sticks. It’s clear it was only made to make a quick buck off fans.
Finally, the action is fiarly enjoyable in the early portion of the film but it’s nothing original or memorable. Those of us looking for fun deaths will be disappointed as well. Overall, The Hunters of the Golden Cobra got my hopes up at the beginning with the fun characters but was once again a cheap watch with some fun moments but is easily forgettable. It’s worth a watch especially if you bring some beer.
Special Features:
Disc 1: UHD
Trailer
Disc 2: Blu-ray
The Path Of The Cobra – Interview With Assistant Director Edoardo Margheriti
Bloodline Of The Cobra – Interview With Second Camera Assistant Davide Mancori
1996 Festival Of Fantastic Films Award Presentation And Q&A With David Warbeck
Video Essay By Rob Hill, Author Of The Bad Movie Bible
Trailer
Feature Specs for THE HUNTERS OF THE GOLDEN COBRA:
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Runtime: 95 mins
Audio: English Mono, Italian Mono
Subtitles: English SDH, English
Region: UHD: A/B/C, Blu-ray: A
Disc 3:
Disc 1: UHD
Trailer
Disc 4: Blu-ray
Second Unit Chronicles – Interview With Assistant Director Edoardo Margheriti
Raiders Of The Sun God – Interview With Writer Giovanni Paolucci
Antonio Margheriti Recalls David Warbeck
Trailer
Disc 5: THE HUNTERS OF THE GOLDEN COBRA & THE ARK OF THE SUN GOD Soundtrack CD
Feature Specs for THE ARK OF THE SUN GOD:
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Runtime: 98 mins
Audio: English Mono, Italian Mono
Subtitles: English SDH, English
Region: UHD: A/B/C, Blu-ray: A
Disc 6: UHD
Trailer
Disc 7: Blu-ray
The Ruby Trail – Interview With Assistant Director Edoardo Margheriti
Italian Credit Sequence
Trailer
Feature Specs for JUNGLE RAIDERS:
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Runtime: 101 mins
Audio: English Mono, Italian Mono
Subtitles: English SDH, English
Region: UHD: A/B/C, Blu-ray: A
