The Dungeonmaster (originally Ragewar: The Challenges of Excalibrate and Digital Knights) is a 1984 American anthology science fantasy horror film produced by Charles Band, and is split up into seven distinct story segments, each written and directed by a different person: Dave Allen, Band, John Carl Buechler, Steve Ford, Peter Manoogian, Ted Nicolaou and Rosemarie Turko. The film's theme was influenced by the popularity of Disney's 1982 film Tron and the roleplaying game Dungeons & Dragons.
Principal photography began in 1983 but the film was not completed until 1984. The film features an appearance by the heavy metal band W.A.S.P. The film is known for the line of dialogue "I reject your reality and I substitute my own". A sequel to the movie was shot and edited in 1988, which was going to belong to another anthology called Pulse Pounders, but never completed.
Contents
Plot
Paul Bradford (Jeffrey Byron) is a skilled computer programmer who lives with his girlfriend, Gwen (Leslie Wing), and "X-CaliBR8", a quasi-sentient personal computer that Paul programmed and which he interacts with via a neural interface. Gwen is jealous of Paul's unusually close relationship with X-CaliBR8, to whom Paul has given a female voice, and fears that their relationship will be destroyed by Paul's reliance on X-CaliBR8 for his various day-to-day activities.
One night, Paul and Gwen are both transported to a Hellish realm presided over by Mestema (Richard Moll), an ancient, demonic sorcerer who has spent millennia seeking a worthy opponent with whom to do battle. Having long defeated his enemies with magic, Mestema has become intrigued with technology, and wishes to pit his skills against Paul's, with the winner claiming Gwen. Arming Paul with a portable version of X-CaliBR8 (which takes the form of a computerized wrist band), Mestema begins transporting Paul into a variety of scenarios in which he must defeat various opponents. Most of the challenges involve Paul using his X-CaliBR8 wristband to shoot people, monsters and objects with laser beams.
After Paul completes Mestema's various challenges, the two engage in a final battle, which takes the form of a fist fight in which Paul kills Mestema by throwing him into a pit of lava. After Mestema dies, Paul and Gwen are transported back to their house, where Gwen expresses her acceptance of X-CaliBR8 and suggests that she and Paul marry.
Cast
Jeffrey Byron as Paul Bradford, a skilled computer programmer who invented X-Cal-BR8.
Richard Moll as Mestema
Leslie Wing as Gwen Rogers, Paul's Girlfriend
Gina Calabrese as Girl In Dream
Danial Dion as Monster In Dream
Bill Bestolarides as Monster In Dream
Scott Campbell as Monster In Dream
Ed Dorini as Monster In Dream
R. J. Miller as Mr. Cahane
Don Moss as Don
Alanna Roth as Flower Girl
Kim Connell as Dancer
Janet Welsh as Dancer
Carol Solomon as Dancer
Jackie Gross as Dancer
Barbara Mueller as Dancer
Nina Baker as Dancer
Paul Pape as Police Officer (uncredited)
Ice Gallery
Cleve Hall as Jack The Ripper
Kenneth J. Hall as Wolfman
Jack Reed as Mummy
Guy Simmons as African
Jeff Rayburn as Handman
Lonnie Hashimoto as Samurai
Knowen as Einstein
Demons of the Dead
David Karp as Paul Branford's Corpse
E. Lee Nation as Zombie
Beverly Miko as Zombie
James Di Mino as Zombie
Curtis Lee Garrick as Zombie
James Chestnut as Zombie
Peter Kent as Zombie
John Carl Buechler as Ratspit (credited as Ratspit)
Heavy Metal
Blackie Lawless as W.A.S.P. Singer
Chris Holmes as W.A.S.P. Guitarist
Randy Piper as W.A.S.P. Guitarist
Tony Richards as W.A.S.P. Drummer
Stone Canyon Giant
Sal Fondacaro as Stone Canyon Person
Phil Fondacaro as Stone Canyon Person
Slasher
Eddie Zammit as Policeman #1
Mack Ademia as Policeman #2
Danny Dick as Slasher
Kurt Braun as Audition Dancer
Suzanne Lelong as Audition Dancer
Marika Zoll as Audition Dancer
Brian R. Carson as Paul Branford's Double
Cave Beast
Jerri Pinthus as Cave Beast
Diane Carter as Angel
Desert Pursuit
Michael Steve Jones as Desert Soldier
Randy Popplewell as Desert Soldier
Anthony T. Genova III as Desert Soldier
De Ette Adams as Gwen's Double
Felix Silla as Desert Bandit (credited as Felix Cilla)
Segments
"Ice Gallery"
Written and directed by Rosemarie Turko
"Demons of the Dead"
Written and directed by John Carl Buechler (credited as John Buechler)
"Heavy Metal"
Written and directed by Charles Band
"Stone Canyon Giant"
Written and directed by David W. Allen (credited as David Allen)
"Slasher"
Written by Jeffrey Byron
Directed by Steve Ford
"Cave Beast"
Written and directed by Peter Manoogian
"Desert Pursuit"
Written and directed by Ted Nicolaou
Release
Scream Factory released the film on DVD for the first time in October 2013, along with Contamination 7, Catacombs and Cellar Dweller as part of the second volume of their Scream Factory All-Night Horror Marathon series.
Shout! Factory released The Dungeonmaster on a double feature Blu-ray along with Eliminators in December 2015.
In pop culture
In MythBusters, Adam Savage quotes this movie.