It might be my mission to track down and watch movies whose video covers left a big visual impact on me. Case in point, Salute Of The Jugger (1989) aka Blood Of Heroes in the USA, with this intense Double Dragon video game cover painted poster (the two stars on the cover, Rutger Hauer and Joan Chen, are nowhere near this ripped in the film). A futuristic death sport movie where bands of “juggers” play against each in small towns to get by. Joan Chen is the rookie, eager to prove herself a champion at the game, and is taken under the wing of Hauer’s typically irascible pro, all the way to challenging the formidable champions in the wealthy underground city. With a team that includes Delroy Lindo and Vincent D’Onofrio (back when his middle name was in the credits), this was also shot in Coober Pedy which explains the presence of Aussies in the wastelands (Mad Max’s Hughes Keays-Byrne plays a snooty, rich villain named Lord Vile). This was quite good, directed/written by David Webb Peoples (Blade Runner and Unforgiven), a Mad Max coat of paint on a sport/gladiator movie that gets the job done in 90 minutes and gives Hauer and Chen plenty of scenery to chew. Recommended.
VHS Tracking 