Friday, March 8, 2013

Space Hunter Adventures In The Forbidden Zone For Your Old School Space Opera Campaign




 When it comes to High action/Interstellar/ Post Apocalyptic Future action I always turn to an old favorite of mine! 

This is the 1983 VHS release that I've turned to again and again. 



 Plot From Wiki : 
Set in the 22nd century, the film opens with the destruction of a space cruise liner that collides with a meteor. The only apparent survivors are three beautiful women – Nova (Cali Timmins), Reena (Aleisa Shirley), and Meagan (Deborah Pratt) – who get away in anescape pod and land on the nearest habitable planet. There, they are quickly accosted by the hostile natives and taken aboard a sail-driven vehicle resembling a pirate ship on rails.
In space, an alert goes out for the safe return of the women with a reward of 3,000 "mega-credits". A small time salvage operator named Wolff (Peter Strauss) intercepts the message and heads to the planet. Joining him is his female engineer Chalmers (Andrea Marcovicci), who learns the planet – called Terra XI – is a failed colony that fell victim to a deadly plague and civil warfare. Wolff risks the dangers believing the reward will solve his debt problems.
After landing on the barren world, Wolff and Chalmers set out in a 4-wheel drive vehicle called the "Scrambler". Soon, they join a battle in progress between a group of marauders (called the "Zoners") and a band of nomads (the "Scavs"). The Zoners take the women before Wolff can stop them and fly away on jet-powered hang-gliders. Wolff learns from the Scavs that the women were taken into "The Zone" which is ruled by "Overdog" – their sworn enemy. Returning to the Scrambler, Wolff finds Chalmers – who is really anandroid – has been "killed". Wolff continues on alone, but soon catches a teenage Scav named Niki (Molly Ringwald) trying to steal his Scrambler. She convinces Wolff that he needs a tracker if he is to survive The Zone and Wolff reluctantly takes her lead.
In the meantime, the three women are taken before "The Chemist" (Hrant Alianak), the chief henchman of Overdog who administers pacifying drugs to the girls and prepares them for Overdog's pleasure.
Elsewhere, Wolff and Niki make camp, but soon come under attack by a strange plow-like vehicle. Wolff manages to disable the machine and learns the driver is a former military acquaintance of his – a soldier named Washington (Ernie Hudson), who reveals he too has come to rescue the women. His only problem is that he crashed his ship and has no way off world. Wolff refuses to help his rival and leaves him to fend for himself.
Back in The Zone, the women are taken to see the Overdog (Michael Ironside), who is revealed to be a hideous cyborg, almost entirely machine, with two metal claws for hands.
Still led by Niki, Wolff gets into more predicaments – from being attacked by mutated blob-like beings, to strange mermaid-like women and their giant water dragon. He even loses his trusty Scrambler and is forced to continue on foot. Eventually, they are found by Washington and Wolff finds the situation reversed as he now begs his rival for help. Washington assists, but only if Wolff cuts him in 50/50 on the reward.
Wolff and Washington team up and sneak into Overdog's fortress where they find the Zoners entertained by captured prisoners forced to run through a deadly maze of lethal obstacles, hazards and traps. Wolff spots the women being held in a cage and forms a rescue plan, but a bored Niki (who was left out of the rescue for her safety) decides to snoop around. She is captured and sent into the maze. Wolff spots Niki in the maze and tries to rescue her, but she uses her prowess to reach the end where Overdog congratulates her and drags her back to his lair. There, she is hooked to a machine that slowly drains her life energy. The energy in turn recharges Overdog. Wolff comes to the rescue and jabs a sparking power cable into one of Overdog's claws. The power feedback fries Overdog and thus causes cascading blowouts throughout the entire fortress.
As the complex explodes, the three heroes, and the three rescued women, manage to get away. In the end, Wolff invites Niki to stay with him and she agrees since they made good partners.

Using Space Hunter 

Terra XI – is a failed colony that fell victim to a deadly plague and civil warfare. Its also a perfect location for adventures and a great jump off point into a campaign. 
There are four things you might not realize about Space Hunter. 
The Psi 2000 is a mutated form of water from the planet Psi 2000 that spreads by perspiration (or small cuts in the skin) and causes its victims to act in a way similar to being drunk. However, the effects do not wear off and eventually will cause victims to make dangerous decisions. It happens to appear on both Terra XI and Star Trek The Original series. 
 Are the two universes linked?  They can be if the DM deems it. There's also murdering tribes of mutants, humans, and god knows what else. 
Terra XI boasts a vast space age megadungeon world that seems to on with its own internal ecosystem and mutant tribes. 

You can watch the whole movie
Enjoy 

5 comments:

  1. I almost can't believe this exists and I'm going to have to find the time to see it.

    Keep it coming Needles. This place is amazing.

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  2. Loved this movie back in the theatre... thanks for reminding me of its awesomess.

    As I recollect it, the 3-D was almost a physical assault at times.

    And I wonder if you are planning a post for Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn?

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  3. I saw this in 3D at a "Cult Film" night at the local art-house a couple of years ago. It was silly, goofy fun!

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  4. I LOVE, LOVE Space Hunter. I watched it like a dozen times as a kid!

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  5. Porky - It not only exists but its a great guilty pleasure of mine. We've got more coming up. Possibly another film you've never heard of full of post apocalyptic goodness. Thanks for the comment.

    Faded Earth - Yeah this was my first real 3 D movie right after The Creature From The Black Lagoon on regular television back in the 80's.
    Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn is coming up on Sunday! Lots of secrets with that one. Thanks for the comment.

    School Master and yeah its definitely in the silly,goofy fun category. We've got more fun coming up!

    Rev. Dane Black - I wore the tape out as a teenager and college student. My Ex hated this movie. Watched it a hundred times as a kid.

    I didn't expect to get this great of a reaction from you folks. Sunday Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn is coming up! Thanks folks!

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