Worst '80s "Raiders" Rip-Off

Worst '80s "Raiders" Rip-Off

  • 1986 - The Mines of Kilimanjaro

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 1987 - Jane and the Lost City

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    44

Mickiana

Well-known member
I haven't voted as I haven't seen most of the movie choices, but one movie that did come to mind that hasn't been mentioned is Race for the Yankee Zephyr. I did a search for any discussion threads of this title but nothing came up. Just a quick look at IMDB then and it says 1981 as the production year but that it was released in 1984 in the US. A review mentions that the release of Raiders "buried" it, which is a bit ambiguous in meaning. I'm not sure of the facts or the assumptions I have read, but even though it wasn't a spin off (I think), I thought I'd throw it out there.
 

Stoo

Well-known member
Mickiana said:
I haven't voted as I haven't seen most of the movie choices,...
Kudos to you, Mick. If other voters had done the same, it's not likely that the Quatermain movies with Richard Chamberlain would be leading the poll. Hard to imagine that anyone who has seen, "Treasure of the Four Crowns", would think that the '80s Quatermain movies are worse.

Even so, I'd still like to hear your opinion about what is the worst of those that you have seen. "Sky Pirates" (a.k.a. "Dakota Harris") is an Australian film so I'm guessing that's one of them. Yes? No?

Thanks for mentioning, "Race for the Yankee Zephyr". I've never heard of it before but after a bit of reading & watching a clip on YouTube, it looks interesting and the main cast is pretty good (Warren, Peppard, Pleasance) plus, I never knew that David Hemmings directed anything. Another one to hunt down!:D

Moderators: This is one of my very first threads from back in 2005. Would it be possible to change the title to say, "Rip-Off" (instead of "Spin-Off")?
 

Pale Horse

Moderator
Staff member
Stoo said:
Moderators: This is one of my very first threads from back in 2005. Would it be possible to change the title to say, "Rip-Off" (instead of "Spin-Off")?
...done...​
 

Le Saboteur

Active member
Stoo said:
Kudos to you, Mick. If other voters had done the same, it's not likely that the Quatermain movies with Richard Chamberlain would be leading the poll. Hard to imagine that anyone who has seen, "Treasure of the Four Crowns", would think that the '80s Quatermain movies are worse.

No, not the worst. They couldn't possibly be worse than Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death. It even has everyone's favorite cannabis endorsing television commentator!

vlcsnap-2013-04-01-08h23m10s208.png


Plot Synopsis said:
To avoid a serious avocado shortage, the U.S. government hires feminist anthropology professor Margo Hunt to find the man-eating Piranha Women tribe, who inhabit the avocado jungle of Southern California.

<iframe width="640" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/htt40ANLwls" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 

Stoo

Well-known member
Le Saboteur said:
No, not the worst. They couldn't possibly be worse than Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death. It even has everyone's favorite cannabis endorsing television commentator!
Wow, never heard about this one either. It would make a great addition to this thread (which went into a 'soft-porn-Indy-type movies' direction).

Bill Maher is a funny guy. Adrienne Barbeau looked better in the '70s. Shannon Tweed is Canadian. I remember her from Playboy magazine and crap movies of the early-mid '80s.

Another Indy connection beyond this movie being a Rip-Off:
Some of the music in this trailer is from a track by Tony Hymas, which was also used as part of the McDonald's Young Indy promo.

P.S. Thanks for the title change, Mr. Horse.:hat:
 

AndyLGR

Active member
I just finished watching Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold. It was truly awful. Did that movie get a cinema release or straight to VHS?
 

Stoo

Well-known member
AndyLGR said:
I just finished watching Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold. It was truly awful. Did that movie get a cinema release or straight to VHS?
Not sure about the U.K. but it DEFINITELY had a theatrical release in North America - U.S.A. & Canada (and *I think* Mexico but am not sure).

Andy, since this thread is MAINLY dedicated to which '80s rip-off was the WORST, I would LOVE to take your query over to this thread: Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold
 

Ska

New member
JuniorJones said:
Anyone for Ark of the Sun God?

Good movie. I've been in the process of digitizing my movies, and I just completed this one. Haven't seen it in a while, but it's back in my queue again.

Those looking for this might also find it by it's other name, Temple of Hell.

***************
A couple other Indy rip-offs not mentioned in this thread yet are:
Forgotten City (1999) *video below has a brief topless scene*
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/lQBlRKzNM28" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Four Junior Detectives (1994)(more a Goonies rip off than Indy)
<iframe width='400' height='300' src='http://www.videodetective.com/embed/video/?publishedid=73208&options=false&autostart=false&playlist=none&width=400&height=300' frameborder='0' scrolling='no'></iframe>

Mark of the Scorpion (1988)
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/DqXBVS7edOo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Operation Golden Phoenix (1994)
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/rn0XWtvV1D8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
***************
I still haven't been able to find a copy of Sky Pirates, Treasure of the Four Crowns, or Hunters of the Golden Cobra.

edit: I guess 3 of the 4 movies I posted don't fit in this thread, as they were from the 90s.
 
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Stoo

Well-known member
DoomTown said:
Two words: Jake.....SPEED. :)


Anybody remember THAT one? It even had OXLEY in it....;)
Yes, Keith, I remember "Jake Speed". UGH! It was bad but thanks for mentioning it.:)
Ska said:
I still haven't been able to find a copy of Sky Pirates, Treasure of the Four Crowns, or Hunters of the Golden Cobra.
Nice to see you posting, Ska.:hat: "G_d be with you in your quest."

I've only seen "Sky Pirates" once. Even though it's not a very good movie, I sure do want it in my collection. A few years ago, my favourite video store in Montreal, La Boite Noire, started selling off their VHS rental tapes and among them was "Sky Pirates" (which I didn't even know they had the whole time)! Since I was already buying a crapload of DVDs, I moved the tape to a place where I could easily find it a few days later. The next time I returned, it was gone! After 30 mins. of scouring through the 1000s of VHS tapes, I gave up looking. Stupid me should've bought it when I had the chance!:mad:

---
Does anyone remember, "The Tomb", from 1986? This was a direct-to-VHS release. It's more like an old, Universal mummy movie but the artwork was clearly cashing in on the look of Indiana Jones. Nobody in the film wore a fedora.

TombThe_1986_small_zps1a839061.jpg
 

Mickiana

Well-known member
'Forgotten City' is a poor adaptation of Desmond Bagley's novel, 'The Vivero Letter', which I read years ago and quite enjoyed. It is about the recovery of artifacts from the cenotes in the Yucatan area. 'Forgotten City' is listed as 'The Vivero Letter' in IMDB.
 

Duaner

New member
Old thread here, but I just watched "Firewalker" and then searched it on here to see if any Indy fans had an opinion on it. I knew it was not going to be anything great, but considering it was an Indy-type movie, was directed by J. Lee Thompson (who directed "Guns of Navarone" - one of my all-time favorites + two "Planet of the Apes" sequels), starred Chuck Norris who I always enjoyed, and as a bonus had John Rhys-Davies in it, I figured I would probably like it. Sadly, it was terrible. I was shocked to see someone in this thread gave it an 8/10. I'd probably give it a 3 or 4. The humor was lame and the fighting is all kind of slapstick.

I haven't seen very many of the other 80s Indy "rip-offs" so I won't call "Firewalker" the worst just yet, but it was pretty bad. I actually liked "Romancing the Stone" (as well as "Jewel of the Nile"). The best Indy-style rip-off of the 80s is easily "High Road to China" in my opinion. I need to rewatch the Allan Quartermain movies because I don't remember them. I'm going to check out some of the other titles mentioned in this thread as well.
 

AndyLGR

Active member
I can remember a TV series from the early 80's that I used to watch when I was younger called Bring 'em Back Alive. I t was about a big game trapper set in the far east in the late 1930s. It always reminded me of Indy in its execution.
 

Stoo

Well-known member
Duaner said:
Old thread here, but I just watched "Firewalker" and then searched it on here to see if any Indy fans had an opinion on it. I knew it was not going to be anything great, but considering it was an Indy-type movie, was directed by J. Lee Thompson (who directed "Guns of Navarone" - one of my all-time favorites + two "Planet of the Apes" sequels), starred Chuck Norris who I always enjoyed, and as a bonus had John Rhys-Davies in it, I figured I would probably like it. Sadly, it was terrible. I was shocked to see someone in this thread gave it an 8/10. I'd probably give it a 3 or 4. The humor was lame and the fighting is all kind of slapstick.

I haven't seen very many of the other 80s Indy "rip-offs" so I won't call "Firewalker" the worst just yet, but it was pretty bad. I actually liked "Romancing the Stone" (as well as "Jewel of the Nile"). The best Indy-style rip-off of the 80s is easily "High Road to China" in my opinion. I need to rewatch the Allan Quartermain movies because I don't remember them. I'm going to check out some of the other titles mentioned in this thread as well.
Hi, Duaner. Nice to see that you resurrected my old thread.:)

"Firewalker" is not great by any means but it's definitely one of the better titles on the list so be warned when you watch the others!:eek: Funny that you mention J. Lee Thompson because a year before this movie he also directed "King Solomon's Mines" with John Rhys-Davies in it, too. Once upon a time, J. Lee used to make good films ("Ice Cold in Alex", "Cape Fear", etc.) but in the latter part of his career, he was making schlock.

Anyway, I'm interested to hear what you have to say about the more obscure '80s rip-offs, whenever you get the chance.
AndyLGR said:
I can remember a TV series from the early 80's that I used to watch when I was younger called Bring 'em Back Alive. I t was about a big game trapper set in the far east in the late 1930s. It always reminded me of Indy in its execution.
Yeah! Not just any 'big game trapper' but the famous real-life, Frank Buck! (I would've included it in the poll but ran out of room.)

For anyone interested, we actually have a thread on that show: Bring 'Em Back Alive!
Indy1Jones2 said:
Romancing the stone.
Was the worst?:confused: I guess you haven't see "Perils of Gwendoline" or "Treasure of the Four Crowns"!:p
 

Duaner

New member
Stoo said:
Funny that you mention J. Lee Thompson because a year before this movie he also directed "King Solomon's Mines" with John Rhys-Davies in it, too. Once upon a time, J. Lee used to make good films ("Ice Cold in Alex", "Cape Fear", etc.) but in the latter part of his career, he was making schlock.

I hadn't even realized that J. Lee Thompson directed "King Solomon's Mines" as well. When looking over his filmography, I see how right you were about the schlock in his later career. At least four of his final films were with Charles Bronson too. Bronson would be an actor who would fall in the same category. His early film roles were great, but later on nothing but junk.

I'm going to have to add "Ice Cold in Alex" to my long list of movies to watch. It sounds like a good one. Like I mentioned, J. Lee Thompson's "Guns of Navarone" is one of my all-time favorites. He also directed "Conquest of the Planet of the Apes" which I thought was the best sequel to the original "Planet of the Apes". "Cape Fear" also a great film - much better than the remake, but I am a Gregory Peck fan so there may be some bias.
 

Kai Hagen

New member
I'm a fan of Sharon Stone and was excited to learn that she was in King Solomon's Mines. I bought the DVD and watched it. The giant pot scene was the last straw for me.
 
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