REVIEW: All these ‘Texas Gladiators,’ but where’s ‘Mad Max’?
Image courtesy of Severin / Provided with permission.
Severin recently released 2020 Texas Gladiators, a legendarily obscure title from Italy with one of the strangest names in movie history. Think about it. The year “2020” speaks to a sci-fi movie from the past that tries to be predictive of what society would look like in the 21st century (spoiler alert: post-apocalyptic motorcycles). The “Gladiators” part firmly places this Joe D’Amato-directed feature in the action genre and promises hand-to-hand combat. But then there’s “Texas,” which throws off any preconceived notions the audience might have before experiencing these 90 minutes of carnage.
And it should be noted that nothing in 2020 Texas Gladiators resembles Texas or harkens back to the Lone Star State.
The paper-thin plot of this 1983 film doesn’t even warrant a screenwriting credit on the back cover of the new 4K UltraHD / Blu-ray release. It turns out the story is courtesy of George Eastman and Aldo Florio. They have crafted a tale about a lawless society that is one part Troma’s War mixed with two parts Mad Max. The characters are mostly one-note creations, with bad guys over here and good guys over there, and sometimes the good guys become bad guys (although never vice versa). Some of the female characters are unfortunately the victims of the depravity of these warring factions in Texas.
The action is nonstop and nicely staged, with the opening sequence grabbing the attention of the viewer within seconds. Credit to D’Amato and his team for making the kills and high-speed chases thrilling and over the top. Less effective is any attempt to understand what the purpose of the movie might be. Motivations for the characters are largely missing, with most of the lines of dialogue residing uncomfortably and awkwardly in between fist fights and shootouts.
There’s definitely a certain energy that is achieved throughout the picture, which moves at a lightning speed and is aided by a soundtrack composed by Carlo Maria Cordio. The cast works hard, even if their efforts have middling results. Included are Al Oliver, Peter Hooten, Sabrina Siani, Donald O’Brien and Geretta Geretta, all of whom have serious credibility in the genre space, appearing in films as varied as Demons, Rats: Night of Terror and Dr. Butcher, M.D.
As an action film, 2020 Texas Gladiators excels and never lets off the gas. As anything deeper, the movie struggles to stay lodged in the memory.
Assisting Severin’s release are a few special features on the Blu-ray included in the three-disc set (the first disc is just the HD release). There’s a new documentary called Shoot Me: The Real Story of the Italian Texas Gladiators, featuring archival interviews with D’Amato, Oliver, Eastman and assistant director Michele Soavi. Geretta also receives a special feature unto herself. Plus, the third disc is a CD copy of the movie’s soundtrack.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
2020 Texas Gladiators (1983). In English or Italian with optional English subtitles. Directed by Joe D’Amato (credited as Kevin Mancuso). Written by George Eastman and Aldo Florio. Starring Al Cliver, Peter Hooten, Sabrina Siani, Geretta Geretta and Donald O’Brien. Running time: 90 minutes. Rating: 
Click here for more information on the Severin release.
