The Essentials: Who Wants To Play The Most Dangerous Game?

The Most Dangerous Game is a short story published way back in 1924 and first put to celluloid under the same name in 1932 by RKO Pictures. While many of you probably haven’t read the story or seen the original, I am sure many of you have seen an action movie based off of the story. What is the story you ask? The Most Dangerous Game is about big game hunting for the biggest game possible, humans. Starting to sound a little familiar, isn’t it? It warms the cockles of my heart to know that humans had such an interest and craving for reading and watching other humans killed even back in the 1920’s. I guess if the Romans and their gladiatorial matches taught us anything, it is that bloodlust is eternal. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the best film adaptations, versions, or inspired by The Most Dangerous Game in no particular order. (Except the order is alphabetical as to not offend any of these fine films.)

• Bloodlust! (1961) – I love a movie title with punctuation! Bloodlust! is one of the earliest and finest examples of The Most Dangerous Game remakes. We get to see two couples trapped on an island being hunted by the evil Dr. Balleau. If you ever wanted to see Bill Coontz play an insane man in the woods, Bloodlust! is for you. Bonus points for being the subject of a funny MST3K episode even though I think this film stands on its own. Double bonus points for Bloodlust (sans exclamation point) also being the name of an exploitative 1992 Australian vampire film that isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. I told you bloodlust is eternal.

• Deadly Prey (1986) – The prolific David A. Prior’s chance to do a little human hunting introduces the world to Vietnam vet and hero Mike Danton (Ted Prior.) Colonel Hogan (David Campbell) runs and trains a mercenary crew and in order to keep his men sharp he has his men kidnap people so they can hunt them in the forest. When they capture Danton, strip him down to his shorts, grease him up, and set him loose in the forest they made a big mistake. It has been said about Mike Danton that in Vietnam he was the best… He still is! Bonus points for birthing a sequel, Deadliest Prey (2013,) which brings back all the relevant characters but still is fresh enough and now includes broadcasting the hunting on the internet.

• The Eliminator (2004) – The exciting world of powerboat racing is the prologue to getting to see Bas Rutten’s Dakota Varley (perhaps the fakest name possible) getting hunted after being drugged by Michael Rooker’s Dawson. Varley is actually a contestant with six other clichés with a grand prize of 10 million dollars. The Eliminator tries to stand out by having each of the contestants being brought to the game by a wealthy person. I’ll never forget it because I love powerboat racing.

• A Game of Death (1945) – As a direct remake of The Most Dangerous Game short story, this movie is similar to the original film, but the Russian villain is changed to German. Edgar Barrier plays the German madman and he oozes villainy in every scene. It is a step below RKO’s original, but a must watch for anyone, especially those who love pre-1950’s cinema. Bonus points for having the article “A” in order to be differentiated from Game of Death.

• Hard Target (1993) – The film that introduced Western audiences to director John Woo also happens to feature Jean-Claude Van Damme’s Chance Boudreaux helping out Yancy Butler’s Natasha search for her father in New Orleans. Hard Target takes the human hunting to a socioeconomic level (something the original had) with huntmaster Emil Fouchon (Lance Henriksen) setting up rich businessmen the chance to hunt by capturing the homeless. There are plenty of opportunities for Van Damme to show off his martial arts prowess and also features the talents of Arnold Vosloo, Sven-Ole Thorsen and Wilford Brimley. Bonus points for birthing a sequel, Hard Target 2 (2016,) which has the same human hunting but in Thailand, without the homelessness and includes Scott Adkins, Robert Knepper and Rhona Mitra.

• The Pest (1997) – If humans hunting humans is too serious for you, then The Pest is for you. It still has the hunting, but it is done in a comedic form with John Leguizamo’s con man character Pestario ‘Pest’ Vargas on the run from a racist German after agreeing to be hunted for $50,000. Most people find this movie disagreeable and for the most part it doesn’t fit in with the rest of the action classics in this Essentials, but I enjoy the fact that the filmmakers took a chance and tried to update The Most Dangerous Game.

• The Suckers (1972) – If you are looking for a The Most Dangerous Game movie with a serious sexploitation bent, then The Suckers is for you. When a big game hunter gets tired of hunting just regular old animals, he invites some models over to try his hand and hunting humans. If you are going to watch humans hunt other humans you might as well watch humans hunt good looking humans. And there are plenty of scenes in The Suckers for those that like good looking female humans.

• Surviving the Game (1994) – So you want more movies with the homeless getting hunted? Surviving the Game has Ice-T’s Mason, once a homeless man, being hunted by an All-Star cast of characters played by Rutger Hauer, Charles S. Dutton, Gary Busey, F. Murray Abraham, and John C. McGinley. If this cast and homelessness isn’t enough for you, Surviving the Game takes a surprising serious look at revenge and depression. Also, I have a soft spot in my heart for any movie that has Gary Busey relaying a story of his childhood where he was forced to fight a dog by his father.

• Turkey Shoot (1982) – Sometimes in order to stand out in a copycat world, movies must go a little further. Turkey Shoot decided to up the ante with some serious violence. The film takes place in the future, where prisoners Paul Anders (Steve Railsback), Chris Walters (Olivia Hussey) and Rita Daniels (Lynda Stoner) make a deal where if they can survive being hunted until sundown they will be set free. You might also know this movie as Escape 2000, but Turkey Shoot is how I like it because it has one of the greatest movie posters of this Essentials. Bonus points for birthing a remake, Turkey Shoot(2014) which keeps the prisoner plot point and adds a televised hunting aspect.

• The Woman Hunt (1972) – In my opinion, strong female characters make any action film instantly better, especially in roles we are unaccustomed to seeing them in. That is probably why I enjoy The Woman Hunt so much. In this Eddie Romero film, we get to see women kidnapped and taken to an island to be hunted. There are the usually New World, Romero, and Filipino film actors like Sid Haig, John Ashley, and Ken Metcalfe but I can’t forget the titular women, the lovely Pat Woodell, Charlene Jones and Laurie Rose. The Woman Hunt also has probably the best title of this Essentials. Would you rather be hunting women or turkeys? I thought so.

This alphabetical list of The Most Dangerous Game films contains only suggestions for you to watch if you enjoy humans hunting other humans, but all are definitely worth viewing. There are countless other in the genre and we would love to hear your opinions and recommendations. Finally, I will leave you with a few more that just couldn’t quite make the Essentials but are honorable mentions if you just can’t get enough.

• Deadly Game (1991) – It is only because this was a TV movie that Deadly Game did not make this Essentials. It really hurt me not to put something with Marc Singer on this list and I remember all the buzz when this movie premiered on USA Network back in July of 1991 but it is not quite on par with the rest of the Essentials.

• Maneater (1973) – Another TV movie that tries to flip the genre on its head by having the humans chased by two tigers set loose by a crazed animal trainer.  Ben Gazzara shines, and the tigers are truly majestic, but this is an Essentials for humans hunting humans. Although Hall & Oates probably like it.

• Mindhunters (2004) – LL Cool J, Val Kilmer and Christian Slater aren’t enough to bring this psychological thriller to the Essentials. When I say psychological thriller I mean that Mindhunters involves members of the psychological profiling division training for the FBI being hunted by one of their own who is a serial killer. It really is more of a soporifical thriller.