Skullduggery (1983 film)

Skullduggery (also known as Warlock and Blood Puzzle) is a 1983 Canadian horror film directed by Ota Richter.[1][2][3]

Skullduggery
(aka Warlock)
(aka Blood Puzzle)
Directed byOta Richter
Produced byOta Richter
Peter Wittman
Written byOta Richter
Peter Wittman
StarringDavid Calderisi
Wendy Crewson
Thom Haverstock
Jim Coburn
Kate Lynch
Music byEvzen Illín
CinematographyRobert C. New
Edited byIan McBride
Production
company
Media Home Entertainment
Wittman/Richter Films
Distributed byMedia Home Video
Release date
1983
Running time
95 minutes
CountryCanada
LanguageEnglish

Plot

The film follows a group of young adults who come together to play a fantasy role playing game, while working at a costume rental store. One of the players is a young man named Adam (Thom Haverstock) who is the descendant of a long line of men who are all cursed by the devil. While working at the community college theater performance a strange magician appears and puts a curse on Adam, forcing him to remember the fate of his ancestors and to make him believe that he really is a warlock.

Increasingly Adam is unable to determine the difference between fantasy and reality and believes that, as a warlock, he is on a quest to kill various people. As the bodies pile up, the local police are baffled and no one suspects that Adam is a deranged serial killer being commanded to kill by the devil.

After playing the role playing game with instructions to kill all the members of the Apostles of Hell before they kill him, Adam attends a costume party hosted by a man named Dr. Evil, who wants Adam to join his cult and also kill most of the party guests. When the police figure out that Adam is the killer, they corner and shoot him in a factory, but his body disappears and leaves a puppet in its place.

At the end of the film, the surviving players are playing a game with a suit of knight's armor seated in Adam's place. The armor comes to life and kills their dungeon master. Upon looking at the body, they learn that their dungeon master was Dr. Evil, and by extension, the devil.

Partial cast
  • David Calderisi as Sorcerer/Dr. Evil
  • Wendy Crewson as Barbara / Dorigen
  • Thom Haverstock as Adam
  • David Main as Chuck
  • Jim Coburn as Simco the Magician
  • Kate Lynch as Janet
  • Starr Andreeff as Irene
  • Claudia Udy as Dolly
  • Clark Johnson as Dave
  • Geordie Johnson as Jake
  • Jack Anthony as Mr. Sluszarczuk
  • Sharolyn Sparrow as Carmen
  • Patricia Nember as Ginny

Dungeons & Dragons
See also: Dungeons & Dragons controversies

The film was released during a time where there was a public backlash against role playing games. Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) games were accused of promoting Satanism and other forms of occult activities among young people.

Release

Originally released in 1983, it was later issued on VHS by Media Home Entertainment, and then licensed to budget label Video Treasures. The film had a commercial re-release on DVD in January 2008 by JEF Films, although the DVD is considered a bootleg release.[4]

Reception

The film was panned.

References
  1. "Skullduggery". British Film Institute. Retrieved 2009-08-05.
  2. Lentz, Harris M. (2000). Science Fiction, Horror & Fantasy Film and Television Credits: Filmography. 2 (2, revised ed.). McFarland. ISBN 9780786409518. Retrieved August 5, 2009.
  3. Stanley, John (2000). Creature features: the science fiction, fantasy, and horror movie guide (illustrated ed.). Berkley Boulevard Books. ISBN 9780425175170. Retrieved August 5, 2009.
  4. "Skullduggery on DVD". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2009-08-05.
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