TrueJoshNight Truly Dreadful Film

Nonureva Really Surprised!

Platicsco Good story, Not enough for a whole film

Glimmerubro It is not deep, but it is fun to watch. It does have a bit more of an edge to it than other similar films.

MARIO GAUCI Made in the wake of THE CANNONBALL RUN (1981), this racing-car comedy actually features David Carradine in the lead, who had starred in the similar (but more violent) DEATH RACE 2000 (1975) and the unrelated CANNONBALL (1976). The heroine, then, is Stockard Channing and the villain Christopher Lee – appearing here in a silly Darth Vader get-up, albeit claiming to be a descendant of the Borgias and irritatingly prone to opera singing, not to mention being flanked by an unfunny and long-suffering "navigator"! The African setting allows both ample travelogue footage and, ostensibly, added peril for the contenders; that said, the race itself is curiously lacking in excitement and, besides, while we are told there are as many as 93 participants, we only ever see a handful of stereotype members (Brits, French, Japanese, Australians and one female team) apart from the central rival duo…who, needless to say, end up neck-and-neck near the finishing line but, unsurprisingly, Carradine and Channing emerge victorious in spite of Lee's every attempt to thwart their progression. Incidentally, this could have taken a leaf from the "Wacky Races" cartoons of the late 1960s, itself inspired by THE GREAT RACE (1965) – that is to say, it should have been broader, but perhaps the film-makers did not want to go the route of THE CANNONBALL RUN…which rather let the result fall between two stools, hence s virtual obscurity since its year of release! While it is watchable enough for what it is, especially as the picture runs for a mere 86 minutes, there is hardly anything memorable going on for the entire duration – which makes the involvement of renowned producers Jules V. Levy and Arthur Gardner (their last effort) and Oscar-winning composer Ernest Gold all the more baffling!

PeterMitchell-506-564364 Yes, Carradine's at the wheel again. This time the race is through Africa which makes you fully appreciate the scenery. Journalist Channing, from the Gazette, the romantic lead here, comes along for the hairy ride. The wonderful Christopher Lee plays the villain, Count Borgia, a riding legend, who dresses the part, dead set determined at winning the race that hardly seems feasible with his nincompoop assistant. Channing provides the humorous touches, and when she gets scared, even if it is overacting, it makes her funny and enjoyable, especially when she notices a pack of lions behind an oblivious Carradine. But all in all, this one falls below par to Carradine's other race movies. Channing has a terrible habit of losing her cameras or trading them. For Carradine fans of this fare mainly, or even the kids too.

Wizard-8 "Safari 3000" has all but been forgotten today, and I don't think that MGM will be releasing it on DVD any time soon. It doesn't take long when watching the movie to figure out why this movie has drifted into obscurity. True, the movie has a notable cast - Carradine, Channing, and Lee. Carradine and Channing are somewhat likable and generate a little chemistry, but the surroundings seem to be restraining them from making really memorable characters. It's bizarre to see Lee ham it up, wearing a Darth Vader helmet and singing opera. I hope that he only took on this role to get a free trip to Africa. Speaking of Africa, while the movie shot on location, much of the movie looks surprisingly generic, almost as if the movie actually shot in southern California. The racing elements and vehicular stunt work are completely unexciting, and the comedy is childish slapstick. Change the channel should this come on your television.

jake-81 About the only item worth noting on this lackluster film was the chemistry between Stockard Channing and David Carradine. It seemed as if the two actors were reading off each others reactions rather than a script. Perhaps that was part of the problem with this movie.At times this film reminded me of the Disney film "The Love Bug." Of course "Safari 3000" is no where near as good a movie as "The Love Bug," and that isn't saying very much. Absolutely skip over this movie and be glad you haven't given up two hours of your life.