"Military Sci-Fi Oddities: MEGAFORCE (1982)" Topic

"Out of the mists of time and space came a convergence of the military and science fiction genres fueled by the hopefulness of the just begun 1980's and topped with a generous layer of cheese came 1982's MEGAFORCE directed by Hal Needham (Smoky and the Bandit) and starring Barry Bostwick. Yes, dear readers of FWS, it is indeed time to explore and maybe explain this oddity of 1980's Action Movies and Military SF that was MEGAFORCE…and film that my older brother and I subjected my poor father to seeing during its brief theatrical run in June of 1982 at the McClellum Boulevard Plaza 4 in Anniston, Alabama.

The director of Cannonball Run, Stroker Ace, and Smoky & the Bandit, Hal Needham, turned his talents and money towards the military sci-fi angle with a project in conjunction with Mattel and Golden Harvest that became MEGAFORCE. According to an August 1982 interview with Starlog Magazine, the director and former stuntman explained the origins of the MEGAFORCE film. The man that puts the race car owners together with sponsors that works with Needham was Bob Kachler from California. He came to Hal with the basic idea of MEGAFORCE and thought it would make a great TV series. Hal told him that it seemed more like a movie to him and agreed to develop it for the silverscreen. As he told Bob: "If you go out and sell my cars, I'll sell your movie. And that's how it got started."

With his passion for stunts and vehicles, Needham and William Fredrick designed a number of vehicles for the MEGAFORCE team that cost over a million dollars and all of them were functioning vehicles that were built by a team of four and took nine months. These vehicles and the costumes were all in collaboration with the toy company Mattel. The MEGAFORCE team itself is a special operations multinational rapid deployment combined arms force that uses the most advanced prototype technology like laser direct-energy weapons and holograms, to allow a smaller force to defeat a larger, more conventional force. MEGAFORCE's mission to defend democracy, peace, and justice around the world without the red tape of normal governmental channels. They are headquartered in a vast underground desert mountain base that is similar in construction and scale to the Cheyenne Mountain NORAD facility. Everyone in MEGAFORCE uses first names, no ranks, and it is led by Ace Hunter…"
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Amicalement
Armand

Persis Khambatta looked good with hair in this cinematic fewmet, so that's a plus. Unfortunately, it's the only one I can think of.

LT

p.s. Anniston, Alabama, had a movie theater? when I was there I couldn't find any people, let alone entertainment.

I still remember Ace's big faux Chuck Norris face on so many full page ads on the inside front cover, inside back cover, and outer back cover of so many comic books when that movie came out. "Deeds, not words!"

I've been suckered into watching many bad movies, but I managed to escape this one.

Found the DVD recently at second hand shop (£1.00).

Glup!

Amicalement
Armand

This is a movie so bad it's good.

Fun ride, especially with a beer in hand.

Man, I thought that movie was bad when I was ten years old! I can't imagine watching it now. Unless, you know, if there was an accompanying RiffTrax.

Well I did go and see this in the theatre when it came out.

Yes it does not hold up well today.

Oh and yes it would have been better.

But it was fun.

A video of a test drive of a restored Megaforce Mega Destroyer was posted to YouTube last year. The video is set to "Megaforce," the End Credits music of the movie.

Megaforce Mega Destroyer
YouTube link
Bob Lindenmayer
YouTube
Apr 3, 2018

The End Credits song "Megaforce" can be found on the CD "Mega Force" by 707.

The Megaforce Original Motion Picture Soundtrack was released on CD almost 10 years ago.

Actor Michael Beck who played Dallas in Megaforce was also in the post-apocalyptic movie Battletruck, released in the U.S. as Warlords of the 21st Century. Battletruck was released on DVD over five years ago. Battletruck is worth watching and would be a great scenario for tabletop car combat games such as Car Wars and Gaslands.

In the 1980s, the late game designer Aaron Allston wrote the tabletop gaming supplement AutoVentures 3: UltraForce for Car Wars, Battlecars, and Highway 2000. UltraForce was based on the Megaforce movie, and featured several interesting car combat ideas such as motorcycle gliders and an armored and armed mining supertruck.

Barry Bostwick in gold spandex, shudders.
Nuff said.

I remember watching something like Delta Force 3 on TV way back when, what was it with the 80's and motorbikes and dune buggies improbably equipped with improbably effective (and accurate) rockets/missiles?

Man, I thought that movie was bad when I was ten years old! I can't imagine watching it now. Unless, you know, if there was an accompanying RiffTrax.

It's more fun making your own RiffTrax to the movie. A six-pack of beer per person should be enough to cover the entire movie with alcohol-fueled commentary.