Amazons

The film “Amazons” (German title: “Im Reich der Amazonen“) is a rare science fiction and fantasy film from the forge of Roger Corman from the USA. UCM.ONE releases the film, also known as “Amazon”, for the first time on the M-Square Classics label in the new restored original US-HD version as a limited media book with DVD and Blu-Ray together with a 16-page booklet.

Synopsis:

The wild, beautiful Amazon warrior Dyala (Mindi Miller) wants to save her people, who suffer from two cold-blooded enemies: The villainous Emperor Kalungo (Joseph Whipp), who has magic powers, and Dyala’s evil mother. For her fierce fight for liberation she needs the holy sword of her ancestor, Azundati. In their search for this powerful artefact, she and her companion Tashi (Penelope Reed), who has joined this difficult endeavour despite initial mistrust, face numerous dangers that both have to master with their martial arts…

About Alejandro Sessa:

Alejandro Sessa, born on 19 June 1928, began his film career in 1981 when he produced his first film “Abierto día y noche“. The script of the comedy directed by Fernando Ayala was written by director Héctor Olivera, with whom Sessa worked several times in the following years. In 1983, under his pseudonym Alex Sessa, he produced a cult film of the 1980s’ barbarian film wave: “Deathstalker“, followed by “Funny Dirty Little War” (1983) and “Pasajeros de una pesadilla” (1984). In the same year he co-produced another fantasy trash pearl with “The Warrior and the Sorceress“. Here David Carradine appeared in full muscular splendour in front of the camera. He remained true to the fantasy genre in 1985, too, and so he produced two more fantasy flicks with his companion Héctor Olivera that year: “Barbarian Queen” and “Wizards of the Lost Kingdom“. One year later he made his directing debut with “Amazons“, but was to leave the director’s chair after “Stormquest” (1987).

In 1989 he reunited with Olivera as producer of “Two to Tango” and in 1991 he appeared as co-producer for one of his most famous films “Highlander II – The Quickening“. He then produced 200 episodes of the TV series “El árbol azul“. Alejandro Sessa died a few years later in Buenos Aires. He was 70 years old.

Cast:

Like many fantasy trash gems of the 1980s, “Amazons” features a colourful ensemble of less successful yet remarkable performers, starting with leading actress Mindi Miller.

Miller took on her first role in the Sci-Fi cult film “Westworld” in 1973, unmentioned as “Girl in the Saloon“, and in the same year – mentioned by name for the first time – played a bikini girl in “Hell up in Harlem“. One of her longest engagements was as a Revel in “Switch“, where she played alongside Robert Wagner in several episodes. In the middle of the 1980s she spent some time as an erotic actress under the pseudonym Ty Randolph and played her first and only leading role in “Amazons“. As an experienced karate fighter, and as the daughter of a stuntman trained in the use of firearms, swords and riding, she always chose not to use a double for all her stunts. She ended her acting career after only 32 roles in 1991.

The careers of Danitza Kingsley and Penelope Reed also ended rather quickly with twelve and nine roles respectively, although Penelope Reed retired from acting in the early 1990s to concentrate on her family.

With over 100 roles in film and TV, only Joseph Whipp can look back on a more successful career. After his TV debut in 1963 in “General Hospital” and his first film role as a prison guard in “Escape from Alcatraz” (1979) with Clint Eastwood in the leading role, it was especially the role of the policeman that he slipped into again and again over the decades. His most famous films include “Nightmare on Elm Street“, but he also appeared in the horror classic “The Hidden” (1987), this time not as a policeman but in the role of Dr. Rogers.

After dozens of TV roles, he again put on the police uniform in Wes Craven‘s “Scream” in 1991. With supporting roles in smaller films and various series, television remains his main field of activity to this day. His last appearance so far was in an episode of “Criminal Minds” in 2014.