I gotta say that I got a kick out of TURKEY SHOOT. Just the sort of strange hybrid type film that I liked to see come out of the 1980s. Part sci-fi, part horror, part exploit film - TURKEY SHOOT pretty much has it all, and somehow blends it all together well, without becoming too "heavy-handed" with any specific elements. A bit disjointed and silly at times for as "serious" as the film seems to take itself - but definitely enjoyable...
The film takes place in the future (which at this point looks pretty outdated, and probably didn't look all that "futuristic" for 1982 either...) where a totalitarian government is in control and obedience to the State is all that is accepted. Anyone who dissents or disobeys is sent to a camp for "deviants" for reprogramming. Camp Thatcher (named after the Head of the camp) is supposed to be the worst-of-the-worst as far as the camps go, and a new group of deviants, including a timid (but smokin') female, another girl who's a little tougher, and a guy who is all about anti-establishment and has escaped other camps before, are subjected to the hardships and torture that Camp Thatcher has to offer. To keep things interesting, Thatcher comes up with a MOST DANGEROUS GAME-style amusement - hunting prisoners. The new recruits along with two others are chosen, and are freed as game - under the agreement that if they can avoid death til sundown - they're free to leave the camp as rehabilitated citizens...but of course it's not quite that simple...
TURKEY SHOOT is action-packed, violent, and a bit gorier than I would have expected - all good things. The whole rehabilitation and behavior modification camp was actually unnecessary to the storyline for the most part, but it worked in the context of the film. There are some silly things that I have no idea why they were thrown in (the "werewolf" circus creature, anyone???) - but what the hell - there's not a whole lot of rhyme-or-reason to this film, it's just a good time with an excuse to show a bunch of gratuitous violence and a titty or two. Recommended for early-80s Roger Corman-style exploit/action fans - others will probably find it cheezy...8/10
The film takes place in the future (which at this point looks pretty outdated, and probably didn't look all that "futuristic" for 1982 either...) where a totalitarian government is in control and obedience to the State is all that is accepted. Anyone who dissents or disobeys is sent to a camp for "deviants" for reprogramming. Camp Thatcher (named after the Head of the camp) is supposed to be the worst-of-the-worst as far as the camps go, and a new group of deviants, including a timid (but smokin') female, another girl who's a little tougher, and a guy who is all about anti-establishment and has escaped other camps before, are subjected to the hardships and torture that Camp Thatcher has to offer. To keep things interesting, Thatcher comes up with a MOST DANGEROUS GAME-style amusement - hunting prisoners. The new recruits along with two others are chosen, and are freed as game - under the agreement that if they can avoid death til sundown - they're free to leave the camp as rehabilitated citizens...but of course it's not quite that simple...
TURKEY SHOOT is action-packed, violent, and a bit gorier than I would have expected - all good things. The whole rehabilitation and behavior modification camp was actually unnecessary to the storyline for the most part, but it worked in the context of the film. There are some silly things that I have no idea why they were thrown in (the "werewolf" circus creature, anyone???) - but what the hell - there's not a whole lot of rhyme-or-reason to this film, it's just a good time with an excuse to show a bunch of gratuitous violence and a titty or two. Recommended for early-80s Roger Corman-style exploit/action fans - others will probably find it cheezy...8/10