Exterminators of the Year 3000 / l giustiziere della strada (1983)
Running time: 87 mins.
Directed by: Giuliano Carnimeo. Produced by: Camillo Teti.
Cast: Robert Iannucci, Luca Venantini, Alicia Moro, Luciano Pigozzi, Eduardo Fajardo, Venantino Venantini, Fernando Bilbao.
Ascot Elite Home Entertainment (Blu-ray) distributed through Universum Film (Germany RB) / WS (1.85:1) (16:9)
Granted, EXTERMINATORS OF THE YEAR 3000 would never have been bankrolled if it weren’t for the success of George Miller’s MAD MAX films. Yet Carnimeo has managed to further streamline the already barebones post-nuke action film formula here. His EXTERMINATORS is a mighty fun old school post apocalyptic film. Despite the tight budget, there are several cool action scenes and some decent production value on display here.
The Story
It’s the year 3000. The Earth is but a scorched desert. Civilization has long collapsed. Small groups of survivors roam the wasteland, scavenging for the remaining surplus of water. Tommy (Luca Venantini), a 10-year-old bionic kid, teams up with a rugged loner named Alien (Robert Iannucci) in search of water. Together with the beautiful and feisty Trash (Alicia Moro), our heroes clash with a vicious gang of bikers lead by Crazy Bull (Fernando Bilbao).
ROAD WARRIOR made in Italy
EXTERMINATORS OF THE YEAR 3000 is not the most epic Italian post-nuke film, nor is it the wildest one. Still, Giuliano Carnimeo’s direction is tight and measured. Veteran director skilfully moves the simplistic story forward, covering the action with just a handful of expertly chosen camera angles. The future RATMAN helmer knows exactly when to utilize the long lens, when to punch in for a tight closeup or go for a wide-angle panoramic shot. Producer Camillo Teti would go on to helm the infamous THE KILLER IS STILL AMONG US (1986), cashing in on the real-life grisly murders that shook Florence in the 1980s.
The Music
Detto Mariano (a one-time associate of Adriano Celentano) provided a fittingly low-budget atonal keyboard score.
For just a mercenary MAD MAX ripoff, EXTERMINATORS OF THE YEAR 3000 is actually made with lots of heart. What’s more, Carnimeo’s film has a surprisingly decent story arc. Unlike the film it’s aping, EXTERMINATORS OF THE YEAR 3000 gets to the point (a violent, explosions-filled car chase) swiftly. Redundant pathos that so hinders George Miller’s film is absent here.
Home Video
In December 2014, Ascot Elite brought EXTERMINATORS OF THE YEAR 3000 out on Blu-Ray in Germany. The colours are on the reddish side. The opening credits are in French language against a plain black background. The film’s main title card is digitally generated and looks cheap and tacky.
This Ascot Elite release includes a contemporary trailer (featuring the same photoshopped title card) and a brief featurette revisiting the film’s desert locations.
The only audio option is the German Audio track (original 2.0 Mono and an indifferent 5.1 mix) in DTS-HD MA. Short sections of the film which were cut during the West German cinema release and consequently never dubbed in German are presented in Italian language with German subtitles. There are no English subtitles on this Blu-ray.
Reviewed in April 2018 by Alex Bakshaev