Fatal Games

Fatal Games (originally known as The Killing Touch and also known as Olympic Nightmare) is a 1984 American slasher film written and directed by Michael Elliott and starring Sally Kirkland, Lynn Banashek, Sean Masterson, Michael O'Leary, Teal Roberts, and Spice Williams-Crosby. The film follows a mad slasher, wielding a javelin, killing off members of a high school gymnastics team.

Fatal Games
Theatrical poster
Directed byMichael Elliot
Produced byWilliam Kroes
Written byRafael Buñuel
Michael Elliot
Christopher Mankiewicz
StarringSally Kirkland
Lynn Banashek
Sean Masterson
Michael O'Leary
Teal Roberts
Spice Williams-Crosby
Music byShuki Levy
CinematographyAlfred Taylor
Edited byJonathon Braun
Production
company
Impact Films
Distributed byMedia Home Entertainment
Release date
1984
Running time
88 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Fatal Games was released in 1984 and received negative reviews. Despite this, it has obtained a small cult following among fans of the genre.

The film shares many of its plot points with an earlier slasher film, Graduation Day (1981).

Plot

A seven member gymnastics team at the Falcon Academy of Athletics is up for the "Nationals". But before they can reach the competition, someone dressed in a black tracksuit and wielding a javelin begins killing the members. They must discover the killer's identity before the entire team ends up slaughtered.

Cast
  • Sally Kirkland as Diane Paine
  • Lynn Banashek as Annie Rivers
  • Sean Masterson as Phil Dandridge
  • Michael O'Leary as Frank Agee
  • Teal Roberts as Lynn Fox
  • Spice Williams-Crosby as Coach Drew
  • Melissa Prophet as Nancy Wilson
  • Angela Bennett as Sue Allen Baines
  • Nicholas Love as Joe Ward
  • Lauretta Murphy as Shelly
  • Michael Elliot as Dr. Jordine
  • Christopher Mankiewicz as Coach Jack Webber
  • Ed Call as Mr. Burger
  • Mel Klein as Annie's Father

Soundtrack

The song "Take it All the Way" was composed for the film by Shuki Levy. The song was written by Levy and his then-wife, Dallas writer Deborah Shelton.

Release

The film was released in America in 1984 by Impact Films, and was subsequently released on VHS by Media Home Entertainment as both Fatal Games and, an alternate title, Olympic Nightmare. As of July 2020, the film has not received a DVD or Blu-ray release.

Reception

Fatal Games has a score of 4.8/10 on IMDb and was critiqued by Internet critic Brad Jones in February 2014 to coincide with the 2014 Winter Olympics.[1]

British review site Hysteria Lives! wrote a mixed review, stating that "Fatal Games is a real cheap production- but still not as cheap as the video extravaganzas of later years. For much of its running time it has the production values, editing and acting of bad porno- complete with a farting synth score, while praising the kills and climax, saying they was "fun" in a strictly campy way."[2]

BleedingSkull.com wrote a mixed review, criticizing the film's bland direction and music, but praising its opening theme song.

The film has attracted a small cult following among slasher fans.

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References
  1. "Fatal Games by the Cinema Snob". Blip. Archived from the original on 28 February 2014. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
  2. "Fatal Games (1983) review". Hysteria Lives!.
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