The Blood of Heroes

"When juggers play there is only one way to live - THE HARD WAY!"

1989 1h 40m EN

😐

5.8

MID

★5.8TMDB · 169

ActionAdventureScience Fiction

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Set in a futuristic world where the only sport that has survived in a wasted society is the brutal game known as jugging. Sallow, the leader of a rag-tag team, has played in the main Leagues before, but was cast out because of indiscretions with a lady. Now joined by a talented newcomer, Kidda, an ambitious young peasant girl, he and his team find they have one last chance for glory.

“When juggers play there is only one way to live - THE HARD WAY!”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Where to watch · US

PhiloSubscription

Starz Amazon ChannelSubscription

StarzSubscription

Starz Apple TV channelSubscription

Starz Roku Premium ChannelSubscription

Amazon VideoRent

Apple TV StoreRent

Google Play MoviesRent

Google Play MoviesBuy

YouTubeBuy

Fandango At HomeBuy

Cast

Rutger Hauer
Sallow
Joan Chen
Kidda
Vincent D'Onofrio
Young Gar
Delroy Lindo
Mbulu
Anna Katarina
Big Cimber
Hugh Keays-Byrne
Lord Vlle
Gandhi MacIntyre
Gandhi
Max Fairchild
Gonzo

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: David Webb Peoples
Writers: David Webb Peoples
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America, Australia

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

37 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: United States of America, Australia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by David Webb Peoples, shot by David Eggby. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Todd Boekelheide. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Richard Francis-Bruce shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Rutger Hauer and Joan Chen and Vincent D'Onofrio carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "When juggers play there is only one way to live - THE HARD WAY!".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0094764 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

David Webb Peoples directs. David Eggby behind the camera. Todd Boekelheide scores. Richard Francis-Bruce cuts. Produced in United States of America, Australia. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

137 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
2International production across 2 countries: United States of America, Australia.
3Directed by David Webb Peoples, shot by David Eggby. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Todd Boekelheide. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Richard Francis-Bruce shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Rutger Hauer and Joan Chen and Vincent D'Onofrio carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "When juggers play there is only one way to live - THE HARD WAY!".
8IMDB entry: tt0094764 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Classified under 9 themes, including "future", "martial arts", "sports", "dystopia".
10Released under 10 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: David Eggby
Original score: Todd Boekelheide
Editing: Richard Francis-Bruce
Production design: John Stoddart
Costume design: Terry Ryan
Makeup / hair: Sonja Smuk
Stunt coordinator: Glenn Ruehland
Runtime: 100 min · 1h 40m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Box office: $882,290
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: The Blood of Heroes (1989)

Also by

David Webb Peoples

How We Stopped the War
1969 · ★ 9.0

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

Mekratrig2017-10-01
A Minor Classic. My own opinion is this post apocalyptic flic deserves to be right up there with the best of the Mad Max films, and I suspect an indifferent ad campaign doomed it from the start. I love it when a film delivers a lot more than I expected, which is what you get here. Rutger Hauer and Joan Chen are the primary players on a team of roving 'athletes' who play a brutal game involving two sides, each of which is attempting to win by being the first to spike the skull of a dog on the opposing team's post (don't ask - the origin of this 'sport' is never revealed). The winning team gets room and board, and maybe a cut of the betting. Think of it as a variation of baseball's farm system and minor leagues. Sully, Rutger's character, reached the 'major leagues' before the film begins, but due to poor judgement in choosing his bed partners, was cast all the way down to the bottom, and he's trying to make it back. The teams that get to the top are allowed to commingle with this future society's one percenters who hold all the wealth and power. They also get a vicarious thrill watching their 'sports heroes' bleed playing the game, hence the title. The film is well paced but sparse, you get to learn just enough to understand what's happening and why. Because of the context in which it is portrayed, it seems to never get dated. Almost no romantic moments, but violence? Oh, yeah. If for no other reason, the film's ending scene where Sully instructs Kidda (Joan Chen's character) what her next actions should be, elevates this above most other films in the genre. Let me put it this way - I gladly re-watch this one every chance I get. My vote - 4 and 1/2 stars.

Production companies