Join THE FABULOUS SEBASTIAN and MISTER J as they take a personal look at the myriad delights of your local DVD library… this week the future of sports.

Mickey Rourke vehicle The Wrestler is receiving rave reviews, even without an obligatory appearance by Hulk Hogan (3 Ninjas: High Noon At Mega Mountain), and consequently we started thinking about – but certainly not doing any – sport. Generally, the only sports we like are professional wrestling and roller derby (and maybe womens’ beach volleyball in a pinch). But, in the movies, we have a fondness for little known sports (Dodgeball) and, even better, crazy future sports.

DEATH RACE (2008)
In the near future, prisoners (including a framed Jason Statham) race to the death in heavily weaponed cars for the entertainment of paying viewers. There is a sliver of a story about corruption and revenge amongst the on and off track violence but, let’s be honest, the film is mostly about the violence.

DEATH RACE 2000 (1975)
David Carradine is Frankenstein (no, not that one) and he drives against a pre-Rocky (and pre-elocution lessons) Sylvester Stallone, as well as various other crazies, in a race where points are scored by killing pedestrians. Set in a post-economic collapse, police state America (well, they were only a few years early in their guess), godlike cheapskate Roger Corman blends subversion with the outlandish in an Iron Chef-like fusion of wonder.

ROLLERBALL (1975)
The world of Rollerball (roller derby with motorcycles and, perhaps disturbingly for the current all-female derby revival, balls) is run by corporations, not governments. It is a world without heroes (no, not the TV show, although it doesn’t have that either ) and when James Caan becomes bigger than the game, the rules are changed. It’s a violent and interesting look at a future not too different from now.

ROLLERBALL (2002)
A modern remake where the game remains the same, but the ideological concerns of the original are replaced by cliched characters and plot. The action scenes, as they are, and the game’s commentary, by wrestling commentator Paul E Dangerously, are all this film really has going for it.

KANSAS CITY BOMBER (1972)
Raquel Welch does roller derby, in an exploration of how business runs sport with little regard to the impact on the athletes. It’s great seeing old school roller derby again, and even better seeing Raquel in her derby gear.

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