Safari 3000 (1982) User Reviews (9)

Race time again! This time for Africa.

[Coventry · 6/10 · 14 November 2010]

Another unforgettable cinematic trend that was particularly popular during the late 70's/early 80's were the illegal Grand Prix race and carsploitation movies. There were a whole lot of exhilarating titles varying between extremely violent and hilariously gleeful, but they all had a few trademarks in common. Impressive stunt work and flamboyant vehicles, of course, but also all-star casts that practically always featured David Carradine. Ever since the tremendous success of "Death Race 2000", Carradine starred in numerous more car movies including this latecomer "Safari 3000". This is basically a very mundane and derivative race movie, but with one unique selling proposition namely its African setting. The race in question takes three days and covers over 2.500km of routes full of obstacles, wildlife and sabotaging danger. Eddie Mills is a former movie stunt man who likes to drive the race, but he doesn't have a car. JJ Dalton is a quirky Playboy journalist who'd like to report live from inside a race car, but she doesn't have a driver. They team up, fall in love in between all their bickering and combine forces against their biggest rival; the obnoxious but cheating Italian multimillionaire Count Borgia. The screenplay of "Safari 3000" is a non- stop series of clichés and stereotypes, but luckily enough it's all very charming and amusing. The lesser important competitors in the race can easily be recognized by their exaggeratedly amplified nationality facets. The French only talk about wine and cheese, the Brits about London and the Australians talk in … well … incomprehensible accents. The most impressive sequences in "Safari 3000" all feature, and I suppose most of it is stock footage. There are extended images of galloping zebras, gazelles, giraffes as well as lions, elephants and buffaloes. The chemistry between David Carradine and Stockard Channing (most known for her role in "Grease") is excellent and Christopher Lee obviously had a good time playing the textbook villain Count Borgia. There are a few notable moments of action and stunt work, like a Peugeot diving into a lake in slow-motion, but overall this is a rather tame movie that primarily revolves on scenery. If you want dazzling action and loads of crashes, I suggest you check out "Cannonball!" instead.

*Note: Given the (completely meaningless) number in the title, it's not coincidentally that I selected to watch "Safari 3000". This is review number three thousand that I have written for IMDb. Thanks for reading.

Yet another rally movie

[imdb-21622 · 4/10 · 9 August 2009]

So, it's a rally movie. From my own experience, the rally movie craze started with the real life rally Canonball Baker Sea-To-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash. Brock Yates, a Car and Driver writer created the race to protest the double nickle national speed law.

Inspired by this event there have been a number of movies. The main list is probably Canonball (76), Gumball Rally (76,) The Canonball Run (81).

Before those was another Carradine car movie, Deathrace 2000. Carradine was also in Canonball.

Which brings us to this 1981 "classic", Safari 3000.

This movie is not like those other movies in some ways. It focuses mostly on the Carradine/Channing team, and their nemesis, a count.

The movie is innovative in no obvious way. That's not a terrible strike against it, how many movies are? The movie is a comedy/adventure. So it should be funny. And it is, in spots. I laughed more at the clichéd lines than anything else, which is fine. I don't mind laughing AT a movie, as that's also legitimate entertainment.

Don't expect much for adventure. It's not like Indiana Jones or similar movies. You never feel like the protagonists are in any real danger. I hope that's intentional, or the movie makers are pretty bad at creating real tension.

This all sounds like I am down on this movie. In fact, I sat and watched most of it. That means I was entertained. I don't love Carradine but he has his moments. Channing is cute at times, and pretty likable. Reminds me a bit of Sally Field in Smokey in the bandit - a cute chick riding along in the car with a cute voice and a cute personality.

If you dig 80s cheese, rally movies and comedy-adventures with more silliness than substance, you might like this. And there's some nice scenery of African animals I thought was well done.

Rough around the edges.

[bluedionysus · 5/10 · 6 March 2017]

This must be one of those "5 or 6 films" Stockard Channing is too embarrassed to mention having worked on in interviews. Which is partly a shame - because, with some serious tinkering ("How about tinkering us up a new engine?" complains David Carradine early on), SAFARI 3000 could've been a genuinely enjoyable ride.

Harry Hurwitz' comedy-adventure takes more than a little inspiration from SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT and Paul Bartel's DEATH RACE 2000 and CANNONBALL - as well as a bit from Blake Edwards' THE GREAT RACE, Disney's THE LOVE BUG, and even Friedkin's SORCERER. You get the picture. The primary difference here is that Hurwitz transposes the action - a treacherous, long-distance auto race, involving varied, eccentric participants - to sub-Saharan Africa.

The main issue with SAFARI 3000 is the script. Four writers (three for story, and one for screenplay)... that's rarely a good sign. The dialogue, in particular, is unusually stilted at times, and the story undoubtedly required a few more rewrites. Running barely an hour and a half, it appears significant portions of the film were also truncated, further harming the picture... or serving as a stroke of mercy, depending on one's outlook. Finally, for something so ambitious, the movie could have used some additional car stunts and the like.

However, SAFARI 3000 does have its charms, and doesn't quite deserve the obscurity it has always suffered. Admittedly, I do say that as a Channing obsessive. The film was gloriously shot on-location, and there are several encounters with wildlife that are alternately intense and wonderful. The widescreen cinematography (by Adam Greenburg, and badly hurt by pan & scan - when isn't it ever?) is nicely evocative of the surroundings (including some beautiful scenery), and Ernest Gold's jovial score isn't bad.

Furthermore, there's an amusingly hammy, Darth Vader-looking Christopher Lee, as villain Count Borgia, who pretentiously claims to be a descendant of that most infamous of families, and is accompanied by a ridiculously masochistic sidekick (Hamilton Camp).

And, of course, there's the palpable chemistry between Carradine and Channing, who presumably do better when ignoring the script and begin ad-libbing and interacting instinctively with one another. Carradine featured in both DEATH RACE 2000 and CANNONBALL, so this is familiar territory for him. And Channing once again proves herself to be as accomplished a comedic actress as a dramatic one. The woman can do it all. Scenario-wise, some of the comedy works on a farcical level, while other parts are simply farcical.

If you're a fan of Stockard Channing, David Carradine, Christopher Lee, safari rallies, and/or slapstick-type comedy, it really wouldn't hurt to check out SAFARI 3000. It would even be perfectly suitable for children were it not for one brief sex scene (unfortunately not involving Stockard!)

Decent chemistry, Bad movie...

[jake-81 · 5/10 · 22 June 2001]

About the only item worth noting on this lackluster film was the chemistry between Stockard Channing and David Carradine. It seemed as if the two actors were reading off each others reactions rather than a script. Perhaps that was part of the problem with this movie.

At times this film reminded me of the Disney film "The Love Bug." Of course "Safari 3000" is no where near as good a movie as "The Love Bug," and that isn't saying very much. Absolutely skip over this movie and be glad you haven't given up two hours of your life.

SAFARI 3000 (Harry Hurwitz, 1982) **

[Bunuel1976 · 4/10 · 1 September 2015]

Made in the wake of THE CANNONBALL RUN (1981), this racing-car comedy actually features David Carradine in the lead, who had starred in the similar (but more violent) DEATH RACE 2000 (1975) and the unrelated CANNONBALL (1976). The heroine, then, is Stockard Channing and the villain Christopher Lee – appearing here in a silly Darth Vader get-up, albeit claiming to be a descendant of the Borgias and irritatingly prone to opera singing, not to mention being flanked by an unfunny and long-suffering "navigator"!

The African setting allows both ample travelogue footage and, ostensibly, added peril for the contenders; that said, the race itself is curiously lacking in excitement and, besides, while we are told there are as many as 93 participants, we only ever see a handful of stereotype members (Brits, French, Japanese, Australians and one female team) apart from the central rival duo…who, needless to say, end up neck-and-neck near the finishing line but, unsurprisingly, Carradine and Channing emerge victorious in spite of Lee's every attempt to thwart their progression. Incidentally, this could have taken a leaf from the "Wacky Races" cartoons of the late 1960s, itself inspired by THE GREAT RACE (1965) – that is to say, it should have been broader, but perhaps the film-makers did not want to go the route of THE CANNONBALL RUN…which rather let the result fall between two stools, hence s virtual obscurity since its year of release!

While it is watchable enough for what it is, especially as the picture runs for a mere 86 minutes, there is hardly anything memorable going on for the entire duration – which makes the involvement of renowned producers Jules V. Levy and Arthur Gardner (their last effort) and Oscar-winning composer Ernest Gold all the more baffling!

No Deathrace or Cannonball

[PeterMitchell-506-564364 · 5/10 · 7 January 2013]

Yes, Carradine's at the wheel again. This time the race is through Africa which makes you fully appreciate the scenery. Journalist Channing, from the Gazette, the romantic lead here, comes along for the hairy ride. The wonderful Christopher Lee plays the villain, Count Borgia, a riding legend, who dresses the part, dead set determined at winning the race that hardly seems feasible with his nincompoop assistant. Channing provides the humorous touches, and when she gets scared, even if it is overacting, it makes her funny and enjoyable, especially when she notices a pack of lions behind an oblivious Carradine. But all in all, this one falls below par to Carradine's other race movies. Channing has a terrible habit of losing her cameras or trading them. For Carradine fans of this fare mainly, or even the kids too.

In the tradition of " Cannonball Run"

[chinaskee · 7/10 · 25 May 2004]

In the tradition of " Cannonball Run " and " The Great Race " " Safari 3000" tells the basically simple story of a African continent road race. It's not a classic and there aren't any great stunts but all the actors ( Stockard Channing and Hamilton Camp in particular) look like they're having a roaring good time with the silly dialogue and consequently so will you. There are a couple of raunchy lines that will go right over the kiddies heads so it's one for the entire family. Lots of wild animals and some natives who are aren't as primitive as they appear, actors having a great time, all in all a fun way to spend an hour and a half. Of course, as in all low budget movies there are some unintentially funny moments, like the African used car dealer at the beginning who only gets his accent down in the second half of his scene.

Flat race comedy

[Wizard-8 · 3 December 2012]

"Safari 3000" has all but been forgotten today, and I don't think that MGM will be releasing it on DVD any time soon. It doesn't take long when watching the movie to figure out why this movie has drifted into obscurity. True, the movie has a notable cast - Carradine, Channing, and Lee. Carradine and Channing are somewhat likable and generate a little chemistry, but the surroundings seem to be restraining them from making really memorable characters. It's bizarre to see Lee ham it up, wearing a Darth Vader helmet and singing opera. I hope that he only took on this role to get a free trip to Africa. Speaking of Africa, while the movie shot on location, much of the movie looks surprisingly generic, almost as if the movie actually shot in southern California. The racing elements and vehicular stunt work are completely unexciting, and the comedy is childish slapstick. Change the channel should this come on your television.

Weak car race comedy

[lor_ · 14 February 2023]

My review was written in December 1984 after watching the movie on MGM/UA video cassette.

Once upon a time, stuntman Chuck Bail directed "The Gumball Rally" for Warner Bros., Pual Bartel directed David Carradine in "Cannonball" for New World and later on, Hal Needham piloted Burt Reynolds and friends in the "Cannonball Run" pictures. "Safari 3000" comes midway during this car-racing trend, with the novelty of location lensing in South Africa and Zimbabwe. Minor pic, inoffensive but not very stimulating, was originally titled "Rally" and "Two in the Bush", filmed in 1980, test-booked by MGM/UA in 1982, surfaced later on pay-cable and is now a home video entry. Carradine toplines as a former Hollywood stunt driver ("I'm a real Burt Reynolds" he cracks) competing in the African International Rally against Count Loenzo Borgia (Christopher Lee), a descendant of the murderous family, and other teams from around the world. A gung-ho Playboy Magazine reporter J. J. Dalton (Stockard Channing), tags along as Carradine's navigator.

Up until its who-cares, end-of-race ending, pic offers mild humor, effective camaraderie between the pleasant leads Carradine and Channing, and attractive visuals of the African landscape and fauna. Unlike the Reynolds' pics, the cast is thin, with other teams barely in evidence.