Episode Details

What Makes the Science-Fiction Action of Fortress a Campy, Cheesy Watch?

Stuart Gordon's Fortress is a science-fiction and action film that feels like a B-movie, even with its theatrical release.

Well-remembered by many who saw it, it's a somewhat popular pick among video-store era enthusiasts.

There are warnings in here about one-child policies, dangerous AI robots, and the nature of institutionalizing prisons. But the movie is too silly to ponder that with any meaning, which many would argue that's what makes it fun.

With practical effects and the peculiar talents of the one and only Christopher Lambert (Highlander), this episode takes a look at whether the film stacks up as a worthy watch.

Join me for a discussion of the "Christopher Lambert stare" and the power of his raspy voice, how Kurtwood Smith couldn't quite find his proper bad-guy button as a sex-deprived robot, the unforgettable torture devices known as the intestinators, and a hilarious ending.

Directed by Stuart Gordon. Starring Christopher Lambert, Kurtwood Smith, Loryn Locklin, Lincoln Kilpatrick, Clifton Collins, Jr., Carolyn Purdy-Gordon, Jeffrey Combs, Vernon Wells, Tom Towles, Warwick Capper, and John Pierce.

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