Battletruck

Imagem: rautatieasema_returns · BY-NC-SA · Openverse

In the near future, Earth has been devastated by a series of wars referred to as "the Oil Wars" over depleting petroleum reserves. The regions around the oil producing Mesopotamia Basin are largely radioactive wastelands due to limited nuclear exchange; oil fields in Saudi Arabia and most of the Middle East burn out of control. Food riots have become common in many cities around the world which are now under martial law. Much of the American rural countryside has become lawless with the majority of remaining military and police trying to maintain order in the cities. Large groups of citizens are fleeing to the countryside to find food and any remaining fuel reserves. What little petroleum remains has become a precious commodity fought over by vicious warlords and mercenaries. A war party led by former U.S. Army Colonel Jacob Straker (James Wainwright), travelling in a large, heavily armed, armoured truck, intercept two traders riding in a horse-drawn carriage with large amount of diesel fuel, killing one of the traders. The surviving trader takes the war party to the source, which is a hidden supply depot lost during the local government's collapse and thought to be radioactive. Straker orders his men to set up camp to use the supply depot as a base of operations.

Imagem: Kurrs · BY-NC-SA · Openverse

Harley Cokeliss directed Battletruck after Thongor in the Valley of Demons and adaptation of the Thongor novels he'd been slated to direct was cancelled. Cokeliss had written a four page treatment for Battletruck in the mid 70s during the energy crisis. Cokeliss took the project to Roger Corman who responded positively to the script and gave Cokeliss complete creative control. Battletruck was filmed on the Central Otago plains in New Zealand. Despite being produced by a Hollywood studio and being considered a Hollywood release, the film largely used a New Zealand crew and New Zealand actors. It followed the success of films such as Mad Max and was made in New Zealand in part due to the 1981 Writers Guild of America strike. Lee Tamahori, director of Once Were Warriors was the boom operator on the film.

The music for the film was composed and conducted by Kevin Peek and performed by Eastern Orbit and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.

Prior to release there had been discussions with producers for a sequel tentatively titled Battletruck II, but nothing ultimately ever came of it.