The Octagon (1980)

Director:

Eric Karson

Writers:

Paul Aaron (story)
Leigh Chapman (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

14 August 1980 (USA)

Genre:

Action

Tagline:

Chuck Norris is Scott James, who must face the Ninja, the unholy masters of terror in . . .

Plot:

A martial artist must defeat a plan by ninjas to create a worldwide training camp for terrorists.

Plot Keywords:

Terrorism | Death | Karate | Martial Arts | Kung Fu

US TV Schedule:

Fri. Aug. 1

11:00 PM

AMC

Cast

Chuck Norris	...	Scott James
Karen Carlson	...	Justine
Lee Van Cleef	...	McCarn
Art Hindle	...	A. J.
Carol Bagdasarian	...	Aura
Tadashi Yamashita	...	Seikura
Kim Lankford	...	Nancy
Larry D. Mann	...	Tibor
Kurt Grayson	...	Doggo
Richard Norton	...	Kyo - Seikura´s Enforcer / Long Legs
Yuki Shimoda	...	Katsumo - Seikura's Aide
Redmond Gleeson	...	Duffy
Alan Chappuis	...	Pierre
Brian Libby	...	Deadwyler
Ken Gibbel	...	Meat
Cheyenne Rivera	...	Greek
Ted Duncan	...	Truckdriver
Alan Marcus	...	Truckdriver
Gerald Okamura	...	Ninja Instructor
Jo McDonnell	...	Amy Lee
Jack Carter	...	Sharkey
Ernie Hudson	...	Quinine
Robert B. Loring	...	Johann
Fenton Jones	...	Square Dance Caller
Crane Jackson	...	House Detective
Clarke Gordon	...	Drunk
Ben Freedman	...	Newsvendor
Shannon Scott David	...	Waitress
Elizabeth Carder	...	Desk Clerk
Kitty Beau	...	Hostess
Aaron Norris	...	Hatband
John Barrett	...	Justines Killer
Bill Beau	...	Aide
Enrique Lucero	...	One Armed Man
Eric F. Valdez	...	Scott's Taxi Driver
Carlos Romano	...	Pilot
Mario Valdez	...	Hotel Clerk
John Fujioka	...	Isawa
Mike Norris	...	Scott at Eighteen
Brian Tochi	...	Seikura at Eighteen
Kevin Brando	...	Scott at Eight
John Shields	...	1st Lieutenant
Thad Geer	...	2nd Lieutenant
Haven Earle Haley	...	Diplomat
Benjamin J. Perry	...	Male Assassin (as Ben Perry)
Janette Jiliano	...	Female Assassin
Don Pike	...	Chauffer (sic)
Janell Twomey	...	Nanny
J. Ross Imler	...	French Policeman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Tracey Walter	...	Mr. Beedy (uncredited)

Directed by
Eric Karson

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Paul Aaron		story
Leigh Chapman		screenplay
Leigh Chapman		story

Produced by
Alan Belkin	....	executive producer
Joel Freeman	....	producer
Michael Leone	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Dick Halligan

Cinematography by
Michel Hugo

Film Editing by
Dann Cahn

Production Design by
James L. Schoppe

Costume Design by
Barbara Burgdorf

Makeup Department
Dorothie J. Long	....	head hair stylist

Production Management
Jean Higgins	....	executive in charge of production

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mario Cisneros	....	assistant director
Skip Surguine	....	assistant director

Art Department
Sam Moore	....	property master

Sound Department
Glenn E. Anderson	....	sound mixer
David B. Cohn	....	supervising sound editor
Doug Rutherford	....	sound recordist (as John Osiecki)

Stunts
John Barrett	....	stunts
Jay De Plano	....	stunts
Ken Lesco	....	stunt ninja
Aaron Norris	....	stunt coordinator
Richard Norton	....	stunts
Benjamin J. Perry	....	stunts

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sanford Slepak	....	costume supervisor (as Sandy Slepak)

Music Department
Roy Prendergast	....	music editor

Other crew
Aaron Norris	....	fight choreographer
Chuck Norris	....	fight choreographer
Brandon Pender	....	production executive: development

Production Companies

• American Cinema Productions

Distributors

• American Cinema Releasing (1980) (USA) (theatrical)
• Pilot Filmverleih (1981) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Atlantic Film (2004) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Hipervídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Image Entertainment (19??) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• M.I.B. (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• Madison Home Video (1984) (West Germany) (VHS)

Also Known As:

The Man Without Mercy (Philippines: English title)

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-18 (1984) (cut) | Finland:K-16 (1995) (uncut) | Finland:(Banned) (1980) (uncut) | Iceland:16 | Germany:16 (DVD rating) | West Germany:16 (nf) | Sweden:15 | France:-12 | Norway:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

American Cinema Productions

Trivia:

Fighting Stars Magazine ranked the climactic fight between Chuck Norris and Richard Norton as #13 on their list of the 25 greatest fight scenes of all time.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: After the terrorist trainee falls through the trapdoor, a crew person's hand is visible as it closes back up.

Quotes:

McCarn: If you saw ninjas, you're seeing ghosts.

Movie Connections:

Featured in How American Cinema Changed Hollywood Forever (2003) (V)

Cheap and dialogue-heavy.

Whether you can take this film or not will depend on your tolerance for B-movies. The production is very cheap (to the point that you can barely see anything during the night scenes), and the plot is pretty vague (Is Chuck Norris playing a mercenary? An anti-terrorist expert? A former karate champion? All three?), and the fact that we can often hear his thoughts in echoing voice-over doesn't make it any more lucid. But Norris is better than usual here (at least better than anyone else in the cast), and his fighting moves are as sharp as ever. (**)