Quest of the Delta Knights
Encyclopedia
Quest of the Delta Knights is a 1993 fantasy
/adventure
sword and sorcery
film that was featured in a September 1998 episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000
. It is one of only a few movies shown on MST3K that was made in the 1990s.
. The plot is markedly similar to that of Robert Heinlein's Citizen of the Galaxy
, including its essentially identical setup of a young slave boy—who is really the lost heir of a powerful family—being bought for a pittance by a seeming beggar, who is himself really a spy, and who suspects the boy's true identity.
The cinematic accomplishments of the movie are decidedly meager, such as the completely unexplained casting of David Warner as both the hero's mentor and the chief villain, in addition to providing the narration. The dialogue is decidedly campy (at one point Lord Vultare threatens Baydool with "I grow weary of your antics, beggar-man!", which is made all the more amusing by the fact that David Warner is in fact talking to himself in the scene) and the movie has a definite low-budget atmosphere.
Also noteworthy is the extreme confusion the film displays with regard to setting, both in terms of time period and location. The story would seem to take place in medieval England; however, a number of plot elements contradict this. Vultare's henchmen wear headgear strongly resembling (stereotypical) Viking
helmets. Leonardo da Vinci
, a figure from Renaissance Italy, appears as a major character in the plot. Finally, Leonardo and Tee are searching for the lost storehouse of Archimedes
, a figure from ancient Syracuse, Sicily whose storehouse one might reasonably think unlikely to be found in England. A document held by Archimedes seen in a flashback is also clearly held together by staples.
A large portion of this movie was filmed at the Renaissance Pleasure Faire
in Black Point
, Novato, California
. Performers from the Faire were employed as extras
in various scenes throughout. Exterior scenes of Archimedes' storehouse were filmed at the Palace of Fine Arts, San Francisco, California. Exterior scenes of the prison were filmed at Petaluma Adobe State Park, Petaluma, California. Some interior scenes of the Mannerjay's palace were filmed at the Scottish Rite Temple, Oakland, California.
The opening theme is a re-use of the theme from the 1980 science fiction film Battle Beyond the Stars
.
Fantasy film
Fantasy films are films with fantastic themes, usually involving magic, supernatural events, make-believe creatures, or exotic fantasy worlds. The genre is considered to be distinct from science fiction film and horror film, although the genres do overlap...
/adventure
Adventure film
Adventure films are a genre of film.Unlike pure, low-budget action films they often use their action scenes preferably to display and explore exotic locations in an energetic way....
sword and sorcery
Sword and sorcery
Sword and sorcery is a sub-genre of fantasy and historical fantasy, generally characterized by sword-wielding heroes engaged in exciting and violent conflicts. An element of romance is often present, as is an element of magic and the supernatural...
film that was featured in a September 1998 episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Mystery Science Theater 3000 is an American cult television comedy series created by Joel Hodgson and produced by Best Brains, Inc., that ran from 1988 to 1999....
. It is one of only a few movies shown on MST3K that was made in the 1990s.
Plot
The plot revolves around a young boy named Travis (nicknamed "Tee") who learns from his master that he is the key to saving the world from an evil plot. Tee joins the secret organization of the Delta Knights and embarks on a quest to attempt to recover the lost treasures inside the fabled Lost Storehouse of ArchimedesArchimedes
Archimedes of Syracuse was a Greek mathematician, physicist, engineer, inventor, and astronomer. Although few details of his life are known, he is regarded as one of the leading scientists in classical antiquity. Among his advances in physics are the foundations of hydrostatics, statics and an...
. The plot is markedly similar to that of Robert Heinlein's Citizen of the Galaxy
Citizen of the Galaxy
Citizen of the Galaxy is a science fiction novel by American writer Robert A. Heinlein, originally serialized in Astounding Science Fiction and published in hardcover in 1957 as one of the Heinlein juveniles by Scribner's...
, including its essentially identical setup of a young slave boy—who is really the lost heir of a powerful family—being bought for a pittance by a seeming beggar, who is himself really a spy, and who suspects the boy's true identity.
The cinematic accomplishments of the movie are decidedly meager, such as the completely unexplained casting of David Warner as both the hero's mentor and the chief villain, in addition to providing the narration. The dialogue is decidedly campy (at one point Lord Vultare threatens Baydool with "I grow weary of your antics, beggar-man!", which is made all the more amusing by the fact that David Warner is in fact talking to himself in the scene) and the movie has a definite low-budget atmosphere.
Also noteworthy is the extreme confusion the film displays with regard to setting, both in terms of time period and location. The story would seem to take place in medieval England; however, a number of plot elements contradict this. Vultare's henchmen wear headgear strongly resembling (stereotypical) Viking
Viking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
helmets. Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci was an Italian Renaissance polymath: painter, sculptor, architect, musician, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist and writer whose genius, perhaps more than that of any other figure, epitomized the Renaissance...
, a figure from Renaissance Italy, appears as a major character in the plot. Finally, Leonardo and Tee are searching for the lost storehouse of Archimedes
Archimedes
Archimedes of Syracuse was a Greek mathematician, physicist, engineer, inventor, and astronomer. Although few details of his life are known, he is regarded as one of the leading scientists in classical antiquity. Among his advances in physics are the foundations of hydrostatics, statics and an...
, a figure from ancient Syracuse, Sicily whose storehouse one might reasonably think unlikely to be found in England. A document held by Archimedes seen in a flashback is also clearly held together by staples.
A large portion of this movie was filmed at the Renaissance Pleasure Faire
Renaissance Fair
A Renaissance fair, Renaissance faire, or Renaissance festival is an outdoor weekend gathering, usually held in the United States, open to the public and typically commercial in nature, which emulates a historic period for the amusement of its guests. Some are permanent theme parks, others are...
in Black Point
Black Point, California
Black Point is an unincorporated community in Marin County, California. It is located on the Petaluma River east of downtown Novato, west-northwest of Petaluma Point, at an elevation of 39 feet...
, Novato, California
Novato, California
Novato is a city located in the North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, in northern Marin County. Novato is located about north-northwest of San Rafael, at an elevation of 30 feet above sea level . The 2010 U.S. Census estimated the city population to be about 51,904. Novato is about ...
. Performers from the Faire were employed as extras
Extra (actor)
A background actor or extra is a performer in a film, television show, stage, musical, opera or ballet production, who appears in a nonspeaking, nonsinging or nondancing capacity, usually in the background...
in various scenes throughout. Exterior scenes of Archimedes' storehouse were filmed at the Palace of Fine Arts, San Francisco, California. Exterior scenes of the prison were filmed at Petaluma Adobe State Park, Petaluma, California. Some interior scenes of the Mannerjay's palace were filmed at the Scottish Rite Temple, Oakland, California.
The opening theme is a re-use of the theme from the 1980 science fiction film Battle Beyond the Stars
Battle Beyond the Stars
Battle Beyond the Stars is a Roger Corman-produced science fiction film, directed by Jimmy T. Murakami and released in 1980. The film, intended as a "Magnificent Seven in outer space," is a pastiche of The Magnificent Seven, the Western remake of Akira Kurosawa's film Seven Samurai...
.
Cast
- David WarnerDavid Warner (actor)David Warner is an English actor who is known for playing both romantic leads and sinister or villainous characters, both in film and animation...
- Baydool / Lord Vultare / Narrator - Corbin AllredCorbin AllredCorbin Michael Allred is an American actor, most notably as starring in the 2003 award-winning motion picture Saints and Soldiers, and the 1997–1998 television series Teen Angel....
- Tee - Olivia HusseyOlivia HusseyOlivia Hussey is an Argentinian actress who became famous for her role as Juliet in Franco Zeffirelli's Academy Award-winning 1968 film version of Romeo and Juliet. For this role she won the Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year - Actress as well as the David di Donatello for best actress...
- The Mannerjay - David Kriegel - Leonardo
- Brigid BrannaghBrigid BrannaghBrigid Brannagh is an American actress. She has been credited as Brigid Brannagh, Brigid Walsh, and Brigid Conley Walsh.-Career:Born in San Francisco, California, Brannagh is of Irish ancestry...
- Thena - Sarah DouglasSarah DouglasSarah Douglas is an English actress. She is perhaps best known for playing the Kryptonian supervillain Ursa in the first two Superman movies , and for her role as Pamela Lynch in the 1980s primetime drama series Falcon Crest .-Early life:Douglas was born in Stratford-Upon-Avon, Warwickshire, the...
- Madam Maaydeed - Richard KindRichard KindRichard John Kind is an American actor known for his roles in the sitcoms Mad About You and Spin City .- Early life :...
- Wamthool