Harmony ventures through the LAND OF DOOM, on Blu-ray from Scorpion Releasing.

The aftermath of nuclear war has created an oddly Ottoman-looking wasteland where raiders lead by metal-masked Slater (Daniel Radell, MINISTRY OF VENGEANCE) rape and pillage their way through villages and camps in search of water and food. The lone survivor of the latest massacre, Harmony (Deborah Rennard, LIONHEART) sets off on her own through the desert in search of a fabled paradise called Blue Lake. She reluctantly stops to help wounded wanderer Anderson (Garrick Dowhen, APPOINTMENT WITH FEAR) who is being pursued by Slater's raiders after a power struggle in which the peace-preaching Anderson lost out. Their search for food and attempts to evade the raiders, particularly Slater's power-hungry second-in-command Purvis (Frank Garret), includes run-ins with cannibals, sadistic trackers, and unlikely allies in cheery Orlan (Aykut Duz) and his puppy partner Guinevere. Eventually, Harmony and Anderson are captured by Slater for a final showdown.

Playing like a better-paced and generally better-acted version of one of Cirio H. Santiago's eighties post-apocalyptic collaborations with Roger Corman – specifically the incomprehensible STRYKER – LAND OF DOOM has quite a distinctive look in comparison to the MAD MAX rip-offs shot in the Philippines or even the Italian ones shot stateside. The authentically ancient villages and cave dwellings seem better suited to one of the era's CONAN THE BARBARIAN ripoffs, and the mix of accents makes things even more confusing as to where the film is supposed to be set. The characterization is derivative and flat but Rennard and Dowhen are easy to root for as they encounter mostly mild dangers until the pyrotechnic-heavy climax which might have also been another motivation for shooting overseas. It is uncertain whether the non-ending was meant to just be open, with the protagonists' journey being far from over, or if a sequel was intended (the film was part of a two-picture deal according to Rennard in the interview but the other film was apparently in a different genre). The film's greatest asset is its memorable theme song courtesy of composer Mark Governor (MINDWARP). LAND OF DOOM was one of three films Greek-born director Peter Maris directed in Turkey, preceded by CURSE OF THE RED BUTTERFLY (co-directed by actor Duz) and followed by TERROR SQUAD.