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Death Game

Death Game

The object is to stay alive.

197791 minRMidcredits score: 41st percentile of all films
Director
Peter S. Traynor
Starring
Sondra Locke, Colleen Camp, Seymour Cassel, Beth Brickell

George Manning is a well-to-do businessman, husband, and father. While his family is away on his birthday, he invites a pair of rain-soaked young women into his house to wait out an evening thunderstorm. The two girls seduce Manning and ultimately kidnap and torture him in his own home.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Death Game?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove does not list Death Game on any major US streaming service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Death Game?

Death Game earns 2 badges, led by Unsettling and Low Budget.

  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Death Game worth watching?

Death Game's Midcredits score is the 41st percentile of all films, from 11K ratings across 4 sources. 38% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

41st percentile

Better received than 41% of films

83rd percentile among Horror41st percentile among 1970s
Acclaim (how much people like it)48th
Approval (how many liked it)35th

61 /100

48th percentile of all films

88th percentile among Horror45th percentile among 1970s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 5.8 — solid but not unanimous.

Approval

How many liked it

38% liked it

35th percentile of all films

76th percentile among Horror36th percentile among 1970s
38% rated it 7–1062% rated it 1–6

75th percentile

11K ratings across platforms

73rd percentile among Horror78th percentile among 1970s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 20% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$150K

What reviewers say

Common ground

A low-budget 1970s exploitation home-invasion thriller where two psychotic young women seduce then torment a middle-aged man in his own house.

Fans praised

  • unhinged, captivating performances by Locke and Camp
  • surreal, nightmarish atmosphere and trippy cinematography
  • bold reversal of exploitation gender roles

Detractors panned

  • grating, repetitive screaming and cackling
  • meandering padded second act with no narrative progression
  • annoying overused theme song about 'Good Old Dad'

What stands out

ActingDivisive65

Locke and Camp deliver unhinged, memorable performances

AtmosphereDivisive60

Surreal, nightmarish dreamlike tone

CinematographyDivisive55

Artsy double-exposures and claustrophobic shadows but muddy quality

CharactersDivisive45

Female antagonists are one-note psychotic with little backstory

EndingDivisive40

Abrupt, surreal deus-ex-machina conclusion polarizes

Plot and storyDivisive30

Linear, repetitive home-invasion setup with thin narrative

Sound and musicDivisive30

Culturally memorable but grating vaudeville song loop

PacingDivisive25

Second half drags with repeated torture sequences

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • US vs non-US 3 points apart

Watch experience

What is Death Game like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Scary: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want to be scared.

It is intense, has a few laughs and leaves you unsettled. Skip it when you want an easy night.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Scary.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseDreadAbsurd
Heaviest: middle
Dark humor
Register
Campy · 4% of filmsAbsurdist · 7% of films: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film mixes horror with campy, over-the-top performances and absurd moments, creating a knowingly exaggerated tone.
The rideThe early seduction gives way to sustained tension and manic torment, with the heaviest psychological pressure in the middle portions.
StructureThe story unfolds chronologically from the initial encounter through the home invasion and climax.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Unsettled.

UnsettlingBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe film's campy tone contrasts with its violent content, resulting in lingering unease and a peculiar ending that blends relief with bewilderment.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterInvasion
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% (this title) · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Invasion: An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).

21% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeA businessman is trapped in his home by two women who invade and terrorize him; the story follows his struggle to survive.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfSurvival
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15% (this title): Survival 17% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 4% (this title) · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Survival

SurvivalViolence · 4% of films
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on the protagonist's fight to stay alive against an unpredictable, violent threat.
StanceThe film warns against the vulnerability of everyday life and the danger of trusting strangers.

The world

ContemporaryDomesticSuburbanRealistic
Orchestral classicalForeground music · original score · Jimmie Haskell
SettingSan Francisco valley home
MusicThe score features a grating, memorable theme song 'Dear Old Dad' that recurs throughout.

Content guide

Is Death Game okay for kids?

R

Death Game is rated R. As of October 2, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (56/100), sexual content at moderate (56/100), language at mild (33/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (37/100) and frightening material at intense (67/100). Its violence, language, drug and alcohol content and frightening material have too few votes to rank.

Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
too few votes to rank (9 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 67%
Profanity
Mild
too few votes to rank (7 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
too few votes to rank (9 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
too few votes to rank (8 votes)

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Too few votes to rank this title overall (55 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Death Game have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Death Game?

Cast

Sondra Locke
as Agatha Jackson
Colleen Camp
as Donna
Seymour Cassel
as George Manning
Beth Brickell
as Karen Manning
Ruth Warshawsky
as Mrs. Grossman
Michael Kalmansohn
as Deliveryboy
David Worth
as George Manning

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Death Game?

Movies like Death Game include Knock Knock (2015), Keep Watching (2017) and The Open House (2018). Of the 12 closest matches, several are psychological horror films, and most are hunter-and-hunted stories.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

10 of these 12 share its story type: home invasion. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Death Game?

304 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: home invasion. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.