Students try to "murder" each other with rubber-tipped toy dart guns. One sore loser wants to win, even if it means truly murdering his competition.

Before college movies were all about nudity, slapstick comedy, beer bongs and bad decisions, TAG: The Assassination Game gave this genre a killer twist. In this 1982 film noir-inspired gem, a group of students turns dorm life into a mock battle royale by playing a game that could never be done on campuses of today. The rules of TAG are simple. Players try to 'murder' each other using rubber-tipped toy dart guns. If you are shot, you are 'killed' and taken out of the game permanently until only one player remains. Unfortunately for this year's TAG players, one sore loser is determined to win at any cost, even if it means murdering his competition for real!

Writer-director Nick Castle, a frequent collaborator with long-time friend and associate John Carpenter, is widely known as Michael 'The Shape' Myers in 1978's horror classic Halloween. With his directorial debut, he demonstrates a knack for clever tension and spins this film's concept into a wry and charming thriller. Forgotten for years, TAG: The Assassination Game endures as a cult curiosity -- a sharp, stylish reminder that sometimes the most dangerous games are the ones we invent for fun. Featuring a star-studded cast, including a young Linda Hamilton (Terminator series) in her first motion-picture role, TAG: The Assassination Game also stars Robert Carradine (Revenge of the Nerds, The Big Red One), Perry Lang (1941, Eight Men Out), Bruce Abbott (Re-Animator, Bad Dreams), Kristine DeBell (Alice in Wonderland, Meatballs), Xander Berkeley (Candyman, Air Force One), Michael Winslow (Police Academy series) and future Oscar-winner, Forest Whitaker (The Crying Game, The Last King of Scotland). Synapse Films is proud to present TAG: The Assassination Game in its high-definition worldwide home video premiere, lovingly restored in 2K from the original 35mm archival vault materials. This film might not have made box-office history, but for lovers of forgotten gems and VHS-era ingenuity, it's an A+ in retro suspense.

Media

Bonus Materials

• Audio Commentary with Director Nick Castle and Star Robert Carradine
• Original Theatrical Trailer

 

Cast & Crew

Actors:

•       Robert Carradine as Alex Marsh
•       Linda Hamilton as Susan Swayze
•       Bruce Abbott as Loren Gersh
•       Kristine DeBell as Nancy McCauley
•        Michael Winslow as Gowdy

Director: Nick Castle

Producer: Kate Edelman

Additional Details

Label: Synapse Films

Genre: Horror

Language: English

Run Time: 91 mins

Region: 0

Release Date: 09/08/26

UPC: 654930326695