Somewhere in the galaxy, there’s a space station that seemingly is the Catskills, complete with burlesque, boxing and even a diner. That’s where Steve Armstrong (Paul Satterfield, who was eaten by “The Raft” in Creepshow 2) works as a short order cook along with the multiple-armed Shorty (Hamilton Camp), who seemingly knows everyone and lives deep within the lower regions of the station. After he knocks out an unruly customer — an alien gladiator named Vang — they get fired. A fight manager named Quinn (Claudia Christian, Maniac Cop 2) can’t believe that a human didn’t just last with one of the aliens but even defeat them. He doesn’t want to fight but once he and Shorty get busted stealing from a casino by manager Rogor (Marc Alaimo) and Weezil (Armin Shimerman). They keep Shorty for ransom, so Steve has to go to Quinn and enter the arena.

After defeating Sloth, Steve starts his road to the top, a lot like the original Body and Soul. The humans on the space station start to believe in themselves as a result — like the last human arena champion, Marcus Diablo, who is played by former Dick Malloy Agent 077 Ken Clark in his last role — and Rogor decides to ruin it all. He gets Jade (Shari Shattuck, Desert Warrior) to seduce and poison him the night before he’s due to battle the champion, the monstrous Horn. Can he win the big fight?

This is the kind of movie that dazzles you with how many effects it can pack in for no budget whatsoever. You’ve got John Carl Buechler on special makeup effects, along with Jeffrey S. Farley, Bruce Barlow and Scott Coulter. Plus, the special effects crew had Renato Agostini leading the Rome crew, Screaming Mad George and his team (Ron Goldstein, Adam Hill, Bill Sturgeon, Steve Wang, Shimpei Kitamura, Mike Le Vitry and Marc Lynn), Michael Deak (who is inside nearly every monster costume), Mike Elizalde, Patrick Simmons and David Stipes. The movie is incredible not just because of the story and actors; these guys made the film with their creativity on a small budget.

Director Peter Manoogian was the first assistant director on The Seduction, Parasite, The Slayer, Galaxy of Terror and Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn before directing Enemy Territory, Demonic Toys and Eliminators. The writers were Danny Bilson and Paul De Meo, who wrote Trancers, Zone Troopers, The Rocketeer and The Flash 90s TV series.

How can you not love a movie that uses a Marx Brothers reference, as the speakeasy’s password — swordfish — is the same as their movie Horse Feathers? The idea that there’s a floating boxing arena in space with bars, fast food and fights — this is so Deep Space Nine that Marc Alaimo and Armin Shimerman would go on to play Dukat and Quark, so Babylon 5 that Claudia Christian would play Commander Susan Ivanova — and humans live in the slums is so rich with potential that I’m shocked that more people aren’t wild about this movie and sad that there was only one of these films.

Robot Jox is part of the Enter the Video Store — Empire of Screams box set. Extras include new audio commentary with director Peter Manoogian, moderated by film critics Matty Budrewicz and Dave Wain from The Schlock Pit, an alternative full frame presentation, new interviews with co-screenwriter Danny Bilson — who comes off as honestly pretty conceited and discusses a bottom of the barrel poster he saw in an Italian film office for a movie he calls I Eat My Own Guts which is obviously Antropophagus — and special make-up effects artist Michael Deak — who comes off as exactly the opposite and is a delight as he discusses meeting with Joe D’Amato and working in Italy — as well as a trailer and an image gallery. You can get this from MVD.