Grindhouse Classics & Legendary Shockers

[Alex]

Next up, for the people who thought Easy Rider should've been about the cocaine and shotguns as opposed to all that draft dodging social commentary, I present

COP KILLERS

Genre: Action/Hippysploitation

This one starts off with 2 hippies on the way to deliver a load of coke. The boys run into a police convoy, kill some pigs and from there are on the run and racing to deliver the goods. Of course they make the situation better by kidnapping a girl and stealing an ice cream truck. As usually in these situations, things turn out just swimmingly in the end.

This one falls under the so bad it's good category. Acting and production values are laughable, not that the actors have a meaty script to work with or any of the plot points merit big sets or any kinda effort at all. The violence, like all violence at that time, is very influenced by Pekinpah, meaning its in perpetual slow motion. The one thing that this movie does legitimately well are teh blood and gore effects, done by none other than Oscar winner Rick Baker (whose latest credits include Xmen and Ring movies)

Overall a fun slice of lowbudget trash.

[Alex]

Here's one that Venom mentioned briefly in passing above

Devil Times Five

Genre: horror/slasher/killer kids

A nasty little entry into the tiny 'killer kids' subgenre. A wealthy businessman and a small group friends and family gather at a cabin for the weekend. While there they discover a van full of kids seemingly stranded in the woods without an adult. They take in the kids, and the rest is a sleazy mix of gruesome deaths and Leif Garrett's mom attempting to do the nasty with the retarded handyman (NOT JOKING!)

First and foremost, we got Leif Garrett as a cross dressing, hatchet wielding pre-pubescent psycho. We got slores and boobs. AND on top of all that, we got some surprisingly effective bits of murder and gore, especially towards the end. The climax particularly is very elaborate in the setup. The mood is creepy when it counts, and there some pretty good acting from the adults. All this adds up to something that's just a little better than it has any right to be.

[Alex]

Since the last few were cheapie trash, let's do one that's a legitimately great Bmovie. This one is from Larry Cohen, who has almost surpassed Walter Hill and Abel Ferrarra as my fave American bmovie director.

trailer - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxfY2AVS4QY

A rash of unexplainable deaths hits Manhattan. On one hand you got a body of a man completely skinned, on the other hand you got a body of a window washer who falls from 60 stories but for some reason is missing a head. Who's responsible? Well, the title kinda gives it away don't it.

This one has a decent amount of death and blood, and some good cheap creature effects, which fully satisfies the requirements for a monster movie. What takes it over the top are the excellent direction of Larry Cohen (Black Ceasar, Hell Up in Harlem, God Told Me To), and great acting courtesy of seriously oscar-worthy Michael Moriarty. Moriarty plays a stone-cold looser who gets one break in life when he discovers the serpent's nest, and he really makes the most out of it in a terrifically asshole fashion. The usually reliable David Carradine and Richard Roundtree do some good work as well. With all this talent on board the movie becomes something much better than the usual creature-feature. Very highly recomended, actually this is one of the few movies in this thread that I would recommend to anybody without reservation.

[Alex]

Now back to absolute stupidity....

Mad Foxes aka Los Vialodores aka The Violators

Genre: Bikers, Revenge, Action

Sorry for the shitty image, this one is pretty obscure and there isn't much about it on the net. The DVD in fact retails on amazon for $140, but you can easily get it from netflix or buy it on xploitedcinema.com for much cheaper.

This is one takes stupidity and lowbudget to another level. A yuppie out for a drive with his girl provokes a gang of Nazi bikers, who go after him, whoop his ass and rape his girlfriend. The yuppie then proceeds to enlist the help of his karate proficient friend to take revenge. Things just get stupider and stupider from there, as the yuppie decides to go visit his family with the remainder of the bikers hot on his tail.

So you got Nazi Bikers, Karate, random segments of hardcore porn, dismemberment, grandma getting one between the eyes, Nazi-themed S&M, etc etc etc.... Classic grindhouse stuff right here.

[Alex]

Gone in 60 Seconds

Genre: car chase

Trailer:

I'm not even going to bother writing the description, all you have to know is that there is a 45 minute car chase with hundreds of cars crashed, burned and generally wrecked beyond recognition. Aside from that, it also sports a terrific sleazy 70's vibe, mullets and butterfly collars all around.

This is THE definitive 70's car movie. Forget Vanishing Point, Dirty Mary Crazy Larry or Two Lane Blacktop, this one trumps them all by far.

[Alex]

A little drive-in exploitation action from Ted V. Mikels, maker of such other fine features as Omega Assasins, Female Slaves Revenge Corpse Grinders, Astro Zombies, and a about a 100 more.

A quaint little tale of a light-skinned black man who infiltrates the KKK to take revenge for the death of his daughter.

Well, what can I really say about this... Not as overtly racist and un-pc as some others (Fight For Your Life for example), but still pretty bad. The nbombs and most of ridiculousness fly heavy in the beginning and the end, but the middle plays out more or less as a straight revenge story. The acting and production values are dismal, but there is a very nice if small role by Max Julian who's best known as Goldie the Pimp from the Mack.

I suppose this is one of those things that you know immediately if you'd be interested in seeing or not, not much middle ground here.

[Alex]

Continuing the theme of stuff that's just wrong, I present the following gem now easily available on semi-respectable reg1 dvd:

SS Girls aka. Private House of the SS

My favorite of the nazisploitation genre (I know, I know, I'm going to hell so fast it's not even funny). If were curious wtf Werewolf Women of the SS trailer in Grindhouse was all about, you should check out this one.

Nazisploitation, in my limited experience, exists in 3 varieties:

1. Artsy and boring (e.g. Tinto Brass' Salon Kitty)

2. REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY WRONG focusing on all sorts of atrocious psychotic nazi shenanigans (e.g. Last orgy of the Gestapo)

3. Exploitative fun more focused on the sex than the actual nazi setting (e.g. Ilsa the She-wolf of the Gestapo). SS girls falls into this category.

The plot is the same as it is in all nazisploitation - the goings on of a SS run brothel used to spy on Nazi officers in their week moments (some nastier variations on the genre are set in concentration camps/prisons.) All sorts of kinky shit happens until one of the whores falls in love with an honorable German soldier who is not really a Nazi. Some more kinky shit happens and then there's the obligatory outlandish ending.

Reasons I prefer this one to the other ones:

1. kinky sex turned up to 11. You should see who the prospective whores have to bone to be accepted into the whorehouse.

2. The absolutely insane SS guy in charge of the whole thing, with his similarly insane scientist in tow.

3. The incomprehensible non-sequiteur dream sequence involving a random kamikaze

4. Hysterical ending

Can't find a trailer but here's the SS guy bugging out with his nazi-superwhore madam

[Alex]

Deodato's fairly notorious followup to Cannibal Holocaust. This movie combines cannibals, cocaine trafficking and a little bit of Apocalypse Now. Never released uncut in the US until the gods of Anchor Bay smiled on us yet again.

Try to follow this along.... An ex-green beret/Jim Jones right hand man /Col. Kurtz wannabe played by the great Richard Lynch uses Michael Berryman and a tribe of South American cannibals to corner the market on cocaine production in Columbia and cocaine sales in the US. A hot blond American reporter stumbles across this while investigating a seriously gnarly murder, and in the process of investigating finds a possible trace of the missing son of her editor. She quite logically decides that the best thing to do is to go deep into the jungles of Columbia with nothing but a cameraman in tow to try and interview the renegade madman cult leader and rescue the dumbass son. Does your head hurt yet?

So obviously plot is not the strong point here, but that was never Deodato's forte anyway, this ain't no fancy DiLeo picture. What we got here is some great action (opening scene is quite brilliant actually) and as expected seriously awesome bloodletting (not as bad as Holocaust though). The budget was actually pretty high for this movie, and because they shot 70% in the jungle most of the money is in the gore effects.

What's really surprising is the cast. We got the 2 bmovie mainstays that I mentioned above, plus Lisa Blount as the blonde reporter who later went on to Officer and a Gentleman, the classic American Zatoichi remake Blind Fury and my favorite tv show Profit, amongst other things. We also got Willie Amees (way over his head here) from '8 is enough' as the dumbass son, Eriq LaSalle from ER as a pimp who meets the business end of an airport monorail, and Karen Black from every 70's movie you can't remember.

And as a kicker, we got this guy - if you don't recognize him, FUCK YOU

The movie misses it's potential by a bit because it severely under uses both Lynch and Bright, especialy Lynch who's Col. Horne is still the highlight of the movie despite all the other cool shit going on. Also it slows down a bit around the 30 min mark to sidetrack to a retarded subplot, but gets back on track fairly quickly. Regardless of these detractions, it's still a very fun piece of trash.

[venoms5]

Aames I remember more from CHARLES IN CHARGE but Leonard Mann, the star of a number of spaghetti westerns and crime flicks is in this as well. And isn't one of the CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST actors in this briefly, too?

I did a review for DEVIL TIMES FIVE I just didn't post it here. I have dozens more. These were just a sampling. Thanks for participating Alex.

[Alex]

You might be right about a guy from Holocaust, to be honest I haven't seen that movie (CH) in ages and actor's faces is not really what sticks with you longterm after watching it

I found some similar write ups I did for a few euro-crime flicks, I can throw them in as well if you don't mind. Not sure how many of them actually played in a grindhouse, but they certainly fit under the 'cult' umbrella.

[venoms5]

Yeah, I was gonna do the same. The Euro crime movies played in theaters but the titles were changed such as...

ALMOST HUMAN became THE DEATH DEALERS

ROME ARMED TO THE TEETH became ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY WEAPON and was marketed on video as if it was a horror flick.

[venoms5]

Luca Barbareschi(?) I think is the guy's name from CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST. He was the guy with the thick mustache and blonde hair. He was also in Lenzi's CANNIBAL FEROX or for the sake of this thread, MAKE THEM DIE SLOWLY. He was one of the two thugs who were looking for Mike played by Giovanni Lombardo Radice (John Morghen).

[venoms5]

Walking Tall was never a favorite of mine, but I've never seen a good version of it either so that might make a difference. A side note about Baker, he's great as a redneck mafia hitman tracking thief Walter Matthau in Don Siegel's awesome Charley Varrik.

I posted an addendum at the bottom of the review (I think I did:D). Paramount recently put this out on widescreen DVD. CHARLEY VARRIK is on R2 PAL DVD now at xploitedcinema.com.

[venoms5]

MILANO ODIA: LA POLIZIA NON PUO SPARARE aka ALMOST HUMAN 1974

Thomas Milian, Henry Silva, Ray Lovelock, Anita Strindberg

Guilio Sacchi (Thomas Milian in his favorite role) at the opening of the film, is the driver for a bank robbery. When a police man approaches him to move his car he impulsively shoots the cop thus introducing us to one of the slimiest cinematic character portrayals in film ever. The crooks don't want Guilio around anymore so he shacks up with his girlfriend (Strindberg WHO SAW HER DIE?, LIZARD IN A WOMAN'S SKIN) and through her spies a very pretty girl from a rich family. Guilio plans to kidnap the girl and hold her for ransom killing her if the father doesn't pay up. Guilio eventually gets the girl but along the way commits some extremely distasteful acts such as when they trace the girl to a house in the woods where they torture and machine gun the inhabitants, kids included. The group holes up in an abandoned boat while they wait for their money. Meanwhile, Inspector Grandi (Silva) tries to find them and convince the father they will not let his daughter go even if he pays them. It all ends badly for the principle cast members in one of the most violent films I've ever seen regardless of genre.

Milian owns this movie and turns in his best performance ever. On the 30 minute interview with him on the disc he says this is his favorite performance and initially, he was to play the cop role but opted for the sleazy villain instead as the film is surprisingly, built around the villain for the most part. You really grow to hate his character and want to see him get his in the end.

The angelic Ray Lovelock is suited at Milian's side as he is drawn into Guilio's world and becomes (although on a much smaller scale) a psychopath as well.

Henry Silva, veteran screen heavy is somewhat subdued here as Inspector Grandi and his stone faced, almost inhuman expressions suit the film well as he ultimately succumbs to unorthodox methods to bring Guilio down in a great final scene that is symbolic of the Guilio character. Silva became a fixture of Euro crime starring in such greats as MANHUNT (1972), THE BOSS (1973), MANHUNT IN THE CITY (1976) and the nasty and sleaze filled CRY FOR A PROSTITUTE (1974; uncut version only)

Umberto Lenzi directs again and pulls off another great little film. There is only one car chase but what an exciting one it is. The remainder of the film is built around Guilio and the evil tactics he uses to survive caring nothing for anyone or anything. The film plays almost like a horror film and if I remember correctly this is how it was marketed on video here. The opening high speed chase scene used footage from THE VIOLENT PROFESSIONALS (1973).

If you're a Milian fan this release is highly recommended to see him chew through so much scenery. One of the most distasteful movies you're ever likely to see.

[venoms5]

NAPOLI VIOLENTA (VIOLENT NAPLES) 1976

Maurizio Merli, John Saxon, Barry Sullivan

Merli plays Inspector Betti who has been assigned to the crime infested Naples where he brings his police brutality methods with him. At the opening he finds an old enemy of his, The Commandante (Barry Sullivan) is around as well as another crime boss Capuono (John Saxon) who plans to do in the big boss Commandante and take over his various protection rackets and other assorted criminal activities. Betti, has no intention of allowing either one to go free much longer.

The film moves along at a brisk pace and is chock full of action and extreme violence that is inherent in this genre. There are bloody shootouts, murdered informants, rape, one helluva chase on motor bikes and one cool setpiece on top of a tram.

Betti's methods ultimately get him into trouble when many undercover officers are killed with one tied to the end of a bowling lane while the Commandante goes for a "strike".

Another striking scene of violence occurs during the tram scene. One of the villains has a female hostage and pushes her head out the window repeatedly bashing her face into the tram on the other side as it passes just before Betti takes him out.

At the finale, Betti uses probably the most unorthodox method imaginable to finally get rid of all the principle villains. Earlier he had turned in his resignation to be placed in his desk should his superior ask for it and Betti, after so many innocent people have been slain, decides to call it quits. As he's leaving he comes to a stop light and sees the little boy he had befriended earlier in the film, now a cripple, trying to cross the street (a trick the kid played at the films opening but was faking it then). Betti tells his friend to take him back to the station.

Director Umberto Lenzi who has directed his fair share of sleaze cinema appears more assured directing these kinds of movies as his direction is very slick compared to other films he has done. He is quite at home doing the action scenes and pulls off some exciting set pieces. He does, however, revel in several instances of extreme violence that was a staple of his films and this genre.

Merli who later appeared in MANNAJA, A MAN CALLED BLADE (1977), is perfect for these kind of roles. Looking a bit like Franco Nero but more adept in the action scenes, he carries a mostly mean and mad look on his face the duration of the film and he's so good at it you can't help but cheer him on each time he nails one of the bad guys. If you've never seen one of these Italian Crime films this is a good place to start.

Merli died in 1989 when he apparently overexerted himself during a tennis match and collapsed. He was 49.

[venoms5]

UNA MAGNUM SPECIAL PER TONY SAITTA- BLAZING MAGNUM (1976)

Stuart Whitman, Martin Landau, John Saxon, Tisa Farrow

Detective Saitta (Whitman) along with Detective Matthews (John Saxon) investigates the murder of Saitta's sister who was poisoned on her college campus. The crime involves the theft of an expensive necklace from the Orient. At first evidence points to Doctor Tracer (Landau) but it's found through a long chain of events that the actual killer is close to home.

I've never been much of a Stuart Whitman fan but he's great here showing lots of spunk and energy in the action scenes doing most if not all of his own stunts. Saxon is also good as Whitman's partner but sadly, he doesn't get to do much during the action scenes. It's Whitman's showcase and he gives it his all especially in a show-stopping 7 minute(!) bravura car chase sequence at the 57 minute mark. The movie opens with a bang when Saitta foils a robbery and putting down the crooks with his magnum, destroying several cars and businesses as a result.

Another highlight is a comical scene where Saitta must question a group of transvestites(!) and ends up duking it out with them destroying the apartment in the process and Saitta himself is tossed over the balcony(!) but climbs back up and continues fighting even jamming a hot curling iron up one of the drag queens rectum! The ending is a nice capper as the real killer tries to make an escape in a helicopter and Saitta puts his magnum to good use.

Tisa Farrow plays a blind girl who figures into the plot and even gets involved in a suspenseful scene where the killer enters her apartment to kill one of her friends then goes after her. She makes her way into the street where cars zip past her nearly running her over. Farrow apparently did this dangerous piece of stunt work herself.

This is the first modern action film I've seen from Alberto De Martino (THE ANTICHRIST) and I'd like to see more. This is a Canadian-Italian co-production. In the US the film was marketed as a horror thriller under the title STRANGE SHADOWS IN AN EMPTY ROOM. Some other foreign territories played up the giallo elements found in the film for retitling overseas.

I must say "BLAZING" is amazing and contains all the elements that make these movies such fun to watch. Whitman's "good guy" is a bit more crazy than usual if you can believe that. There's lots of action, bloodshed, nudity, wild plot devices and the exhilarating 7 minute car chase is worth seeing the film on its own.

[venoms5]

ROMA A MANO ARMATA aka ROME ARMED TO THE TEETH (1976) aka ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY WEAPON aka BRUTAL JUSTICE

Maurizio Merli, Tomas Milian, Arthur Kennedy, Ivan Rassimov, Maria Rosaria Ommagio

Inspector Tanzi (Maurizio Merli who played the same character in THE CYNIC, THE RAT & THE FIST) is driven over the edge by the rampant violence and bloodshed from the criminal elements in Rome. Crooks he catches are released for various reasons- lack of evidence, his soft hearted psychologist girl friend (Maria Rosaria Ommagio). Tanzi, meanwhile, has his hands full with The Hunchback (Tomas Milian) and a rapist kidnapper (Ivan Rassimov) whom Tanzi has much trouble nailing them for their crimes. It all comes to an incredibly violent finale when the Hunchback commandeers an Ambulance just moments after Tanzi has killed off crooks robbing a bank. An impressive chase sequences follows where the Hunchback goes about mindlessly shooting people in the streets to escape Tanzi's grasp.

One of the least subtle action films you'll ever see, Lenzi is in total over the top, take no prisoners mode with the violence so overdone it becomes comical. The film never slows down for a minute and is an adrenaline rush of bloody shootouts, car chases and grimy criminals having their way with society.

Merli, reprising his role of Leonardo Tanzi, is brimming with even more Machismo here than ever before as he goes about knocking off the bad guys by any means necessary. Particularly pissing off his boss played by Arthur Kennedy (LAURENCE OF ARABIA) in the process making for a couple of humorous bits betweent the two actors.

Milian again puts in another sinister villain role as the Hunchback, whose character, although not quite as viciously sadistic as his role in ALMOST HUMAN, is suitably nasty as are most of the cast on hand.

Arthur Kennedy, whose later years consisted of much European productions including the excellent horror picture LET SLEEPING CORPSES LIE and THE ANTICHRIST with Mel Ferrer who is a long way from his Hollywood roles like THE MAN FROM LARAMIE and the aforementioned LAURENCE OF ARABIA. He did several of these cop thrillers among numerous Italian productions.

Released here as BRUTAL JUSTICE and ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY WEAPON on video as part of SYBIL DANNING'S ADVENTURE VIDEO. The film was senselessly cut and re-edited.

While not as polished or as sleek as VIOLENT NAPLES but definitely a high octane action film with numerous memorably sleazy, violent moments and funny dialog exchanges.

[venoms5]

THE STREET FIGHTER 1974 aka GEKITOTSU! SATSUJIN KEN (SUDDEN IMPACT! KILLING FIST)

Shinichi "Sonny" Chiba, Masashi Ishibashi, Etsuko Shiomi

Tokuma Tsurugi is pursued by the Yakuza as well as US and HK mafia after refusing to assist them in pressuring the rich daughter of a deceased oil magnate to fork over her assets. During the opening of the film, Tsurugi rescues a vicious Karate master from the hangman's noose which provides another plotline which intertwines with the other story culminating in one of the bloodiest, most OTT martial arts actioners ever made.

Tokuma (Terry in the US version) is one of the meanest, most vicious and sadistic anti-heroes (and I use the term lightly) in cinematic history. After rescuing Junjo (Ishibashi), his brother and sister cannot pay him the money for the job so what does he do? He (accidentally) kills the brother and sells the sister (Shiomi) into prostitution! This puts Junjo on Tokuma's trail destined for a showdown.

In a minor attempt to mend his ways, Tsurugi aligns himself with a powerful martial arts master (a man he actually respects!) to help protect the girl. Through a violent flashback we learn that Tsurugi is a half breed, half Japanese and half Chinese. His skills are extraordinary as he doesn't just kill his foes...he makes them pay. Skulls are crushed, penises are ripped off in graphic detail, bones are broken MULTIPLE TIMES, a head is splattered like a watermelon, teeth are smashed from peoples mouths and many other gruesome delights are found in Shigehiro Ozawa's movie.

Like Japanese anime, many assassins with differing skills are dispatched against Tsurugi and his oddball side kick rat nose, who carries on like a doting housewife more than anything else. Chiba totally owns the screen. Every scene he's in he makes sure all eyes are on him. Whether it be doling out some of the most painful and nasty scenes of brutality on anyone unfortunate enough to fight him or the near constant facial contortions and noises he makes just before he grinds somebody into pulp. Me and one of my friends frequently watch this movie and laugh our asses off whenever Chiba starts with his grunts and noises because you know somebody is getting turned into a side of beef.

The violence level is so high, the film was branded an X rating becoming the first action film to get such a rating. This film also features a scene where Tsurugi smashes a guy on the top of his head and we see an X-ray of his skull being pummeled, a scene that was copied years later in one of Jet Li's American made action movies. Also, Charles Bronson's movie HARD TIMES was originally titled THE STREET FIGHTER but they changed the name when the producers realized that the Chiba film had been released bearing the moniker. Followed by an equally gruesome sequel which features Tsurugi slightly less animalistic and more leaning towards a hero. The third and final film THE STREET FIGHTERS LAST REVENGE (1976) is the least of the trilogy.

Chiba would also do two similar films with even more outrageous violence called THE EXECUTIONER and THE EXECUTIONER 2. Etsuko Shiomi would go to a successful career of her own in the SISTER STREET FIGHTER films as well as DRAGON PRINCESS and many others along with other members of Chiba's Japan Action Club acolytes.

Highly recommended if you like your action movies with exploitation style OTT violence and gore.

[venoms5]

THE LADY TERMINATOR 1986- aka THE REVENGE OF THE SOUTH SEAS QUEEN

An American college student is possessed by the Queen and goes on a killing spree with a machine gun that never runs out of bullets and occasionally takes time out to satisfy her sexual hunger by screwing men to death (what a way to go!). A sorcerer comes to the aid of a girl who has been targeted by the Terminator…I mean the Queen. Her boyfriend recruits some army buddies and they take on the Queen in an effects filled climax.

One of the most successful Indonesian films ever. Another adaptation of the oft filmed legend of the Queen of the South Seas.

The movie riffs wholesale from THE TERMINATOR but the film is so mind numbingly hilarious in its ‘everything but the kitchen sink’ mentality, you couldn’t possibly take it seriously.

One of the best scenes is the bit where the Queen enters a police station looking for Sarah Conner....wrong movie again! Anyway, she's after the descendant of the Sheik who imprisoned the Queen centuries before and she lays waste to the police in an attempt to get at the girl using a machine gun that absolutely never runs out of bullets. One bit has the terminatrix pump a couple hundred bullets into a guy then swiftly kicking him in the nuts to make sure he stays down. So many great scenes in this one.

If you enjoy so-bad-it’s-good movies, you shouldn’t miss this. A huge grindhouse hit during its 87-88 run on 42nd street.

[venoms5]

DEATHSTALKER- 1984

Rick Hill, Barbi Benton

Gritty CONAN clone about a barbarian warrior who must find three items-the sword of justice, the amulet of light and the chalice of magic to destroy an evil magician who has usurped a kingdom and exiled the previous ruler. Deathstalker is hired out by the former king to destroy the wizard, free his kingdom and save his daughter (Barbi Benton). He gathers a band of rogues and fighters along the way.

A huge hit on video, DEATHSTALKER is a great party movie and the perfect drive-in flick. It's got everything--gory, over-the-top action, abundant nudity (nearly all the women are naked the duration of the film), sex, creatures, more gore and nudity and a very good low budget score. John Carl Buechler did the creature effects. They're not very effective but everything else makes up for this. Deathstalker is definitely not interested in long term relationships. During the opening of the film, some villains that look a bit like lepers attack a man and a woman he has kidnapped. 'Stalker shows up and kills them all including the man. He then goes over to the girl, feels her up and then proceeds to remove what little clothes she has on and has sex with her! He is interrupted by one of the kings men who wants him for the mission.

An old witch that watches over Stalker tells him about the 3 objects he must obtain and there whereabouts. The sword is hidden in a cave and the other two are in the evil wizard Munkar's possession. The sword is found in a cave guarded over by a tall ogre and a dwarf troll like creature that talks. He says that the sword can only be removed and taken from the cave by a young boy. For reasons not explained Stalker turns into a little boy after the troll touches the blade. The two exit the cave whereby Stalker reverts back to his former beefy self and the troll changes back into his human form. As long as Stalker has the sword in his hands, he will be invincible.

The scenes of gore are sometimes laced with black humor. The wizard has a small monster in a box that fancies eyeballs and fingers. Munkar will dip the fingers or orbs in a dip of the victims blood before feeding it to "little Howard".

Along the way, Stalker meets up with another swordsman played by stuntman Richard Booker. The two form an alliance until they reach the city where Munkar is holding a tournament where the winner will inherit Munkar's kingdom and riches. After more nudity and bloody violence, the group meet up with another sword fighter. This one turns out to be a woman (Lana Clarkson) who wears no top when she fights. Stalker takes time out from killing bad guys and resting to have sex with the gorgeous Clarkson.

Once the group has reached the city, the other combatants are introduced in a well staged but blackly comical orgiastic brawl. One character is a pig-man. He pounds away on another big guy even though it hurts his fist. The half man, half pig grabs the nearest person and tears away his arm then beating the hell out of his opponent with the severed limb.

Seeing Stalker amidst the gladiators, Munkar devises a plan where he will turn his henchman into the kings daughter (yes, transform the man into a woman) and send him into Stalkers room to kill him. The plan does not work of course. Then Munkar pays off Stalker's friend played by Booker to kill him and steal the sword. This, too, fails.

Eventually, all the gladiators are dead save for Stalker and the giant pig-man. Stalker defeats him then goes after Munkar and his men. At the end, Stalker retrieves the 3 objects as the angry peasants attack the now powerless Munkar and draw-and-quarter him in spectacularly gory fashion. The final moments are a bit confusing. When Stalker brings the 3 objects together, it appears he, too, has been destroyed or become a God.

A Roger Corman produced video favorite. Director Watson did time on numerous other Corman movies as well as being an AD on THE BEASTMASTER which probably was what got him the gig here. This movie had around 15 minutes removed but most of it looks like more like outtakes than anything else. Said footage is in the versions shown on television. If not, the film would only be 5 minutes long what with all the near constant nudity and bloodletting on display. Three sequels followed with different lead actors although Rick Hill returned to the role for the fourth and worst entry. Clarkson was so popular, she got her own series of films, BARBARIAN QUEEN (1985)

On a very sad note, in 2003 Clarkson was about to make a comeback in film when she was murdered by her boyfriend, record producer Phil Spector in California.

[venoms5]

GALAXY OF TERROR- 1980 aka PLANET OF HORRORS aka MIND WARP: AN INFINITY OF HORROR

Edward Albert, Erin Moran, Ray Walston, Robert England, Sid Haig, Zalman King

A group of militaristic space rangers receive a distress call from an unknown planet and are dispatched to investigate. When they arrive, their ship is damaged in the landing. After a crew member is badly mutilated investigating the ship the distress signal came from, the crew explores the planet's surface. They find miles of wrecked ships and then a gigantic eerie looking pyramid. Once inside, the crew members are killed off in gruesome fashion one by one in various ways by creatures or more supernatural means. It is ultimately discovered that the pyramid itself is an ancient alien toy left behind by an extraterrestrial race where those that enter, must face their worst fears. If they can conquer that fear, they live, if not, they die. A final twist closes the movie.

Originally, ALIEN was to have been a Roger Corman movie but Fox, after being convinced by Dan O'bannon, decided at the last minute that ALIEN should be a big budget, big studio movie. Sets had already been built by James Cameron for the Corman version so these were put to use here. The sets created by Cameron are stunning. Some of the most surreal and ghostly, not to mention ambitious, mattes and set design for a low budgeted production ever.

The gore and exploitation is ample. One of the most famous scenes in horror history is the maggot rape scene where former Penthouse girl Taffee O'Connell is raped by a giant maggot (this scene is rumored to have been shot by Cameron) shortly after disintegrating a horde of them chewing on the arm of a crew member. It grows to enormous size and stalks her through the darkened tunnels before stripping her of her clothes revealing her ample assets. The one part of this sequence that gets the most talk is that the female victim appears to be ENJOYING IT just before she expires!

Edward Albert, who would go on to a nice career in exploitation cinema, plays the main protagonist Cabran. He can be seen in the big studio sleaze-fest THE HOUSE WHERE EVIL DWELLS starring with Susan George and Doug McClure. Directed by Kevin Conner who helmed the four Amicus Dinosaur adventures among other things.

Erin Moran, Joanie from HAPPY DAYS, gets one of the most spectacular death scenes. She plays an empath who happens to be claustrophobic. Apparently, she isn't fond of this movie as it has been said she refuses to sign memorabilia or DVDs of this movie.

Exploitation fans will no doubt recognize the greatness that is Sid Haig. He plays a (mostly) silent martial arts expert who, instead of laser guns uses shuriken-like weapons that are made of unbreakable crystals.

Ray Walston of course is remembered for MY FAVORITE MARTIAN. He plays the mysterious Kor, the cook who may or may not be a more insidious character.

Zalman King plays Baylon, the trigger happy leader of the group who goes around frying everything in sight. King would later go on to create the Showtime cable erotic hit tv show RED SHOE DIARIES as well producing numerous erotic movies.

Robert England, Freddy Krueger himself, plays Ranger, whose fear is himself. England continued doing horror movies.

Cameron would also direct 2nd unit and go on design other movies for Corman including his SEVEN SAMURAI in space BATTLE BEYOND THE STARS and do matte work on ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK. Cameron eventually got his first directing gig on PIRANHA 2: THE SPAWNING although he would eventually be fired(!) from this film with Ovidio Assonitis finishing the production.

Portions of the interior of the space ships were nothing more than spray painted McDonalds styrofoam burger boxes! This was one of Cameron's many cost cutting innovations. These same sets, slightly modified and looking more like burger boxes, would turn up in Corman's even sleazier follow-up entitled FORBIDDEN WORLD which features the first ever barfing alien(!) After the multi tentacled toothy monster is fed a cancer tumor, it proceeds to regurgitate until it's nothing more than a large pool of slop.

A smorgasbourge of cool ideas and ample amounts of boobs, beasts and blood, plus a brief bit of kung fu action between Cabran and Q-uad (Haig) ensures a super drive-in feature with much entertainment value. For me the best of the ALIEN clones, even though this was originally supposed to BE ALIEN, it's a personal favorite.

[Alex]

wow we have scarily similar taste. I own every single title you just posted except Blazing Magnum and Galaxy of terror.

I've been looking to grab Blazing Magnum incidentally, where did you get yours?

[venoms5]

I have two copies--one from the greek tape and one from the superior Japanese VHS. The japanese copy is widescreen.

[venoms5]

I've a lot more crime reviews but post yours too regardless if I've posted the same or not. Interesting to see different viewpoints.

[venoms5]

THREE THE HARD WAY--TRIPLE BILL TONIGHT ON THE SAME SCREEN: TRUCK TURNER, MANDINGO, DRUM

TRUCK TURNER- 1974

Isaac Hayes, Nichelle Nichols, Yaphett Kotto, Dick Miller

Jonathan Kaplan's blaxploitation classic about big, bad and black Isaac Hayes as skip tracer Truck Turner, as in 'Mac'Truck Turner. Truck and his partner try to bring down a crime syndicate in between cracking skulls and appearing in court. During a chase, the two bounty hunters are forced to kill one of the bosses as well as laying a right cross on a half naked white woman who stabs Truck's partner with a butcher knife. Later, the other members of the syndicate want revenge and they plan to take out Truck and his partner as well as anybody that happens to be in the way.

Not only one of the most violent black action movies, but one of the most violent actioners of the 70s period. Nichelle Nichols, Uhura from STAR TREK, would be booted off the Enterprise if she said some of the downright vulgar dialog she utters here. She plays a madam of a whore house who is just as mean and nasty as the male villains.

Yaphett Kotto is also very brutal here. The filmmakers did an outstanding job at creating really evil bad guys. During the finale, Kotto is chased into a hospital by Hayes where Kotto has no qualms about "interrupting" surgery in progress nor is he shy about taking a few innocent patients and nurses out at the same time.

Hayes is excellent here as the wisecracking and intelligent Truck Turner. He's tough as all hell and gets many memorable lines. One of the best involves the chase to nab one of the crime bosses earlier in the film. The villain runs into a bar and hands out money to everyone in the place telling them to beat the crap out of the two guys about to come through the door. Of course, Turner and his partner take care of business. Truck tells the ruffians that--"If anybody asks what happened here, you tell'em you all were hit by a truck...'Mac'Truck Turner...understand?"

There's also an hilarious scene where Truck gets his jailbird girlfriend arrested so as to protect her from the determined villains who've done a serious number on everyone close to him.

Frequent Roger Corman and Joe Dante actor, Dick Miller plays the man who gets Truck and his partner their jobs. Miller can be seen in THE HOWLING, GREMLINS 1 and 2, THE LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (1960) and A BUCKET OF BLOOD (1959) to name a few.

Definitely one of the best, there's hardly any fat on this movie. It's pure exploitation thrills from beginning to end. It's a shame Hayes didn't do many of these movies. Hayes is also in the only Italian blaxploitation hybrid movie. Entitled TOUGH GUYS (1974), it's a Dino de Laurentiis production directed by Duccio Tessari. Fred Williamson plays the bad guy. Hayes is partnered with an Italian priest who also is a bit of a drunk. Hayes is very naive in his role. A terrible movie and a missed opportunity. Hayes would have renewed fame six years later as the 'Duke of New York'....'A' number 1....

MANDINGO- 1975

Ken Norton, Perry King, James Mason, Susan George, Paul Benedict

The granddaddy of the race-hate genre about slavery in the deep south during the civil War. Norton is a slave who is sold to the Falconhurst plantation where he is to be used as a worker and for breeding more slaves. Perry King is Mason's son who is a cripple. He is to be married to Susan George's character but cannot get along with her but instead falls in love with one of his nubian bed wenches as they called them. George, in turn, seduces Norton into a relationship with her. Everything ends badly for all the characters culminating in a downer ending where Norton is forced in a cauldron of boiling water then continuously stabbed with a pitchfork.

Norton, whose main claim to fame would be defeating Muhammed Ali in 1973 breaking Ali's jaw in the first round only for Ali to go the full duration of the fight, is fine in the part. His acting isn't good but he has a presence that suits the film fine. Besides, Norton is surrounded by some fine company.

It's quite shocking to see James Mason relieving his rheumatism by using little black boys as foot stools. Also the language used by the Caucasian cast members is most incendiary. Mason is very convincing as the slave breeding patriarch of the Falconhurst plantation. Another shocker is seeing Benedict, who was Mr. Bentley at the time on the hit TV show THE JEFFERSONS, as a slave trader.

There are a handful of scenes that riled quite a few people back in 75 and still packs a qallop today. One particularly disturbing sequence involves a hanging of a runaway slave. The aforementioned cauldron scene is another.

Susan George, who is, IMO, a most underrated actress, is also very good in her role. Her somewhat graphic sex scene with Norton curiously mirrors the "sex" scene in STRAW DOGS.

One of the most shocking aspects of this film is that it was a major studio production. Paramount was very brave to attempt a film like this and they REALLY crossed the line with the twice as trashy sequel DRUM.

I read an interview with the editor of MANDINGO who said when he was putting the trailer together, he was horrified at what he was seeing. Never before had a major studio movie went so far. The poster was also a bit blasphemous with its GONE WITH THE WIND art decor showcasing Norton with George in a passionate embrace.

Directed by Richard Fleisher who also helmed 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA and co-directed TORA! TORA! TORA! with Kinji Fukasaku. Even with all the sordid and graphic scenes of humiliation, Fleisher handles the proceedings very well. The film was a huge hit in 1975 which paved the way for its more grindhouse fashioned sequel the following year.

Paramount released MANDINGO to tape in the mid 80s. It has yet to have a legit US release to DVD. A cut spanish DVD was released last year (2006). There is an uncut dupe floating around in trade circles as well as dupes of the VHS release.

Paramount also produced a blaxploitation western starring Fred Williamson, Durville Martin (the villain in DOLEMITE) and Don Pedro Colley called THE LEGEND OF NI**ER CHARLEY (1972). That film follows similar territory that MANDINGO explored and its sequel trampled on. An extremely rare movie to come by, the only print known is an edited TV version that oddly enough, leaves all or most of the condescending dialog towards the African American cast members intact. SOUL OF NI**ER CHARLEY followed.

DRUM- 1976

Ken Norton, Warren Oates, Yaphett Kotto, Pam Grier, Cheryl Rainbeau Smith, John Colicos, Royal Dano

The extremely offensive sequel to MANDINGO follows Norton again in the title role of Drum, whose white mother sold him at a young age to protect him. He grows up and ends up at the sadistic slave house of a homosexual French slave trader played by John Colicos. Drum meets up with Blaze (Kotto) and the two form a rocky friendship. After spurning the flaming Frenchie's advances, Drum is sold to slave breeder Mr. Hammond (Oates). After several misadventures at the house, the slaves plan a revolt and during the finale, there's a bloody and violent attack on the mansion involving lots of squibs, rape and people set on fire. The cavalry rides in after everything goes up in a fiery explosion and shoots down the remaining slaves. Drum, however, is still alive.

Norton's acting is pretty much the same as before although he gets some humorous lines and his non-acting curiously fits the film anyways. One funny scene involves a conversation with Warren Oates. Drum constantly says "yes, sir" and "no, sir", to which Hammond replies..."Drum, you're not speakin' ni**erish enough. You sure you aint had no education?...It's yes, master."...then Drum retorts..."Yes sir, master".

Oates appears to be having the time of his life constantly surrounded by naked women. He gets some of the most outlandishly offensive lines you will ever hear. I'm sure it's all genuine talk for the time, but nearly half the films dialog scenes will have you shaking your head in disbelief. I wonder what Oates thought of this film after it was finished?

There is more of an accent on comedy this time around although the movie does not skimp on the sleazy elements at all. One of the funniest bits involves Fiona Lewis interrupting Oates and Pam Grier in bed. Another has Hammond's sex obsessed daughter constantly grabbing the slaves in their private regions and forcing them into sexual contact with her. The resulting scene where she is discovered by her father is a hoot.

Cheryl Rainbeaux Smith who displays her assets here, would go on to become a porn star but her career would end tragically when she would take her own life in the early 90s. Her character is a highlight in the film.

Kotto is good as well as the dignified slave Blaze who wants nothing more than to be free. His character is one of the few serious roles in the picture.

John Colicos, who in 1978 would play Baltar in the then most expensive show on television BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, is hilarious as the homo slaver. His accent slips every once and a while. He has a preoccupation with castration of his slaves when they become unruly. During the explosively violent finale, he gets first hand knowledge of the procedure.

Pam Grier is hardly in the movie at all. She has a few scenes but she is good enough in these few bits that her fate is most saddening. Grier thought that this movie would open up more serious roles for her only they didn't come.

Steve Carver directs. Carver also directed IMO, Chuck Norris's best movie, LONE WOLF MCQUADE (1983) which had the best spaghetti western soundtrack that was never in a spaghetti western. He also directed BIG BAD MAMA for Roger Corman starring Angie Dickensen, Tom Skerritt and William Shatner.

DRUM's poster was the real deal with its tagline--'MANDINGO lit the fuse...DRUM is the explosion!' DRUM was re-released at a film festival a few years back and caused quite a stir. It's highly doubtful that MANDINGO or DRUM will ever receive a legit release stateside. There is a british DVD of DRUM available but this is not an authorized release. DRUM was, like its predecessor, financed through Paramount Studios.

Both films are well worth checking out for curiosity seekers interested in the daring and aggressive style of 70s moviemaking. A time in movies that will never be repeated.

ADDENDUM-- MANDINGO is set for US DVD release from Legend House. A company responsible for surprisingly gorgeous colorization of old classics. They are now releasing a handful of Paramount movies the studio apparently has no interest in handling themselves. In the case of MANDINGO, it's understandable.