So, there's not much to say about The Doberman Gang apart from...YOU NEED TO SEE IT!
After a failed bank robbery, leader Eddie realises something. It's always human errors that messes things up for him. His plans are always perfect...apart from that human element, which he can't control to a 100%.
What to do? He considers robots (please let there be a sequel involving robots), but that seems a bit too complicated. I suppose, it's 1972 after all.
But, one day...he realises! Dogs! Vicious dogs trained to rob a bank!
DOGS!
ROBBING A BANK!
Add a kick-ass and completely insane soundtrack and you have the best damn dog heist film I've ever seen.
It seems to be unavailable on DVD at the moment. But, the internet is your friend.
In fact, the whole film seems to be available on youtube at the moment
I guess you shouldn't judge a film by it's poster, but that's the main reason I've been putting this one off. That poster is just terrible. But, tonight was the night and in the end it was actually a pleasant surprise. Well, not pleasant as such, cause the film itself is actually pretty nasty.
Melissa Leo plays Cookie, a high school drop-out who, together with her little brother, runs away from an alcoholic mother and abusive stepdad and goes to New York City. Before long she find herself on the streets, hooking for a mean-ass pimp called Duke. When Duke beats up Cookie's friend Heather, she decides she has had enough and tries to leave Duke for "better" pimps. Duke is not impressed and he's not going to let her go without a fight. So, everyone is looking for Cookie. Who's gonna get to her first?
I think I originally wanted to check this one out because of it's New York setting. I'm a sucker for old footage of Times Square and its surroundings and even if this is a bit past its sleazy prime, it still features some cool shots of the place.
Now, there's a pretty awesome title screen!
Anyway, I'm not going to do the whole run-through of this one. There's not much of a story here and we don't really get inside the heads of any of the characters, but it's still a surprisingly tense little film, well worth watching. Melissa Leo is pretty good as Cookie and Dale Midkiff is pretty terrifying as psycho-pimp Duke. It made me want to re-watch some of his other things. I remember him being pretty intense as Louis Creed in Pet Sematary (1989).
So, one for fans of old New York in all its seedy glory. This one has it all...crazy hookers and even crazier pimps, tricks wanting to be treated like cattle (well, like a cow anyway), shootouts and so on. It drags a bit at times and could do with a bit of a cheese/humour injection, but you know, you can't have it all.
Sweey Sugar (1972) Directed by: Michel Levesque Starring: Phyllis Davis, Ella Edwards and Timothy Brown
Another women-in-prison title ticked off my list and this was one of the better ones. Crazy doctors, shower scenes, voodoo, blood-thirsty kittens, explosions, a bit of hinted-at cannibalism...yup, Sweet Sugar contains something for everyone.
Director Levesque is obviously indebted to the films of Russ Meyers, and the influence can be seen everywhere...from leading lady Phyllis Davis (of Beyond The Valley of the Dolls fame) to the campy goofiness of the script. Although he seems to have given up on directing after Sweet Sugar Levesque continued making a living behind the scenes and later worked on several films with Russ Meyers, including classics like Supervixens and Benath the Valley of the Ultra-vixens.
So...a bit of a warning...this post contains some naked flesh....just so you know.
For once the time zones of the world was on my side. I thought I'd have to wait another whole night, but I checked one last time before I went to bed last night...and there it was...
Neon Maniacs (1986) Directed by: Joseph Mangine Starring: Clyde Hayes, Leilani Sarelle, Donna Locke
Oh dear...where do I start with this one? A film I just wanted to watch because of the title. Oh yes, I am a sucker for stupid titles...and Neon Maniacs sounds like it could be fun, right? But, oh no...this is just weird...and not in a good way, just in a what-the-fuck-is-going-on-and-this-is-stupid kinda way. I'm not really sure who the audience is meant to be. It's too ridiculous and cheesy to be aimed at adult horror fans, but too violent (but not really) to be a "family horror".
Anyway, what is it all about? I guess I'll just get right down to it.
Apologies for the lack of updates recently...I just haven't had much time to ramble on about films.
I'm gonna try to make more of an effort.
The Barn Of The Naked Dead (1974) is a film I've been thinking about re-watching recently. Not because I remember it being particularly good, more because I want to give it a second chance to live up to its title. Come on...The Barn Of The Naked Dead...it's a pretty spectacular one, maybe one of my favorites. I guess the distributors (or whoever was in charge) realised that it might be pushing it a bit, so the film is mainly known as Nightmare Circus or Terror Circus...and neither of those are half as exciting.
Unfortunately, many films with incredible titles and posters fail to live up to expectations...and this is no different.
Just look at this poster! How could this film not be the best thing ever made?
Yeah, that's right...it even has Andrew Prine in it...one of my favorites and one the most under-rated horror actors out there.
As you’d expect from the title, this is all pretty sleezy. Apparently, it’s the only title in Prine’s filmography he regrets doing. It’s not difficult to see why. While it is a relatively interesting concept it just ends up being a horrible misogynist mess. It is really a shame, since there is great potential for a resolution where strong female characters rebel against their captor. A revenge/turning-the-tables resolution would have resulted in a far more interesting movie. Instead the film is let down by the script’s refusal to give the female characters any sort of fighting spirit or strength. The captives seem pretty indifferent to their situation, content behing weak women against a strong man. Whatever happened to strength in numbers? It’s one of those movies where you just want to shout at people on the screen: "come on! now’s your chance!". But the chances keep coming ang going, over and over again. Price is excellent as the lunatic circus manager, however, and the film is worth watching just for his performance. Definitely not easy viewing.
Oh yeah...and what is it about? Well, you know...the same old story...a group of nubile girls on a road trip, car breaks down, man offers to help, turns out he's a crazy wannabe circus director and keeps other ladies as circus animals in his "circus". Will they escape?
I'm Nik, a Swede in the wonderful mess that is London. I watch a lot of films and I listen to a lot of music.
I mainly seem to write about films these days, but occasionally I do post about music. If you want me to remove a song, send me an email (recordsmakegreatpets@gmail.com) and I will remove it immediately. If you like what you hear, please support the bands by buying their albums and going to their shows.
