The once and future blog. An update.

 

 

A quick update on the lack of activity here since I’ve actually had some people ask (Thank you so much!). I’m simply rethinking the whole shebang. I’m close to having it down in my head but not quite ready yet. This is not over! The problem is that I was schooled something hard about the reality of what I was doing. I thought I was filling in blanks, helping out, etc. I was not. This is all so well covered that I had to stop and try and figure out if I wanted to keep going. Well, I do! It’s just going to be different. More on that later!

Thanks to everybody and keep the faith!

Stacey!

 

Directed by Andy Sidaris

Starring - Anne Randall - Anitra Ford - Cristina Raines - Alan Landers

1973 - R - 81 Minutes

Video Gems VHS

Extras: Trailer for Julia. A 1974 film featuring Sylvia Kristel

Director Andy Sidaris could understandably be thought of as a more accessible 'every-man' version of Russ Meyer. He shares the same penchant for curvaceous pulchritude and a similar taste for outlandish situations. He never did achieve his own Faster Pussycat or Beyond The Valley of the Dolls, per se, but he came as close as he ever would with STACEY. How close that is, exactly, is up to the individual viewer.



So you CAN spell Stacey with two D's...

Fast laps around the track, hot pants, big hair, and a bright yellow corvette Stingray; that's how STACEY opens! Well, that, and a flash of melon-heavy character introduction, as seen above. The funky theme blasts its unapologetic refrain in the background exclaiming with authoritative certainty that you've never met a woman like her. Pure Drive-In attitude and relentless immodesty in that pleasantly naive way you can ONLY find in 70's cinema! Surely, a good time is about to be had.

Warriors... Come out to play-yay....

Stacey (Randall) is a private investigator. We learn this as she narrates her life and the story as it unfolds. Nice touch. While relaxing on her yacht she learns from her boyfriend (Landers) that a registered letter has arrived for her. Turns out she has a job waiting in Bel-Air. After contemplating the astrological sign of the person who composed the letter, she heads off to see what all the fuss is about. At first, there isn't any. Fuss, that is. She's simply being hired by a rich old woman to portray a friend of the family and dig up any dirt on the family, and resident help, that she can. See, the lady in question is getting along in years and wants her money to wind up in decent hands. Stacey has her work cut out for her finding any decency around THIS joint!



Lime green shag. Does that make you horny baby?

Old lady Chambers has surrounded herself with a decidedly colorful group in her autumn years. There's the gay nephew whose marriage to Tish (Ford) is the joke of all. Tish is getting it on regularly with the butler/chauffeur and, believe me, it's no secret. Pamela (Raines) is the niece and she has her own thing going on with some sort of love cult guru or some such nonsense. All of these scandalous details work to propel the plot to the next level. The butler owes serious money to some shady people and is working a plan to get fast cash asap. He's been snapping photos of his romantic rendezvous with both Tish as well as her gay husband. This might be a good time to mention that the butler is also an ex-con. You do the math. Anyway, his ultimate goal is blackmail but something stands in the way of his success. His brutal murder! Now, Stacey has something interesting to do!

He didn't wait an hour after he ate.

Our heaping heroine quickly learns about the bad habits of the now deceased shutterbug and figures that his murder must be connected to the pictures he was keeping. Things get more complicated since Stacey herself has become a target! While following clues that lead her and her boyfriend to a 70's chic beach house they figure they might as well take an erotic pause and enjoy the place to the fullest. Why not? Here's why not, the two armed hit men who've arrived to do them in. Stacey makes short work of the would-be assassins, as expected, but they're only the first team. They are NOT going to be the last!


Stacey scores multiple holes in one... Guy.

All the rest is about solving the case and staying alive. The who, what, and why I'll leave for you to discover. Honestly, you might find yourself impressed once the truth is revealed. The violent action intensifies the further we go and takes place on the raceway, on the road, in race cars on the road, in helicopters, and in the desert. There's also lots nudity and plenty of wet squibs (I do love them so) to enjoy along the way!

He who smelt it...

Squibtasia!

A decent effort! At a brisk 81 minutes it's hard to believe there are any pacing problems but, sadly, that is the case. Nothing tragic, but noticeable. Also, some of the acting is inescapably rigid. Raines and Ford have the least problems on that front and Randall manages to stay somewhere in between but often leans more towards the good than the bad. I know, I know, who cares!? I can't help it, just trying to be thorough. Nothing discussed is a deal-breaker and backing away from my critical eye for a moment I'm compelled to express how much I truly enjoy STACEY! I think it's great fun and has a lot more going for it than working against it. I also have a weakness for the 70's in general and big ol' splashy squibs in particular. Abundant nudity doesn't hurt either! And how about all that slow motion? It all comes together in that special and charming 70's way we discussed towards the top. Stuff like that gains an awful lot of value with hindsight but, for what's it's worth, I've enjoyed this one all the way along.

For Stacey, just another day at the office.

 

Notes:

 

-Anne Randall was a Playboy Playmate in May 1967. After her issue became available she immediately starting getting work in TV and movies and her acting continued to get better with each new project.

 

-Anne Randall has not appeared in anything since 1979.

 

-Anitra Ford will be instantly recognizable to cult fans as she has appeared in a number of classic films. In 1973, the same year she made STACEY, she also had major roles in the exceptional Messiah of Evil and the bizarre Invasion of the Bee Girls.

 

-Anitra Ford was a Price is Right model from 1972 to 1976.

 

-Cristina Raines first ever appearance was in this film. She had a busy career from here on out. Much of her work was in TV but she had very memorable and noteworthy roles in a couple of excellent horror films; The Sentinel and Nightmares.

 

-Roger Corman and New World helped produce this film and are rumored to have provided half the budget.

 

-STACEY was re-released in 1975 as Stacey and her Gangbusters. It was released in Italy as The Porno Detective!?

 

-This was Andy Sidaris' first theatrical movie.

 

-Andy Sidaris remade this movie almost exactly as Malibu Express in 1985. The P.I. was male instead of female but the story remains largely unaltered.

 

-Andy Sidaris passed away in 2007.

 

-Pictures displayed are definitely a low-budget endeavor and are meant only to indicate content and are in NO WAY meant to reflect the quality of the presentation.

 

 

 

 

 



THE BAD PACK

Directed by Brent Huff

 Starring - Robert Davi - Roddy Piper - Larry B. Scott - Ralf Moeller - Shawn Huff - Brent Huff - Patrick Dollaghan

1997 - Unrated - 91 Minutes

Platinum Disc Corporation DVD

Extras: Trailer - Cast Bios - Text Synopsis

So what we have here is a movie that takes its influences from places as varied as Seven Samurai, The Wild Bunch, and The Expendables (either one). What? You're still reading? Not dropping this in a digital basket already? Okay, we'll continue.



Lucas oversees changes on latest version of Star Wars.

Close to the Mexican border lies a small town called Los Robles. The people who populate this out of the way place fall into the category of simple folk. They work, they farm, the go to church, they live their lives. They aren't all legal but are generally left alone as long as they work and keep to themselves. Close-by is a camp of militant white supremacists that call themselves the Sons of Texas. Needless to say, they cause a lot of trouble for the peaceful people of the nearby town. And trouble here would be defined as stopping by about once a month to plunder, pillage, and kill.

You're welcome. 

The poor people of Los Robles have had all they can stands. They can't stands no more! So, they get all the money together that they can, fourteen grand, and send a couple of representatives off to Los Angels to hire a guy they read about in the back of a magazine. It doesn't go well. After a visual illustration of the DT's, the secretary informs the travelers that she's heard about a man named McQue (Davi) who, it's told, is pretty damn tough. They go to a diner where he is said to hang out but they don't know who they're looking for. Figuring it out becomes easy once a group of robbers enters and starts to harass the quiet guy in the corner. Short version; some are shot, some are beaten down with a cane, and all are left on the ground. Yep, they've found their man.

McQue is a cane-do kind of guy.

It takes a serious amount of pleading and no small expression of heartfelt desperation to convince McQue to help, but they do. Like he says, it's not going to be easy to find people to risk their lives for fourteen thousand dollars. But, there's those stories about the millions stashed away somewhere in the villain's compound... That went a long way in convincing our beleaguered bike mechanic that stepping up was the right thing to do. There's three weeks until the next raid, give or take, and McQue tells the pair he'll meet them at their home in twelve days as he needs time to assemble a team.

OVERDRIVE!

The next section of the film is all about the introduction and assemblage of the characters that will be taking on the mission. And, man oh man, what a group it is! These are some of the most enjoyable scenes in the movie as we meet all of McQue's old friends... Dash Simms (Piper) will be the driver. Kurt Mayer (Moeller) is definitely going to be the muscle. His skills as a spy and anti-terrorist specialist will no doubt come in quite handy. Now it's off to the mental hospital to grab the prerequisite crazy man, Hoffman (Dollaghan). Guess who handles the explosives? Yep. Time now to meet Remi Sykes (Shawn Huff). She's the attractive and edgy bad-assassin lady pictured up above there. You're still welcome. They have already picked up a tag-a-long in Jeremy Britt (Scott) and it's a good thing, he handles information and travel. Brent Huff's character, Callin, shows up later on. Remember, he was behind the camera this time! So there you have it! A top-shelf concentration of lower-budgeted action bad-assery!

The Expendab... The Wild Bu.... The A-Te... THE BAD PACK!!

The team heads down to Los Robles where they are greeted by the locals the same way Elvis might be when touching down in a big city somewhere. These planning stages give us time to get to know what everybody is about a little bit better. Characterization! Nice. Also, it's around this time that Mister Huff joins up. He was part of the problem, he had his reasons, but is more than willing to become part of the Pack after being left for dead on a deserted road. Why? Disclosure of that is a one-way ticket to spoilertown. I won't be taking you there, I don't do that. Regardless, his insider knowledge ends up being as big a help as you might expect later on. The 'Sons' get wind of the mercenaries presence and send a small biker squad over to handle things. The ones that aren't lying on the ground or treated to high caliber ear-piercing are quickly sent home with their collective tale between their legs. This does NOT go over well with the head dicktator (purposeful spelling). Shortly after this point... It is ON!

This chick is a REAL kick!

Now THAT'S some SERIOUS heartburn!

The family wagon... OF DEATH!!

What a fantastic movie! The energy is always high, even in quieter moments, and the whole presentation is surprisingly solid. Brent Huff demonstrates considerable skill as a director, it's filled to bursting with colorful characters in interesting situations, strikes the perfect balance between disarming humor and well-armed excitement, and showcases an effective and properly applied soundtrack backing the on-screen action. Positives are many, complaints are few if any. Over the years, reading other assessments, the common complaint is that this plays like an old episode of the A-Team. Some influence is there, sure, but it's not like this is the only movie to do that now is it? No. And besides, look at the pictures, see what I'm getting at? A-Team was never like that. And for the record, I like this movie a whole heck of a lot more than the A-Team movie that we ended up with. I'll take BAD PACK any day. ANY DAY! But, I digress... This is an excellent movie of its kind and if you're a fan of any of the cast, or all of them, you do NOT want to miss THE BAD PACK!

Thank you, drive through please.

Notes:

-This was Brent Huff's second film in the director's chair but far from his last. He's still directing today and has projects coming even as I write this.

-Brent Huff also wrote THE BAD PACK.

-Yep, Shawn Huff is indeed Mrs. Brent Huff. They've worked together several times.

-Cameo: Look for The Road Warrior's Vernon Wells as one of the bikers.

-Cameo: Look for Clifton Collins Jr. as one of the townspeople.

-Cameo: Look for character actor Joe Unger as the fight promoter.

-Ralf Moeller has had quite a career but is probably most recognizable as Conan from the TV series of the same name.

-Sven Ole Thorsen has also had quite a busy career but will also be best known to many by his Conan association. He had roles in both of the original Conan films. There aren't too many 80's Schwarzenegger films that he wasn't involved with.

-In Moeller's introduction he is seen fighting a man mountain in a human cockfight. That opponent's real name was Jeep Swenson. Jeep's career in movies and TV was starting to take off at this time but he sadly died very shortly after making THE BAD PACK.

-Larry B. Scott was famous as the effeminate Lamar Latrelle from the Revenge of the Nerds films. The first name of Dollaghan's character in this movie is Latrelle.

-Extras deatils: The cast bios are light, to put it politely, and feature only three players. The text synopsis is wrong.

-DVD shown and reviewed is the original Canadian release from 1999. The American DVD did not come along until 2004 and features slightly different packaging/art and though out of print, can still be found for purchase at places like Amazon.

-Pictures displayed are definitely a low-budget endeavor and are meant only to indicate content and are in NO WAY meant to reflect the quality of the presentation.

CAGE

Directed by Lang Elliot

Starring - Lou Ferrigno - Reb Brown - James Shigeta - Al Leong - Marilyn Tokuda - Al Ruscio

1988 (year of production) - R - 101 Minutes

Trinity Home Entertainment DVD

You push play and find yourself in Vietnam, 1969. Intense POV shots take you through the jungle as the sounds begin to come to life; bullets are whizzing by, Reb Brown is screaming, voices become clearer from all sides, then the explosions start! Man, now THAT'S how you start a movie! A group of four guys are trying to make it to their landing zone but the enemy is seemingly everywhere. They get where they're supposed to be but the chopper is late! Holding out as best as they can four become three, and then two... It's only Bill and Scott (Ferrigno and Brown) left standing as the helicopter sets down. Bill throws a fallen soldier over his shoulder and heads for relative safety as Scott tries to find an opening. He finds it, but just as he reaches out the bullets hit him. My, this is exciting, isn't it? Bill reaches out and grabs hold of his friend as they start to take off. He's got a good grip since he's strapped himself to the pilot's seat but just then... A bullet catches him in the temple! He hangs on, they get away, but their lives will be forever changed. THIS IS ALL BEFORE THE OPENING CREDITS!





Billy and Scott, hanging out since 1969!
 

Billy needs that bullet like he needs a hole in the... Oh.

Recovery is a long and arduous process for the both of them, especially Billy. He's suffered serious brain damage and is left with the mind of a child. It becomes clear that Scott will be by his side, no matter what, helping him as much as he can to get healthy and learn to live life again. It feels like Scott figures every minute of the life he now gets to live is thanks to Billy and so there isn't anything he won't do for the man that gave him that second chance. Together, they make up the action movie equivalent of Bert and Ernie. Let's jump ahead to Los Angeles, 1989. Scott owns a bar frequented by vets and Billy helps out. Scott is equal parts friend, guardian, big brother, etc. It's also now that we're introduced to some shady shenanigans happening elsewhere in town. Illegal underground death matches fought in a cage and overseen by Yin (Shigeta), the local leader of the Tongs (Chinese Mafia). 

Ear today! Gone Tomorrow!

Back at the bar we learn through exposition that the guys are having money troubles and things are starting to get serious. Then, an 80's gang walks in and starts trouble, that is, they give trouble a shot before our heroes kick the living snot out of 'em. Scott still has the skills to kill and Billy doesn't take kindly to people messing with his best friend. While all of this is going on two guys, Tony and Mario, who stopped in to drown their sorrows after landing themselves a healthy debt with Yin see what's going on and start getting some ideas. The initial offer to fight is of course dismissed but guys like that, they don't take no so easily. They hire the punks that caught the earlier beat-down to burn up the bar forcing the financial stress angle. That happens, but somebody was inside when the place went up...



This guy's batty!
 

Their bar is the town's hot spot!

It turns out that Tony and Mario owe money to other dangerous people already and time is running out for them. So, they wait for a chance to get Billy alone and, with the story that Scott wants them to look after him, they manage to lure him away. They see Billy as their only way out of trouble and are hell-bent on tricking him into fighting in order to make that fast money. Finding his friend gone, Scott turns to the police who are, predictably, no help at all. He won't stand for that, not at all, and essentially goes on a rampage while tracking Billy down! He leaves a significant amount of fire and bullets in his wake while closing in on the secret location of the next match.




Apple turnover anybody?

Reb Brown! Equal opportunity destroyer!

All this covers the first half or so of the movie. There's a lot more going on as well; a strange woman with a camera, a mysterious cop who hangs around but makes no moves, secret identities, other fights, etc. Truth is, there's a lot to discuss! I've decided to let most of it go so as not to ruin the enjoyment for any potential fans. CAGE gives you a lot of movie for your money, and that's terrific. Not to mention the car chases, splattery squibs, brutal battles to the death, and more! Solid action for sure but what might surprise many is Ferrigno's turn as the child-like Billy. Everybody is great, there are no complaints, but Lou really stands out. I have a weakness for stuff like this. What can I say? I'm a sensitive guy! You feel for Billy, you care what happens to him. It's a fantastic performance and it's a memorable one. Reb is no joke either! Really, everybody flies high in CAGE. There's always something interesting happening so it's an absolute blast to watch from start to finish! I have to give an honorable mention to Al Ruscio as Costello. In his first five minute scene he packs in enough outrageous political incorrectness for three or four different movies. And he often left me laughing before he was done. CAGE is highly recommended!



And she's buying the stairway to heaven....



Billy! Don't be a hero!

Notes:

-This movie would seem to be a loose remake of Heart of Dragon, a Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung Hong Kong movie from 1985.

-Cameo: Look for 80's wrestling personality Queen Kong in the 'pool hall/hangout' scene.

-Cameo: Look for Danny Trejo in a uncredited part as a gangster named Danny.

-Cameo: Look for Matthias Hues as the Italian fighter.

-The actor who played Yin's champion fighter, Chang, was played by Tiger Chung Lee. He had a wrestling background as well. This was his last role until 2012.

-Director Lang Elliot was not known for action when he made this movie. He had plenty of experience working on Tim Conway and Don Knotts films though!

-There is a sequel, CAGE II, which reunites Lou and Reb and also adds Shannon Lee and Leo Fong!

-Pictures displayed are definitely a low-budget endeavor and are meant only to indicate content and are in NO WAY meant to reflect the quality of the presentation.

Happy Birthday!

Today is March 10th! That means it's the birthday of none other than CHUCK NORRIS! Happy Birthday Mr. Norris! Thanks for all you've given us.

 

 

 

 

ANGEL OF H.E.A.T.

 



Directed by Myrl A. Schreibman
Starring - Marilyn Chambers - Mary Woronov - Stephen Johnson - Milt Kogan - Gerald Okamura
1982 (year of production) - Unrated - 93 Minutes
Vestron Video VHS


 

ANGEL OF H.E.A.T. A film many oldsters will remember as one of the first After Hours type movies they stayed up late to watch back when cable only ran for eleven or twelve hours a day, twenty-four hours on weekends. Nostalgia goes a long way sometimes but how far can it carry something like this? 

You said it! Oh, wait, no you didn't.

A budget James Bond-esque credits sequence featuring an often naked Chambers leads us into this mild action/adventure/comedy where we learn that highly advanced micro-computer technology is being stolen. How, who, and why remain unknown. What is known is that the computer chips in question are being manufactured for the US government under private contract and are not meant to be sold. Ever. Needless to say, this causes distress in high places so agents are called in to investigate. It's Samantha Vitesse (Woronov) and Mark Wisdom (Johnson) that are assigned the job under the direction of Harry Covert (Kogan). The names, yeah, there's a lot of that. 



Smells like teen spirit.

So anyway, another organization has gotten involved now; The Protectors. They're a group of top operatives from multiple agencies around the globe that have banded together to form an international vigilante group outside of all government jurisdiction in order to protect and defend world peace and freedom without any of that red tape that would normally hold them up. The number one agent in that outfit is none other than Angel Harmony (Chambers). They want to destroy the tech and all plans for it figuring that no matter who builds it, has it, steals it, whatever, it's just too much power to have and can only lead to bad things. At the same time, Samantha and Mark have embedded themselves within the isolated island lab of the lead designer who also happens to be the son of the guy in charge of the contract. 

Ever vigilant, The Protectors arrive to... Oh look! A birdie!

 

Gearing up for The Protectors 2: Electric Boogaloo!

Finally, all paths begin to cross at a disco called The Faux Pax. That is, they cross after Angel tries to get information out of the manager of the place. He's known as Mr. Big but his name is actually Randy Small; a dwarf who rides Angel around his office like a horse during a supposed job interview. All that aside, it's around this time that everybody finds out what everybody else is up to and we start shuffling towards the climax.

Now that's a horse of a different color.



Turns out that what's going on is essentially a bid for world domination by a drug-addled mad scientist with gold chains and a velvet cape who has created an army of android sex machines that will do his every bidding. Many androids have already been placed all over the world and if he succeeds in his task then mankind will be under his control. Lots of what passed for high-tech gadgetry in the early eighties, lots of nudity, and lots and lots of not really much of anything, honestly.



What? The cape is making a comeback! I just know it!
 

This guy has a screw loose. For real!

This is a difficult one to get across to people who haven't seen it, especially when faced with the question... "Is it worth seeing?". As I said at the top, nostalgia can go a long way for things like this but it's not always enough. Sadly, this is one of those movies that's probably going to be best when living in the memories of those who saw it in the early to mid-eighties. For those who ask that tough question about it being worthwhile, truth is, not really. The obvious and numerous connections to the world of porn might elevate interest for the terminally curious (Chambers at one point exclaims "So THAT'S what's behind the green door.".) but there just isn't a lot of good to take away here. The action is light and infrequent, the attempts at campy humor fall flat across the board, and as a spoof it simply never zeros in on anything enough for that to work either. On the bright side, Chambers comes across as confident and capable and does give the impression that she could kick your ass if she really wanted to! At the same time, she never loses that sexy wide-eyed innocence that helped make her a star in the world of adult films in the first place. There's a LOT of nudity, even full frontal from Woronov, so if you think that's enough to carry you through then have at it because you are about the only people I can recommend this to. Naked happens at the start, and sex happens at the end. Trouble is, there just isn't much going on in between.

The big battle? Yeah, Kurosawa is shaking in his boots.

 

Chambers Fu!



Notes:

-This was AKA The Protectors Book 1. Some questions remain unanswered because there is NO Book 2.

-H.E.A.T. stands for Harmony's Elite Assault Team.

-Screenplay was written by a woman and it's the only thing she ever did. Unless... Pseudonym?

-The few make-up effects seen in the film are credited to William Munns but it isn't listed on IMDB or anywhere else, apparently.

-There is a DVD but it has been almost universally slammed for its lack of quality. Also, the DVD is the R-Rated version while this VHS from Vestron is unrated. I don't know for sure what's different, but one Amazon customer complained of the DVD being 'heavily edited'.

-Marilyn Chambers was once the Ivory Soap model featured on the box for that product.

-Marilyn Chambers only had two mainstream roles. This, and David Cronenberg's fantastic Rabid. The year after Angel was released she made her return to adult movies.

-Marilyn Chambers died in 2009 at the age of 56.

-Marilyn Chambers real name was Marilyn Ann Briggs.

-Pictures displayed are definitely a low-budget endeavor and are meant only to indicate content and are in NO WAY meant to reflect the quality of the presentation.

LAST TO SURRENDER






 

Directed by David Mitchell

Starring - Roddy Piper - Han Soo Ong

1997 (year of production) – R – 94 Minutes
Platinum Disc Corporation DVD

Extras: Text Synopsis – Trailer – Uncut Trailer – Cast Bios – Photo Gallery –
(Fascinating) Production Notes

 

 

It was much harder to decide what to review than I expected it to be! I want to choose the first several titles as carefully as possible to help create a clear picture of what I intend to do with all this. After much deliberation I have selected LAST TO SURRENDER!

This movie makes a decidedly strong first impression! Right out of the gate it's clear that being politically-correct is not a top priority, it's just over five minutes when the first gun fight takes place and when you hit the nine minute mark you've got car chase action raging across your screen!




Roddy breaks for... Nevermind. 



The set-up is tried and true; Nick Ford (Piper) is a cop on the job with his partner trying to bring down some bad guys when things go wrong and the partner gets killed. Ford chases after the bad guy alongside of a particularly skilled waiter who just won’t quit! The killer gets away, Ford and the waiter get into it a little bit, and then you get confirmation of what you surely already knew… That relentless waiter is an undercover Chinese cop named Wu Yin (Han Soo Ong).

 

Why can't we be friends?



From here the Red Heat influence begins to show itself in a big way. Ford is told by his superiors that he has no choice but to partner up with Wu Yin in order to capture the villainous murderer who got away because, as it’s explained, they are now the only two people to know what he looks like. The ‘he’ in question being the infamous drug kingpin known only as ‘The Tiger’. Wu Yin has been working this case for his own government for some time while Ford now has a personal stake with wanting to claim vengeance for his fallen friend and all. So, partners it is! From here the hunt is on and the action, though filtered with comedic banter between the two leads, is frequent and exciting.
 

Enter 'The Tiger'.

Can you feel the love?
 

The uneasy alliance is tested early and often but, somehow, our heroes still manage to stay on the right path. Sure, they might fight (a LOT) and go their own ways every now and then, but they always end up back together. Of course, the realization that they need each other slowly begins to creep in. Much to the chagrin of Ford! Things flip a little bit when the dynamic duo heads off to Burma together where Wu Yin is more familiar with how things are done and, obviously, blends in a little more convincingly. One thing leads to another and it appears that Ford and Wu Yin are only a plane ride away from finding what they are looking for. Too bad the plane has been sabotaged and crashes into the jungle! Pilot dead, guide dead, our well-travelled pillars of justice are not about to give up! After all, the movie IS called LAST TO SURRENDER!

 



For those about to rock.... FIRE!

And so it goes… Things might not take many surprising turns from this point on but, no matter, it’s still a blast to watch! Piper is more than comfortable with this type of character and knows how to get the most out of it. It’s a pleasure to watch his Nick Ford switch from that charmingly foul-mouthed and pure-hearted cop to a crusty and frustrated jungle dweller forced to eat snake to survive! And let’s not forget Han Soo Ong! He can be seen in such films as Bloodsport 2, Tiger Claws II, and others. That strong physical presence he has along with a pleasant personality that is constantly tested by his counterpart's aggressive smack-talking make him perfectly suited for the good guy straight man role here. There’s fluidity to the attractive cinematography, an excellent soundtrack by Norman Oresntein, a healthy amount of fully-packed squibs, lots of exploding huts, and would you believe they even manage to squeeze in a love interest? Yep, she’s played by Angela Tong. Piper fans should not hesitate to grab this one. A solid example of Le Cinema De Boom!

Hitchhiking in Burma is ROUGH!
 

That first step is a real doozy!



No more bubblegum....


Notes:

 

-Movie is set in Seattle and Burma but was filmed in Canada and Indonesia.

 

-This was Han Soo Ong's first good guy leading man role and it was also his last released film to date.

 

-Director David Mitchell has been working steadily in the industry since the early 80’s.



-Composer Norman Orenstein has worked on over 80 projects.

 

-During filming there was a real plane crash that left a couple of crew members injured and one dead.

 

-DVD shown and reviewed is original Canadian release from 1999. The American release is also from 1999 but features slightly different packaging/art and though out of print, can still be found for purchase at places like Amazon.

 

-Pictures displayed are definitely a low-budget endeavor and are meant only to indicate content and are in NO WAY meant to reflect the quality of the presentation.