Electra Glide in Blue (United Artists, 1973)
This might be my favorite Robert Blake project. It's one of those low key 70's dramas, with an excellent cast and some solid filmmaking on view. This was the only directorial effort for James William Guercio, but it's well worth checking out.
Crime Zone (Concorde, 1988)
Here's a Bonnie and Clyde re-do with sci-fi trappings courtesy producer Roger Corman. In the mid 90's I worked with a key grip named Mark who had worked on this movie down in Peru. Mark was having a hard time finding film equipment to rent, and called Corman to complain.
"I can't find a camera dolly anywhere in this country!" Mark kvetched.
"Mark, do they have grocery stores in Peru?" Roger Corman asked.
"Well, yeah, Roger, of course they do."
"Do those grocery stores have grocery carts?"
"Yes."
"Then you have your camera dolly."
I love Roger Corman.
The Corpse Grinders (Geneni Film Distributors, 1971)
Here's a typical production from the ever eclectic Ted V. Mikels - horror on a budget - less than $50,000 if the IMDB is to be believed - with a crazy plot about cat food manufacturers using purloined human corpses to stretch the meat in their kitty kibble - leading to the whole of Southern California being plagued by kitty cats with a taste for human flesh! Keep that low budget in mind, however, as there are no mass attack scenes or anything like that. Actually, Mikels' offscreen life is probably more interesting than any of his movies - pursuing his art from the late 60's right through to today - and at 82 years of age he lives in a castle in the Nevada desert outside Las Vegas with an ever rotating stable of live-in lady loves - up to ten of them at the peak of his charm! Take that, Hugh Hefner!
Until next post, you Can Poke Me With A Fork, Cause I Am Outta Here!
Corpse Grinders? WOW that's gross! Wonder if this title inspired the corpse grinding scene in Fargo.
ReplyDeleteNothing like a good chipper shredder to get rid of those pesky people you don't want to do deal with. ;)
ReplyDeleteRobert Blake and David Carradine have starred in some of the most astoundingly bizarre movies. It's no wonder I love them.
Congrats on the nominations, pal!
ReplyDeleteI love the Crime Zone poster. It has a certain, shall I say, Blade Runner-esque quality. Can't go wrong there.
I've had both Corpse Grinders and its sequel buried in my "To Watch" stack for going on two years now. Your post reminded me to dig them out and watch them. Thanks! :)
ReplyDeleteAnd the slogan for that Robert Blake picture makes me want to track it down and check it out, too!
Luana - who knows? It certainly could have been glimpsed on late night TV by a Coen brother...!
ReplyDeleteMB - Absolutely - there was a weird TV movie with Lisa Hartman called Red Wind that had to do with that kind of disposal - get the title? And you're exactly right - those two gentlemen said yes and accepted paychecks where other actors feared to tread!
Matty - Thank you sir - back atcha! Yeah, this is the case of a poster (reproduced on the video box) getting you to rent or buy, then when you find out the movie is even less of a cinematic event than you would have believed, it's too late!
Steve - you know what's funny? I have both of those DVDs tucked away as well - want to watch them both in January and do some crossover reviews? And I do recommend Electra Glide in Blue - good movie.