Posts Tagged ‘Escape from New York’

This movie is a trashy end of time action flick that was mainly produced to cash in on the success of two prior post-apocalyptic cult movies, Walter Hill’s “The Warriors” (1979) and John Carpenter’s “Escape From New York”(1981). Of course, when Italians want to rip off something who would else they call than the legendary Enzo Castellari. I believe you have already got the picture.

Objasnjenje

As you can see, in the very distant future (unbelievably 8 years from the year the movie was made) The Bronx is entirely in hands of criminal gangs. The authorities have decided to give up the Bronx and declared this territory to be no man’s land, where people have to kill each other in order to stay alive. So it was no surprise to us when we saw young girl Ann (played by Stefania Girolami) running in fear on the beginning. while running through a tunnel she gets intercepted by homosexual evil roller ball gang. Just when it seemed that she is done for (they certainly didn’t want to rape her) a group of bikers creatively named “The Riders” show out of nowhere and help damsel in distress. A tall, wide breasted, homosexual guy named Trash (played by Mark Gregory)
learned from her that she is from Manhattan and that she is running away of some evil people lurking there, But more of that later.

No women in this pictureNo women in this picture

When they came back to their compound The Riders found one of their brother Chris laying dead on the docks. Trash then went to a major player in Bronx, called The Ogre (played by none other than Fred Williamson). The Ogre explained  to Trash that The Riders should not have trespassed to his area and that actually he did him a favor since Chris was wearing a tracking gizmo used by Manhattan Corporation. As the following scene had shown, apparently The Ogre was  right. Manhattan police were actually monitoring them. When they lost the signal from their late informer they decided to bring up heavy artillery. They sent their best agent Hammer (played by Vic Morrow, who was really badly dubbed in post-production) to clean up the Bronx. And boy, he started cleaning the moment he walked in. Dressed as a postman, he walked in some building and killed with the shotgun two bikers who were making out (no, one of them was a girl. It isn’t what you think it is). Then, Hammer had planted a ring of the rival gang Tigers  next to their bodies in order to provoke a gang war in Bronx. Of course, dumb bikers immediately fell on that trick and started raging for a war. Well, almost everybody except Trash. He was suspicious about whole situation. And he didn’t want to risk a war especially now when he already got hooked up with Ann.

This ring has to be thrown into flaming garbage canThis ring has to be thrown into flaming garbage can

Hammer is under a pressure to find Ann so he recruits a local neutral mercenary Hot Dog (played by Christopher Conelly) to help him with that task. Hammer explains to him that the girl is very important since she is going to be the next president of Manhattan Corporation. He also asked from Hot Dog to set up him a meeting with Ice (played by Larry Dolgin), better known to Hot Dog as Fagface. Ice is the member of The Rider, with ambition of become a head of the gang in future. You can now see where this situation leads to. Meanwhile, on the other part of Bronx. Trash and Ann are having open conversation. She explains to him that soon she will turn 18 (which means that Trash has slept with underage girl) and she is going to inherit Manhattan Corporation which
controls a majority of world’s weapon production, and she doesn’t want to take part in it. A real noble decision. On their way back Ann got captured by Zombies (a roller ball gang).

Not a lesbo sceneNot a lesbian scene

After learning of Corporation’s plan and losing the girl, Trash decides to go to The Ogre in order to reunite all gangs in Bronx. Of course, that would mean going deeply into no man’s territory through compounds of all the other gangs. After couple of rough beatings and persuasion The Ogre decides to accept an offer. Meanwhile Ice, who sold himself for a handful of silver, immediately runs over like a good puppy to Hammer to inform him about Trash’ plans and new whereabouts of Ann. Hammer sends him to Golan (played by Robert Spafford), the leader of the Zombies with an offer which includes giving the girl back to Hammer in exchange for wiping out The Ogre and The Riders. Trash and The Ogre are also heading to Golan. While on they way there Trash stumbled upon Hawk (played by Nick Alexander) who went to warn Trash about Ice’s betrayal, but was captured by Scavengers somewhere along the road. With his dying breath Hawk
still manages to inform Trash in one of the gayest scenes ever seen in B movies production.

Now we have a Mexican standoff of the gangs. First blood was drawn by The Ogre who killed Golan in duel. Ice tried to escape but was intercepted by Hot Dog, who suddenly repent for his betrayal. Ice wouldn’t have that so he kills Hot Dog using a spike on his boot. But Ice got to taste his own medicine a few moments later when Trash throws him on spike, Then they rescued a girl and went back to The Ogre’s place for a big celebration. Looks like happy ending. Or is it?

While The Ogre, Trash and Ann were celebrating, Hammer conducted a rescuing mission. Dressed as SS officer he sends in heavy cavalry (literally) while laughing like a maniac. Everything ended up in orgies of blood and fire. First to go was The Ogre. And what a way to go! First, he got several bullets inside him. Having no regards for serious wounds he is having, he went then to his throne to light a last cigarette. But it wasn’t the only thing that was lighted since the moment he sat one of the cavaliers burned him with a flame thrower. The King (of Bronx) is dead! But the rescuing mission wasn’t going as Hammer has planed. Instead of rescuing Ann his soldiers killed her which made Trash go berserk, kill Hammer using a harpoon (which is standard weapon of bikers
apparently) and ride out alone into freedom.

Justice for manikins!

Conclusion: First of many wrong things in this movie: the title. It is named The Bronx Warriors despite the fact that most of very obviously was filmed in Brooklyn and Roosevelt Island. Then, for a post apocalyptic flick we can see strangely many pedestrians and cars running in the background. the movie had such potential as a screenplay written by the amazing Dardano Sachetti, but in the hands of Castellari, this turkey doesn’t even come out cooked. It’s got awful acting, baaaaaaaaaaad dubbing, not to mention writing which is horrible at least half of the time (if any character has to speak for more one line it hurts). Also, I can’t believe Italians would just dub out Vic Morrow’s voice with some cheap imitation because this one of the last movies he made before he died (he died in 1982). I mean come on! The guy was practically stealing this movie (with a bit help of Fred Williamson). He deserved his own voice in it! This is waaaaay too grose even for an Italian rip-off and Castellari. End yeah, beside flicks I have mentioned in prologue, this movie also got obviously stolen main character from “Rambo” with a bit of “Clockwork Orange” influence. For shame!

During the 80’s there were two sub-genres breaking out featuring a number of movies influenced by key films, “The Road Warrior” and “Conan the Barbarian”. Those movies were the main reason for invasion of low-budget rip-offs until the end of that shrill, pointless decade. If you were paying attention to our past reviews (shame on you if you weren’t) we already had done a great part of bad barbarian movies. This month we decided to check other, post-apocalyptic side (mostly because we don’t have better things to do).

The_New_Barbarians_I_Nuovi_Barbari_1982https_www.facebook.com_exploitationmovie_ref_hl[(004065)02-07-54]Thanks God it’s over!

As it is always the case, nuclear holocaust has happened. This time it happened in 2019. Of course, no one ever bothers with explaining details such as who, what, why, where, how… So such is the case with this movie as well. Listen, important thing is that the nuclear holocaust is over and the world population has been almost completely wiped out. Good! Among the rare survivors is the group of marauders in white uniforms known as The Templars. They are driving tin cans which I guess were supposed to look like the exact replicas of buggies from “Mad Max 2”. No such luck, tho. Although, they are equipped with various devices that can stab, hack, and blast victims…. But no use. They still look like tin cans. The Templars are led by statuesque One (played by George Eastman) and lieutenant Shadow (played by Ennio Girolami). Their mission on Earth (or at least what have been left of it) is quite simple: This world is dead. So, accordingly, everybody in it must die too (except themselves, of course) so they could be the last remaining men. One is a prophet of hate whose mantra is to spread death and destruction to all he meets. Hm sounds like a reasonable man. No point in glamorizing the truth. Truth to be told, there is no point in this plot either.

How the hell the doll did survive nuclear holocaust?

Several thousand decomposing bodies away, on the other side of desert, there is a mercenary named Scorpion (played by Giancarlo Prete). Scorpion? Shadow? One? It is no coincidence… All the characters in this movie have profound-sounding name. It goes great with one-dimensional characters, after all. Scorpion and One have a pact not to attack each other. That pact breaks when the Templars start killing and pillaging innocent people around. Plus, Scorpion decides to protect traveling caravan with supplies led by Father Moses (played by Venantino Venantini), which is the main target of The Templars. Scorpion isn’t interested in supplies (which is damn obvious since he survived on his own for so long). His main interest is Alma (played by Anna Kanakis), one of the leaders of caravan. Of course, not even Scorpion would be able to match The Templars on his own. Another mercenary joins his cause; Nadir (played by Fred Williamson) who pulverizes every enemy with his trusty bow and arrows with bombs attached onto arrowheads (!?). I see that survivors didn’t lack creativity when it comes to dismembering another human being. Nor Scorpion, nor The Templars, nor Nadir have absolutely no reason for doing what they were doing. Furthermore, Fred Williamson has absolutely no fucking reason even to be in this movie!

Basically this is the entire plot. Seriously, not much of dialogue is offered here, which is good since dubbing is awful at best. Fights between mercenaries and The Templars are consisted of fighting in a mud, a lot of explosions (head-explosions, chest-explosions, ass-explosions), deadly tin cans races in “Mad Max meets Wacky Races” style, hilarious dialogue, bizarre costumes, wild haircuts, decapitated bodies and all of that followed by “pew pew” sound effects (even when extras fire contemporary assault rifles). Oh oh I almost forgot to mention the most shocking scene… Scorpion got captured by The Templars and as a punishment for his sins or as initiation ritual (can’t be sure due to dubbing which would make your ears bleed) he gets attached to some sort of bending machine and then he gets ass-fucked by The Templars!!! Only, you can’t tell for sure what is going on in that scene, because the editor starts cutting up every shot with strangely framed pointless shots while Simonetti’s wildly psychedelic sounds come on again. As for me, I ought to believe in what was suggested. As you already guessed Scorpion took a full revenge until at the end of movie, doing that in gay James Bond style by ass-fucking One’s car with his drill. Not much use of revenge for him tho. He got bamboozled and he will be remembered for that only.

Backdoor initiation

Conclusion: This is a crash-budget spaghetti-western disguised as a post-apocalyptic action film ala “Mad Max” or “Escape From New York”. Director Enzo G Castellari has done a rather remarkable job of keeping up traditional action-film pacing throughout the film, when keeping in mind non-existence of the budget. But that still wasn’t enough. The cinematographer was very persistent about utterly pointless framing. Most shots are often zoomed-in too closely on the action resulting often in the viewer feeling the urge to try and look left or right of the TV-screen to see more of the action. The vehicle’s designs are simply mind-blowing. Most of them are armed with very vicious devices, such as grenade-launchers, ultra-long drills coming out of the front-grid, car-doors that launch themselves and explode on impact, flame-throwers and a circular saw, expanding from the side of the car which decapitates innocent civilians running for their lives. And as for the music in this movie we have Claudio Simonetti’s completely warped musical score. He came up with his most spaced-out compositions (possibly while being under influence of some sort of spaghetti-LSD). Overall, this is a very fun flick which can come in handy when you want to annihilate your free time and give your brain a leave of absence with forgettable action picture.