** ACH, CAPTAIN, DA SPOILERS!! **
In spite of what another comment advised, I do prefer Adamson's cheesy horror pics to his action films. There's more fun stuff to look at.
However, as a biker film fan, I had to check out this joint. Not much really happens in this film, plotwise. It's pretty much bikers come to town, bikers menace and kill nice people, and everyone battles to the death until the only ones left standing are our hero and heroine, walking into the sunset.
This was all filmed in the desert around Palm Springs (Adamson's home until his untimely passing), and frankly, the scenery is very boring and hard to look at. A good bulk of the early film takes place in a lonely roadside cafe. That setting at least gives the bad guys a semi-interesting location and some chance to pick up objects and hit people with them.
The last half of the movie involves our hero (ex-Marine from Vietnam)and heroine (plucky local waitress who wants a husband) running around these barren rocky desert canyons that all look the same, ducking into caves trying to avoid "Anchor" the head psycho biker (Russ Tamblyn) and his murderous cohorts. (Isn't this the same place where EEGAH lived?) About the only interesting twist is Regina Carrol's "Thelma and Louise" impression.
I guess you could look at this as some sort of allegory for the nation and its torments during the heinous late 1960's, bla, bla, bla, but I don't think so. It's just an excuse for good old action and violence. But how is the action and violence? Good enough. If you're just looking for a sick twisted wild ride into sociopathic torment, this film will satisfy. But it's no lost classic or anything. It's not even the best biker film.
In spite of what another comment advised, I do prefer Adamson's cheesy horror pics to his action films. There's more fun stuff to look at.
However, as a biker film fan, I had to check out this joint. Not much really happens in this film, plotwise. It's pretty much bikers come to town, bikers menace and kill nice people, and everyone battles to the death until the only ones left standing are our hero and heroine, walking into the sunset.
This was all filmed in the desert around Palm Springs (Adamson's home until his untimely passing), and frankly, the scenery is very boring and hard to look at. A good bulk of the early film takes place in a lonely roadside cafe. That setting at least gives the bad guys a semi-interesting location and some chance to pick up objects and hit people with them.
The last half of the movie involves our hero (ex-Marine from Vietnam)and heroine (plucky local waitress who wants a husband) running around these barren rocky desert canyons that all look the same, ducking into caves trying to avoid "Anchor" the head psycho biker (Russ Tamblyn) and his murderous cohorts. (Isn't this the same place where EEGAH lived?) About the only interesting twist is Regina Carrol's "Thelma and Louise" impression.
I guess you could look at this as some sort of allegory for the nation and its torments during the heinous late 1960's, bla, bla, bla, but I don't think so. It's just an excuse for good old action and violence. But how is the action and violence? Good enough. If you're just looking for a sick twisted wild ride into sociopathic torment, this film will satisfy. But it's no lost classic or anything. It's not even the best biker film.