Devil's Angels (1967)
** (out of 4)
AIP biker flick is yet another take on THE WILD ONE. Biker Cody (John Cassavetes) wants to find his gang a "Hole in the Wall" just like Butch Cassidy's gang but soon they run into a Sheriff (Leo Gordon) who they're able to make a deal with but the locals have their own plans. When AIP had a hit with THE WILD ANGELS they quickly threw this film into production and while it's far from a classic there's no doubt that it's at least entertaining and fans of the genre should have a good time with it. It's funny to think that the entire film we're supposed to be rooting for the bikers but when you view this film today, and I'm sure it was the same in 1967, you can't help but look at them as the bad guys. They're rude, loud, obnoxious and I don't see how anyone could agree with the stuff they're doing through the first hour of the movie. So, how did the producers try to make us like them? By throwing in equally dumb and obnoxious locals including a Mayor who decides to best way to teach the bikers is to accuse them of rape, which of course just leads to a whole 'nother battle. As with THE WILD ANGELS, the material is handled a lot more serious than most biker movies from this era. What violence is here is usually in the background and there's not even any nudity, profanity or other things like that. As straight as the movie is, there are a few campy moments including a bit with the boys filling up their gas tanks and then not having the money to pay for it. The final courtroom sequence also doesn't do anything but it's a pretty funny form of justice. Cassavetes is obviously way too talented for material like this but his performance certainly raised the quality of the film. Beverly Adams and Mimsy Farmer are both fun in their roles and Gordon does a nice job with the Sheriff. Non-genre fans might not find this worth sitting through but fans of the genre will want to check it out at least once and especially with dialogue like "When God created woman he made her pretty stupid."
** (out of 4)
AIP biker flick is yet another take on THE WILD ONE. Biker Cody (John Cassavetes) wants to find his gang a "Hole in the Wall" just like Butch Cassidy's gang but soon they run into a Sheriff (Leo Gordon) who they're able to make a deal with but the locals have their own plans. When AIP had a hit with THE WILD ANGELS they quickly threw this film into production and while it's far from a classic there's no doubt that it's at least entertaining and fans of the genre should have a good time with it. It's funny to think that the entire film we're supposed to be rooting for the bikers but when you view this film today, and I'm sure it was the same in 1967, you can't help but look at them as the bad guys. They're rude, loud, obnoxious and I don't see how anyone could agree with the stuff they're doing through the first hour of the movie. So, how did the producers try to make us like them? By throwing in equally dumb and obnoxious locals including a Mayor who decides to best way to teach the bikers is to accuse them of rape, which of course just leads to a whole 'nother battle. As with THE WILD ANGELS, the material is handled a lot more serious than most biker movies from this era. What violence is here is usually in the background and there's not even any nudity, profanity or other things like that. As straight as the movie is, there are a few campy moments including a bit with the boys filling up their gas tanks and then not having the money to pay for it. The final courtroom sequence also doesn't do anything but it's a pretty funny form of justice. Cassavetes is obviously way too talented for material like this but his performance certainly raised the quality of the film. Beverly Adams and Mimsy Farmer are both fun in their roles and Gordon does a nice job with the Sheriff. Non-genre fans might not find this worth sitting through but fans of the genre will want to check it out at least once and especially with dialogue like "When God created woman he made her pretty stupid."