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Reviews
Riding with Death (1976)
Lame but Watchable
Any film with Andrew Prine in it is worth watching, even in a supporting role, and, yes, he's that good. But this oddly thought out VHS offering has a few more misses than hits. How, for instance, does the "hero" suddenly become fluent in trucker lingo seemingly overnight? Why does an explosive advertised to be powerful enough to destroy an entire town merely wreck a truck? Where did anyone come up with these ideas? I couldn't watch the second half; another hour of the singing trucker was too much to deal with. The VHS tape was really good quality and that was a redeeming virtue. Could have been worse.
Callie & Son (1981)
Who'se Your Mama
From the opening this film is narrated by Kimball Smyth, (Andrew Prine), an integral character who serves as a sort of Greek chorus, commenting on the events as they unfold. In the late 1950s Texas teenager Callie Martha Lord (Lindsay Wagner), an unwed mother, is forced to sell her baby to adoptive parents. She regrets this but, moving on with her life, Callie goes to Dallas and becomes a court stenographer. The film now follows the events of her rise from self-directed young woman to owner and editor of a Dallas newspaper. Dabney Coleman as her rich and devoted husband manages to locate and somehow repurchase her lost son, presenting him to his wife as a gift. Making up for lost time, Callie devotes herself so exclusively to Randy that she begins to dominate his life, transferring her ambitions for his future onto the young man who doesn't share them. Events from the 60s and 70s impact the story as it unfolds an increasingly sophisticated Callie and a rebellious Randy who marries a less than suitable Sue Lynn (Michelle Pfeiffer) in an act of passive aggression. Everything takes a downturn now. There is murder, incarceration, broken dreams and unrequited love. But somehow, Callie emerges relatively unscathed and manages to find a way to, in effect, start over. There is a furtive, mean-spirited energy that drives the story: entitlement, privilege, lies and secrets, issues of dominance and reprisal color the action, making it darker than it need have been. As a contrast and for its calm, detachment, Prine's narration is, arguably, the best part of the film.
The Centerfold Girls (1974)
The Thriller That's a Cut Above
This film boasts a large cast of beautiful women in various states of undress. For some that may be plenty of inducement to watch. For others it might help to add that it is also the odessey of a serial killer in their midst, slitting throats where he can and extemporizing on other occasions. His motive, he says, is to help these women who have posed nude, or at least topless, in a Playboy-like men's magazine as centerfold models. At a guess, he believes he is helping them abandon their evil ways, the visions of which must haunt his darkest dreams. Though his motive is never explained, his speech patterns, mannerisms, and expressions plainly bespeak a psychopath. Andrew Prine as Clement Dunne shows us quiet madness and menace in a perfect composite. Everything about him, including his wardrobe (black) and living quarters (white) whispers "absolutely unhinged." The film consists of three separate stories, each featuring a different centerfold girl, but all three are bound together by the presence of Dunne and his scalpel. The third and final story may be the most intense as it concludes with a confrontation in a horrible landscape of burnt hillsides and charred trees, a nightmare background against which the violence unfolds. Dunne's third victim, Vera, (Tiffany Bolling) fights back and nobody skates. A truly fine thriller
The Town That Dreaded Sundown (1976)
In Texarkana No One Can Hear You Scream
In 1946 a masked killer terrorized a small southern city just recovering from the disruption of WWII and trying to re-establish normalcy within its easy-going borders. Instead of settling back into their familiar routines however, the townsfolk armed themselves and demanded police protection from the menace of a brutal murderer who strikes without warning or apparent motive. Young couples are attacked as they park in local lovers' lanes; the mindless screams of female victims pierce the early Spring darkness. Law enforcement is stymied. Into this tense atmosphere comes Texas Ranger J.D. Morales (the great Ben Johnson). The local Sheriff offers him the help of his best deputy, Norman Ramsey (the equally great Andrew Prine), but even these two dedicated law officers are no closer to solving the case when the killer switches his M.O. and attacks a married couple in their home, killing the husband and seriously wounding his wife (Dawn Wells). Since this is the cinematic version of a true story in which the perpetrator's identity was never discovered, some sort of closure had to be devised.As the story goes, Prine laid out the final sequences and he and Johnson, after a night of partying and hampered by hangovers, powered through the running, jumping, ducking, shooting and train chasing. It made for some great action but didn't net them a killer - the hooded man, wounded, disappeared into a swamp and never returned. One thing that distinguishes this film from other documentaries is its sense of humor. Those moments when the authorities blunder are naturally part of a manhunt and they add a human dimension to what would otherwise be mechanically grim. Cops laugh, especially among themselves. Director Charles B. Pierce understood this. As patrolman A.C. Benson, "Sparkplug", he manifests farcical ineptitude. There are car chases, one ending in a lake. The players - both professionals and the local talent - act naturally and sometimes natural is funny. Also the viewer may get a sneaking suspicion that cast and crew might actually be enjoying themselves. Catch the brief glimpse of a cameraman atop the rickety train, or Prine gamely slogging through a swamp allegedly filled with water moccasins. Johnson gets continually more exasperated with "Sparkplug" and, in moments of bonhomie, the audience identifies with these "real" people. There's even an edge of dark humor in the terrible trombone murder. The great thing about B movies is not their B-ness per se; it's the necessity of coming up with creative improvisation, or inspired insanity as the case may be, to make up for the lack of a generous budget. Actors, even of local little theater variety, tend to be creative and inspired. When given the opportunity they can shine brilliantly. The Town that Dreaded Sundown radiates this kind of brilliance.
Nightmare Circus (1973)
Animal Crackers
Andrew Prine has commented that this is the one film he regrets having made. It is a straightforward exploitation piece and unsavory on several levels, yet being a pro, he manned up and earned his money, giving the character of Andre - seriously conflicted and Oedipal - a strange charisma. The son of a small time circus owner, he lives in a world of faded memorabilia and nostalgic photographs. His goal, however, is to collect, tame and train animals to perform under his schizophrenic big top, thus bringing back the magic of three-ring entertainment, with himself as ringmaster. The problem? His "animals" are women he has kidnapped and holds prisoner in a large, drafty barn on his crumbling farm. Hitch hikers, loners, stranded motorists, he has a dozen or so in his menagerie, always chained, and occasionally whipped if they perform poorly or exhibit rebelliousness. It should be noted that, although one of this film's titles is Barn of the Naked Dead, there is only a single scene with partial nudity and no sexual activity at all. One brief shot might portray an instant of lust, but it is probably an outtake. Andre seems to genuinely believe he is training animals and bestialities isn't one of his issues. A radiation-disfigured character lurks around the perimeter of the action and finally sets in motion the grand guignol plot turn which leads to an unexpected conclusion. If the film is in poor taste (and it is) what keeps it watchable is excellent photography by "E. Lynn", atmospheric backgrounds and Prine's uncanny gift for improvisation, giving even Andre a sympathetic edge. A cult classic.
Eliminators (1986)
Light Hearted and Campy
Who could resist this action-packed mashup of mandroid, martial arts, a hot-shot hero, dedicated lady inventor and over-the-top villains? It's a thrill ride through the jungles and rivers of Mexico in search of an evil scientist who intends to regress in time and rule ancient Rome. Andrew Prine stars as Harry Fontana, a sketchy charter boat captain with a - deeply buried beneath the avarice - heart of gold. It's great to see Prine in such a likable incarnation and he handles the heroics well. He is hired by Nora Hunter (Denise Crosby) to transport her and the mandroid (Patrick Reynolds) up river where the plan is to avenge themselves on Dr. Abbott Reeves (Roy Dotrice) who has callously misused his mandroid creation and stolen her bionic designs. At various moments they are menaced by Bayou Betty (Peggy Mannix), Dr. Reeves' henchmen, Ray and Luis, prehistoric hunters and a seemingly endless string of evildoers. The son of Takada, Dr. Reeves' murdered associate, is Kuji, a skilled warrior, who joins the vengeance seekers. They confront Reeves in a showy battle of futuristic weaponry and the showdown ends with a cliched but amusing surprise. Along the way there are plenty of explosions, crashes, clashes, a wealth of 80s special effects and several sly nods to contemporary films and cultural icons. Simply said, it's a really fun film. Watch it. Quo Vadis!
They're Playing with Fire (1984)
Hot Mess
With Sybil Danning as Diane, the sexy wife, Andrew Prine as Michael, the scheming husband and some unknown hot guy as Jay the naive seductee, this plot-heavy thriller would have worked well. Unfortunately, in the role of the seductee is Eric Brown, innocuous, of little stature and less sexual appeal. Because the relationship between Diane and Jay is so implausible, the viewer becomes distracted, trying to figure out how so beautiful and desirable a woman could develop a co-dependent crush on this trifling youth. But onward. Michael has conceived a plan to frighten his mother and grandmother out of the family mansion and into assisted living so he and Diane can gain control of not only the house but the family fortune as well. Jay, suborned by Diane's charms, agrees to do the frightening but, through clumsiness, fails. To massage his bruised ego, he becomes rude and insolent not only to Michael but Diane also, whom he accuses of "using" him. Jay pouts. Murders occur. The already-thick plot thickens. From this point on, Diane appears at pains to regain Jay's goodwill and the story turns and twists its labyrinthine way to an unbelievable conclusion. Despite the film's shortcomings, anyone who can suspend disbelief for awhile will likely find this an entertaining time waster. Prine and Danning are excellent and Paul Clemens, in a pivotal supporting role, adds to the suspense. The sumptuous locales are beautifully photographed; sets have luxurious appointments and there are nice cars and great clothes. If nothing else it's a treat for the eyes.