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Volume One

I'd like to share my thoughts on what I refer to as my 'foundation' movies, the movies that I've watched repeatedly since I was a teenager. I caught them every chance I could when they played on HBO.

The 5 movies are, in no specific order:

1. The Warriors

2. The Brood

3. Vice Squad

4. The Exterminator

5. <SCRIPT></SCRIPT>Defiance

The last 3 are the movies I'm going to talk about. Don't worry; I'll make it quick and as painless as possible.

Vice Squad

Contrary to popular belief, Hollywood is a sleazy place. That's the setting for Gary Sherman's (Dead & Buried, Raw Meat), tale of hustlers, junkies, freaks, drag queens and maybe the worst kind of degenerate of all....the dreaded toe-sucker! This scumbag even smiles at the suggestion of being spanked. Of course, I'm only joking- if you're into going down on the feets and/or need to be spanked- that's o.k. by me.

Really, though, Vice Squad is the passionate story of Ramrod, one badass pimp (whose sense of fashion seems to be inspired by Travolta's Urban Cowboy), and his women. You see, Ramrod likes to get a little rough when the girls don't give him his money. The prime example of this is when we see him beat a pre-MTV VJ Nina Blackwood about the "moneymaker" with a bent up coat hanger, affectionately referred to as a pimp stick by the fuzz.

Now, along comes Princess: loving mother by day, outlaw (no pimp) hooker by night. She only wants a better life for her daughter and herself. She's a friend of Ginger (Blackwood) and ultimately decides to help the cops take Ramrod off the streets.

Ramrod, though, doesn't like the idea of being in jail and escapes on his way there. Let the hunt begin! He spends the rest of the movie pursuing Princess, while L.A.'s finest pursue him. Who gets who? Check it out.

The Exterminator

The Exterminator is a vigilante-type flick and our hero makes quick work of the thugs & slime balls that clutter NYC.

Two Vietnam vet buddy’s thwart a robbery at their job site. The gang who's trying to rob the joint gets revenge & our man takes justice into his own hands. Short & sweet.<SCRIPT></SCRIPT>

Don't expect gore, because beyond a near bloodless decapitation in the beginning, there's really none to be found. There is one scene however, that has stuck with me for the last 25 years.

If you like vigilantes or even dreamed of being one- The Exterminator is a good release.

Defiance

Soprano's Alert!! Be on the lookout for a young Tony Sirico, a.k.a. Paulie Walnuts (credited here as G. Anthony Sirico).

Jan Michael Vincent is a suspended Merchant Marine who moves into an east side Manhattan apartment. The neighborhood seems to be made up of once proud, law abiding citizens. Enter the Souls, a gang of bad mutha's that terrorize the 'hood. JMV gets into a scuffle with the gang, but it isn't until the thugs rough up a little kid and stomp down his rooftop garden that our hero gets really angry.<SCRIPT></SCRIPT>

The leader of the Souls is pretty convincing as a badass & the gang seems to be menacing overall. There's this one joker, though who looks like he could be a lost brother to the Brothers Gibb or Bee-Gees, if you will.

The fights come off awkward & the acting isn't particularly memorable, but damn if Art Carney doesn't play it straight. The cast is impressive, too: besides the above mentioned, we get Theresa Saldana & Danny Aiello.

While it's not available on DVD (yet), it's worth a search. My favorite of the 3.

-Rod Schroeder