This was one of John G. Avildsen's first films (he is the man who directed Rocky and The Karate Kid). This was also one of Peter Boyle's first films (yes the Peter Boyle who was Young Frankenstein and on Everyone Loves Raymond). Life magazine even had a write up on this film, released the year after Easy Rider Joe sort of takes a look at American society from the other end of the spectrum, that of a conservative blue collar bigot. In real life Peter Boyle is a very kind gentle man (he said he had a hard time changing his voice into Joe's aggressive snarl). For example, Joe talks of how good it felt to kill Japs in WWII. In real life, Peter Boyle's military service was shortened by a nervous breakdown. Nevertheless, Boyle is chilling in his monologues where he talks of niggers and queer liberals. All In The Family came on a year after Joe was made and Joe is really a nightmarish version of Archie Bunker. All In The Family made us laugh at our fears and prejudices, Joe hits us with them like a punch in the face and makes us sick. This was one of Susan Sarandon's first films and she is good as the wealthy businessmen's daughter whose father is forced to kill her at the end. The bloodbath in the end of this film is horrific and expertly done. It reminds you of the violence in The Wild Bunch. This is the film that made Peter Boyle a star and "hardhat" a household world. This movie is never shown on tv and is very hard to find on video but it is well worth your time to see it. Maybe that reason that Joe was so popular is that there is a little bit of him in all of us. He represents our fears and hates and inner demons. Maybe were looking at ourselves and that makes it even more chilling.
