In 1977, when I was still endeavoring to be an actor, Colleen Meeker, Ralph Meeker's spouse, spread the word that any actors who were hungry enough to work for "nothing", to get a "film credit" --she had the project for them. Keenan Wynn, who had been approached to be in the film, helped to get me an audition, and I was cast as the "reformatory guard".
Remember there were no direct-to-video films made at that time. Until a couple of years ago, I was not even aware that this film made it to VHS. Most of the actors, myself included, agreed to turn their paychecks back into the production kitty, in lieu of promises to be paid when the film finally opened. Well it never officially opened in any theater that I was cognizant of. There was a full page ad taken out in Variety, and I saved that. I had heard a rumor that the film was shown once on late night local LA television.
So it was an under the radar production. I never received a dime for doing it. It was not a SAG sanctioned picture, and therefore there never were residuals forthcoming. We thought of it as a slim-budgeted tax write off for Ralph Meeker's production company. It gave the opportunity for several over-the-hill burned out Hollywood stars to have one more Hurrah in front of an actual camera; specifically Lloyd Nolan, Ralph Meeker, and Ida Lupino (called Lupe by her friends). David Doyle was still pre-CHARLIE'S ANGELS at that point. My scenes were with him.
It was directed by Bethel "Buck" Buckalew, aka Peter Perry, and Arthur P. Stootsberry. He cast himself as a cop in one scene. He was one of those just under the surface Hollywood Indie movers and shakers that had been around, and busy, since the 60's; semi-functioning as an actor, producer, writer, second-unit director, and sometimes director. He made, or was a part of production companies that made dozens of terrible, crappy, yet wonderfully bizarre non-union almost-seen-by-no one films; like KNOCKERS UP (1963), and CYCLE VIXENS (1978).
As the other reviews and comments have suggested, the plot of the film, such as it is, had to do with some malcontent teenagers, bad boys from a reformatory, and one bad girl, who robbed an armored car. Ralph Meeker drove the armored car, as the security guard. His bad son planned the robbery to "hurt" his father. At the time, I was actually embarrassed to have my name associated with the pic, but after all these turgid decades, looking back in fond retrospect --I no longer want to disassociate myself from it. I love it. Recently I watched the film with 30 film club members, and we all laughed and enjoyed the movie. It was very camp, all those 70's hair-dos and clothes, car chases, and wretched vapid idiotic dialogue. It reminded me of viewing an Ed Wood film. Lloyd Nolan was the only actor to rise above the material, besides myself of course. The film is now, according to the internet, building a cult following. Go figure.
Remember there were no direct-to-video films made at that time. Until a couple of years ago, I was not even aware that this film made it to VHS. Most of the actors, myself included, agreed to turn their paychecks back into the production kitty, in lieu of promises to be paid when the film finally opened. Well it never officially opened in any theater that I was cognizant of. There was a full page ad taken out in Variety, and I saved that. I had heard a rumor that the film was shown once on late night local LA television.
So it was an under the radar production. I never received a dime for doing it. It was not a SAG sanctioned picture, and therefore there never were residuals forthcoming. We thought of it as a slim-budgeted tax write off for Ralph Meeker's production company. It gave the opportunity for several over-the-hill burned out Hollywood stars to have one more Hurrah in front of an actual camera; specifically Lloyd Nolan, Ralph Meeker, and Ida Lupino (called Lupe by her friends). David Doyle was still pre-CHARLIE'S ANGELS at that point. My scenes were with him.
It was directed by Bethel "Buck" Buckalew, aka Peter Perry, and Arthur P. Stootsberry. He cast himself as a cop in one scene. He was one of those just under the surface Hollywood Indie movers and shakers that had been around, and busy, since the 60's; semi-functioning as an actor, producer, writer, second-unit director, and sometimes director. He made, or was a part of production companies that made dozens of terrible, crappy, yet wonderfully bizarre non-union almost-seen-by-no one films; like KNOCKERS UP (1963), and CYCLE VIXENS (1978).
As the other reviews and comments have suggested, the plot of the film, such as it is, had to do with some malcontent teenagers, bad boys from a reformatory, and one bad girl, who robbed an armored car. Ralph Meeker drove the armored car, as the security guard. His bad son planned the robbery to "hurt" his father. At the time, I was actually embarrassed to have my name associated with the pic, but after all these turgid decades, looking back in fond retrospect --I no longer want to disassociate myself from it. I love it. Recently I watched the film with 30 film club members, and we all laughed and enjoyed the movie. It was very camp, all those 70's hair-dos and clothes, car chases, and wretched vapid idiotic dialogue. It reminded me of viewing an Ed Wood film. Lloyd Nolan was the only actor to rise above the material, besides myself of course. The film is now, according to the internet, building a cult following. Go figure.