Gold of the Amazon Women (1979 TV Movie)
5/10
Searching high and low for nothing but slim pickings.
6 March 2007
After a couple unusually random events occurring in New York city. This leads two explorers to head out on an adventure for the Golden Cities of El Dorado in the South American jungle. On their journey a villainous rival and his two henchwomen want to get to the gold first, so they try at every opportunity to get rid of their opponents. But what actually stops them in their tracks is their encounter with the women warriors of the Amazon.

Should I expect much? Of course. Expect to be blown away… maybe if you're drunk! Eh, It doesn't come any bad and tatty than this low-end, late night TV feature. But hell, it made for one entertaining viewing, because of how silly, convoluted and peculiar the project turned out to be. One scene involving a rubber snake takes the cake. It's that obvious that I thought it would lead to a gag, but Bo Svenson's character goes ahead like it's one of the world's most deadly snakes (Um, I think the script actually quotes that!) and takes care of the problem with such ease. That goofy moment had me in stitches. Everything about this is plain ridiculous and phony, but it's all unintentional kitsch. This is no comedy, but the seriously light-hearted material delivers a fine quota of mindless mayhem and a few snappy one-liners. Don't go out of your way to make any sense of it because the aimlessly erratic premise and hokey script doesn't deserve the effort. Take it for what it is and make fun of it. The performances are certainly neurotic. A very cynical and husky Bo Svenson is simply slumming about as Tom, but Donald Pleasance's enthusiastically hammy performance really does get into his greedy villain Clarence with such gleefulness. The way he appears from nowhere and without little reasoning is quite baffling, though those spontaneous actions indeed packed the film's energy. Anita Ekberg is stone-like in attitude as Queen Na-Eela of the Amazons and Richard Romanus plays it twitchy as Svenson's explorer buddy Luis. Bob Minor appears in something fairly minor and there are many frisky bikini leather clad women… but remember this is made for a TV feature. This means its quite tame on all aspects; skin and violence. Mark L. Lester's direction (who at first I didn't even know he held the helm) is rather off-colour and staged with little purpose. He would go on to much better efforts through the glorious 80's. He keeps it moving, but it can labour when it stops to admire the scenery. The score is the tacky product of the TV industry… more dourly repetitive elevator music with its volume turned up and the handling of camera-work is rather stale.

"Gold of the Amazon Women" is a hunk of inept fluff, but the junky presentation provides some enjoyable schlock along the way.
8 out of 9 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

Recently Viewed