I watched WILD RIDERS as part of BCI Eclipse' Drive-in Cult Classics (featuring Crown International Pictures releases) on DVD.
The similarities between Arell Blanton's character (Pete) and Peter Fonda's cannot be an accident – it has to be the hair, sideburns, glasses; and, the times. No doubt, Crown International shot WILD RIDERS to ride the coattails of EASY RIDER, released two years earlier.
However, this movie has more in common with Crown International's TRIP WITH THE TEACHER (also part of BCI Eclipse' Drive-in Cult Classics) than its better-known road trip movie.
Both Crown International films share the same crude production values, sadistic motorcycle goons, and shocking ending. However, a better telling of the rape / torment / revenge story (without the motorcycles) is the excellent LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT.
While EASY RIDER is about the trip, we find none of that in WILD RIDERS, which takes us from a desolate Florida execution of Pete's girlfriend to the Hollywood Hills during the title sequence.
Speaking of the opening sequence, Arell Blanton sings the opening folk song, "he's my family" (keep your day-job!) The song comes across as Pete's love-anthem for his best friend, Stick, unless you really listen to the words.
If you do, you find that the song really sets the tone for the entire movie; "if you knew him, would you think he could kill?"
Elizabeth Knowles did a credible job as the bored housewife / curvaceous, redhead Rona. She is a bit of a thrill-seeker, entertaining the neighborhood peeping tom, while her musician husband is away. No wonder she succumbs to Pete's offer to trade a dip in the pool for a ride on his motorcycle ahem among other things.
Stick, his seemingly retarded buddy, played by Alex Rocco, quickly goes after the sexually-repressed Laure (played by Sherry Bain), while Mona and Pete begin getting it on in the pool (while Laure watches).
According to Mona, the only kind of games Laure likes to play are spectator sports; but being this close to the action is just a little too real for her
I thought director Richard Kanter drew a stark contrast in the sequence of quick cuts between Pete and Mona's lovemaking and Stick's rape of Laure. The music during this sequence just builds the intensity of the violence.
It seems that post-coital, both the lover and the rapist are quick to descend into a pit of violence, degradation, and humiliation. However, all the trips back and forth by Pete really slowed the pace of the movie. The bar scene, the bike chase, and attempted escape were just to fill time
Other reviews have described Pete and Stick as some crank-addicted George and Lennie in a white-trash version of "Of Mice and Men". I think this is an apt comparison.
It is not a must-see movie; but I enjoyed it enough to recommend it to fans of low budget movies.
The similarities between Arell Blanton's character (Pete) and Peter Fonda's cannot be an accident – it has to be the hair, sideburns, glasses; and, the times. No doubt, Crown International shot WILD RIDERS to ride the coattails of EASY RIDER, released two years earlier.
However, this movie has more in common with Crown International's TRIP WITH THE TEACHER (also part of BCI Eclipse' Drive-in Cult Classics) than its better-known road trip movie.
Both Crown International films share the same crude production values, sadistic motorcycle goons, and shocking ending. However, a better telling of the rape / torment / revenge story (without the motorcycles) is the excellent LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT.
While EASY RIDER is about the trip, we find none of that in WILD RIDERS, which takes us from a desolate Florida execution of Pete's girlfriend to the Hollywood Hills during the title sequence.
Speaking of the opening sequence, Arell Blanton sings the opening folk song, "he's my family" (keep your day-job!) The song comes across as Pete's love-anthem for his best friend, Stick, unless you really listen to the words.
If you do, you find that the song really sets the tone for the entire movie; "if you knew him, would you think he could kill?"
Elizabeth Knowles did a credible job as the bored housewife / curvaceous, redhead Rona. She is a bit of a thrill-seeker, entertaining the neighborhood peeping tom, while her musician husband is away. No wonder she succumbs to Pete's offer to trade a dip in the pool for a ride on his motorcycle ahem among other things.
Stick, his seemingly retarded buddy, played by Alex Rocco, quickly goes after the sexually-repressed Laure (played by Sherry Bain), while Mona and Pete begin getting it on in the pool (while Laure watches).
According to Mona, the only kind of games Laure likes to play are spectator sports; but being this close to the action is just a little too real for her
I thought director Richard Kanter drew a stark contrast in the sequence of quick cuts between Pete and Mona's lovemaking and Stick's rape of Laure. The music during this sequence just builds the intensity of the violence.
It seems that post-coital, both the lover and the rapist are quick to descend into a pit of violence, degradation, and humiliation. However, all the trips back and forth by Pete really slowed the pace of the movie. The bar scene, the bike chase, and attempted escape were just to fill time
Other reviews have described Pete and Stick as some crank-addicted George and Lennie in a white-trash version of "Of Mice and Men". I think this is an apt comparison.
It is not a must-see movie; but I enjoyed it enough to recommend it to fans of low budget movies.