WTF?! - Savage Streets (1984)

WTF?! - Savage Streets (1984)

“They raped her sister... killed her best friend. Now she must seek revenge!”

Next up in WTF Cinema magnificence is the 1984 Linda Blair vigilante extraordinaire film, “Savage Streets.” Released on October 5, 1984, New York Magazine described the film as “All about the seedy violence of the Hollywood Boulevard underworld.” When the evil gang “The Scars” push their weight around, just a little too much (and that’s putting it nicely) the leader of “The Satins” Brenda (Linda Blair) saddles up with her hottest zip-up jump suit and crossbow, going practically Ape-Shit on every gang member who does her wrong. You see, Brenda’s deaf-mute baby sister Heather (Linnea Quigley) gets gang-raped by “The Scars” while Brenda is settling a score with another dame in the girls' shower at The High School. 

Let’s start by saying that “Savage Streets” won’t be everyone’s cup of punk-turned-champion tea. However, forty years later, this film still holds its own. There are some incredibly eye-opening 80s fashions and some great cinematography of Hollywood and Los Angeles before any gentrification took place. “Savage Streets” is CO-written and directed by Danny Steinmann, a former porn director.

Although largely panned when first released, “Savage Streets” has grown a huge cult following. This film wasn’t produced to make any kind of statement, just to make money and entertain. Although it has some rough scenes in it to watch, it’s an honest film. The film makers and actors believe in it. You can tell by how hard they’re trying. 

“Savage Streets” features an incredible array of 80s rock music, mostly performed by Australia’s acclaimed artist John Farnham. It’s rumored that the incredible soundtrack for the film wasn’t released due to a marketing “pullback.” Copies of the LP you may find today would be Demo Copies. In 2005 the independent label Turbo Productions did release and abbreviated version of the film’s soundtrack, but that has come and gone. Fans of “Animal House” will recognize actor John Vernon (Dean Wormer) as Principal Underwood. Cinema-files with a real keen eye will recognize “Showgirls’” Gina Gershon as a glorified extra in the film. 

WTF moments in “Savage Streets” include; gang leader Jake’s razor blade earring; The way the male members bond by kissing each other on the lips; Linda Blair roughing up not one, but two chicks: one in class, ripping off her top: and the other in an all-nude shower fight that makes “Orange Is The New Black” look like the pillow fight from the film “Annie.”; the preparation and execution of a skin tight jump suit, accompanied by a loaded crossbow, which Blair has no problem accessing to revenge the gang; and the untimely demise of pregnant character Francine in the hands of “The Scars” (complete with wedding gown and all).

What defies detailed description is a very violent, uncomfortable and prolonged rape scene with Heather and the gang. It’s the toughest part of the film to watch and I can only assume that Steinmann took it to that extent because: (a) he was going for shock value and (b) his experience in adult films allowed him a much more realistic simulation ... too real. Many years later actress Linnea Quigley (Heather) told author Louis Paul (“Tales from the Cult Film Trenches,”) “That was a film that I did with Linda Blair, who was great to work with. However, my scenes involved being raped. My character was not allowed to have any lines. It was a very hard film to make.”  In her book “Men, Women, and Chain Saws: Gender in the Modern Horror Film,” Carol J. Clover writes, “...if Farrah Fawcett of Extremities stands at the more credible end of the continuum, Linda Blair in Savage Streets stands at the other.”  

“Savage Streets” which first picked up an X rating, then was “downgraded” to an R, was one of a slew of “lone tough girl” films to be released about that time in the 80s. Scarred (1983) and the start of the “Angel” series (1984) to name a few. Although “Savage Streets” has been classified as a girl gang film, the Satins’ Debra (Blair) does a majority of the fighting. After all, a girl can only take so much crap. 

Independent CODE RED announced a limited Blu-ray release (only 1000 copies issued) for April of this year, for its fortieth anniversary. Sadly, that has not surfaced. I contacted CODE RED, and I am awaiting their reply. I recommend renting or buying the 2disc DVD box set, if anything else. You should see this film strictly as a study in that this film got made. A film like this couldn’t be and wouldn’t be produced by the studios, today. It just wouldn’t exist. It has some great one-liners and a plot-line that will have you rooting for Blair by the end. 

“Savage Streets” starring; Linda Blair, Linnea Quigley, Johnny Venocur, Sal Landi, Scott Mayer and Debra Blee. Directed by Danny Steinmann. (1984) 93 minutes. 

WTF?! - Pajama Party (1964)

WTF?! - Pajama Party (1964)

"When the Pajama Tops meet the Pajama Bottoms someone's gonna have a Fit!"

Having breakfast at dinner time can be such a fun treat. After our beloved Annette Funicello passed last week we decided to have some friends over our house and break out our 16mm print of the 1964 crazy fun teen flick Pajama Party, starring Annette Funicello, Tommy Kirk, Elsa Lanchester, Dorothy Lamour, Buster Keaton and the back of Frankie Avalon's head. (more on that in a bit)


As our friends gathered, wearing their PJs and robes, we all took part in some yummy waffles with fruit, mimosas, and other breakfast fare. We fired up the projector and seconds later we were plunged into bed with the crazy story that is Pajama Party.

Released in the winter of 1964, Pajama Party is the story of Go Go (Tommy Kirk) a half-witted Martian sent down to earth to initiate the takeover of the planet by the Martians. Here he meets Aunt Wendy (Elsa Lanchester), a well-to-do heiress and Connie (Annette Funicello) a good girl "on the make." A second storyline involves J. Sinister Hulk (Jesse White) and his crew plotting to steal Aunt Wendy's fortune; and even a third storyline with Eric Von Zipper (Harvey Lembeck) planning revenge on the beach kids for getting "footprints in his sand." Lembeck was in ALL 6 beach films, which were produced and released over the span of 3 and half short years.

Gals of Pajama Party

Cameos include Dorothy Lamour in a film-stopping dance number at the local dress shop. Her number "Where Did I Go Wrong?" had our guest shrieking with laughter; and Don Rickles entertains as Go Go's "managing officer."

Previewing in November of 1964, opening in 50 Los Angeles theaters and Drive-Ins on December 2nd, and aimed at the 15-25 year old movie goers;  Pajama Party is produced by American International Pictures and its fearless leader Samuel J. Arkoff. Arkoff mastered the art of taking a mediocre budgeted plot line, marketing it to the youngsters, tapping into their hormones and angst, and profiting on it. He was once quoted saying, "None of the beach movies ever lost money. They all made a profit."

The jury is still out on why Frankie Avalon wasn't featured in the film. We mostly see the very back of his head until the very end of the film when Avalon "reveals" it was him as the master commander the whole time. Some say that because the budget for Pajama Party was a mere $200,000 (Beach Party's budget would chime in at a whopping $600,000) AIP didn't have the amount of money to pay Avalon his desired fee, so they essentially cut his larger role into a cameo. More likely is that in the fall of '64 Frankie Avalon was busy shooting I’ll Take Sweden. AIP hired Kirk to appear with his frequent co-star Annette, from the Disney days. Disney was slowly "weaning" out Kirk because as he was growing older his general appearance and demeanor was reaching a "questionable" feminine side. (Tommy was outed by his boyfriend’s irate mother in the spring of '65 and fired off the set of The Monkey's Uncle by Disney.) AIP promoted Kirk's appearances more strongly than they promoted Avalon, and the chemistry on screen carried over into Pajama Party.

Boys on the Beach

Tommy Kirk is not without his set of bulging swimsuits and offering outfits mostly provided by Aunt Wendy. He does his fair share of chasing, including Swedish bombshell Helga (Bobbi Shaw) and Buster Keaton's American Indian character, Chief Rotten Eagle. Don Rickles even jokes "...knowing him, he'll probably catch the Indian!"

This delightful film is no Citizen Kane but it sure is entertaining. Look closely and you'll see a young Teri Garr (billed as Teri Hope) and Toni Basil (of "Mickey" fame) in the dance sequences. In her autobiography Speedbumps: Flooring It Through Hollywood, Garr writes fondly about her time spent with choreographer/friend David Winters on the film. She also talks about the day the director asked if anyone can stunt dive; "I can stunt dive." said Garr, knowing full well she couldn't and that stunt divers can make a little extra money. "What do you know how to do?" said the director. "I know how to do a Blony." (Garr made that up) "A Blony?" "Yes," said Garr. "Well how much would you want for it?" Garr replied, "500 dollars." Seeing that the director was distressed by her rate she replied, "OK, I'll do it for $250."

The cast also features the wonderful singer Donna Loren,

crooning the song "Among the Young," in a wonderful beach number feature slow sultry Susan Hart (who in every scene her dancing is so hot it seems to boil punch in the punchbowl, wilt flowers, and ignite volcanoes); also represented is Beach Maven Candy Johnson. Pajama Party was Johnson's final film in the series. At that point choreographer David Winters was using more of his friends like Garr and Basil in the numbers, and slowly pushing the veterans into the background. The supporting cast always "supported" the openings of these low budget masterpieces with public appearances in the most humble of settings. Donna Loren hosted a Thanksgiving parade in Silver Springs that year. Gossip columnist and woman-around-town Dorothy Kilgallen also makes an odd but fun cameo as a woman falling on and off one of the Rats' motorcycles during a crazy chase scene. Dorothy Kilgallen was always in the public eye with her column as well as game shows like What's My Line?.

When Buster Keaton was interviewed regarding his Indian character and what filming Pajama Party was like, he would simply reply "harrumph!" It was evident that most players in this game were doing it just for the paycheck. Pajama Party is arguably one of the best of AIP's beach movies solely for the fact that it exists simply to delight and entertain. Its ingenuous spirit works, even though the plot line is thin and the clunky dialogue is unpolished. Annette is not without her songs as well. "It's That Kind of Day," and "There Has to Be a Reason" are fun and lightly melodic. There's also some wonderful incidental music by tiki great Les Baxter. Wonderful WTF moments include;  Crazy opening credits, produced by Butler-Glouner in LA. (Butler-Glouner did tons of opening sequences for AIP.) Annette's "Stuffed Animal" song where she romantically sings about the joys of owning a creepy stuffed animal vs. dealing with boys; Annette's "Pajama Party" theme song, arriving near the end of the film. (one of our guests even exclaimed, "FINALLY! The Pajama Party!"; Racist Indian jokes from Buster Keaton; racist boobie jokes from the Norwegian (It was the 60s that's all I'm saying); and the all too crazy plot with too many antagonists.

 
Pajama Party is a celebration. It's not a deep sleep, but like waking up from a pleasant dream the next morning. Rent the DVD today on MGM home video. Better yet, buy it. You'll want to have it around and watch it whenever you're looking for a fun, guilty pleasure.

New CD Compilation

Original LP

(82 Min)