cult film freak: THE THRILL KILLERS

Written by James M. Tate / 6/17/2011 / No comments / exploitation , gary kent , ray dennis steckler , sixties

THE THRILL KILLERS

6/17/2011 | No comment

title: THE THRILL KILLERS
year: 1964
cast: Ray Dennis Steckler, Gary Kent, Liz Renay, Joe Bardo, Carolyn Brandt
rating: ****

The best thing about this glorious drive-in exploitation is a precise combination of two kinds of psychopaths, both acting completely on their own but for the same results. First: the lone killer and second: the band of killers. The solo nutjob's played by director Ray Dennis Steckler i.e. Cash Flagg as "Mag Dog Click," a snaky bald wanderer who travels around in a stolen car (after killing the driver who accepted his hitch... some thanks). Then there are the three escaped loonies from the mental ward, the biggest, toughest and most dangerous played by Gary Kent, using wide crazy eyes to full effect... and then some. A happy but ultimately unlucky couple are nightmarishly badgered by the trio; whilst another couple, sort of the main characters, deal with the same gang and eventually with Steckler, resulting in two separate climactic fights. From the frying pan into the fire back into the pan with flames all around it, this addictive celebration of enthralling violence never lets up.

Share This Post :

Tags : exploitation , gary kent , ray dennis steckler , sixties

James M. Tate

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.

FAVORITES SHORTLIST

1)OTLEY 2)HELL IS A CITY 3)ROBBERY 4)THE FEARMAKERS 5)CANYON PASSAGE 6)VIOLENT SATURDAY 7)HOT CARS 8)JUNGLE STREET 9)ANATOMY OF A MURDER 10)THE CROWDED SKY 11))THE MAN FROM LARAMIE 12)SHARKS' TREASURE 13)SWEENEY TWO 14)RAIDERS FROM BENEATH THE SEA 15)HARDCORE 16)THE SYSTEM 17)WHITE HEAT 18)AL CAPONE 19)HIDDEN FEAR 20)FALLEN ANGEL 21)NIGHT CREATURES 22)CURSE OF THE DEMON 23)ASH WEDNESDAY 24)THE BREAK 25)AIR PATROL 26)HANNIBAL BROOKS 27)EASY LIVING 28)WILLIAM CONRAD'S BRAINSTORM 29)FRENZY 30)THE ROARING TWENTIES 1)DANA ANDREWS 2)JAMES CAGNEY 3)STANLEY BAKER 4)MARLON BRANDO 5)JACK NICHOLSON 1)VIRGINIA MAYO 2)SUE LYON 3)GENE TIERNEY 4)MERRY ANDERS 5)FAYE DUNAWAY DIRECTORS 1)JACQUES TOURNEUR 2)RICHARD FLEISCHER 3)STANLEY KUBRICK 4)ORSON WELLES 5)OTTO PREMINGER 6)JOHN LANDIS 7)JOHN GUILLERMAN 8)VAL GUEST 9)JOHN CARPENTER 10)MICHAEL WINNER