Review #466: 'Truck Turner' (1974)

Blaxploitation films are so frequently ridiculed and parodied (much of it with reason) these days, that it's easy to forget that some of them were actually pretty good. Shaft (1971) paved the way for the sub-genre with its strutting bad-ass lead who's a sex-machine to all the chicks, and Isaac Hayes' Oscar-winning score (for what he will forever be best remembered for). Hayes himself steps into the lead role here as ex-American football star and bail bondsman Mac 'Truck' Turner, who according to Yaphet Kotto's bad-guy pimp Blue, is "like a bulldog with eyes up his ass!", and displays some surprisingly charismatic qualities that makes it quite a shame he didn't appear in more.

Greasy lawyer Fogarty (the great Dick Miller) employs bounty-hunters 'Truck' Turner and his partner Jerry (Alan Weeks - with the best grin in cinema) to track down a low-down pusher and pimp named Gator (Paul Harris). After an extended chase scene, Turner and Jerry manage to kill Gator, much to the dismay of Gator's lady Dorinda (Nichelle Nichols - Uhura!). Dorinda rounds up the big pimps and offers her valuable collection of whores in exchange for Turner's head, a deal in which Blue accepts. Wanting to settle down with his girlfriend Annie (Annazette Chase), Turner finds his life turned upside when Blue employs a gang of hired killers.

Beginning almost as a buddy-comedy, the witty script and some genuine chemistry serve up some amusing early scenes, showing off Hayes' natural screen presence. But this turns into pure police procedural blaxploitation as the main plot kicks in, with jive-talk, pimps in some of the most delightfully ludicrous dress I've ever seen, car-chases, slow-motion shoot-outs, cocaine, hookers, and of course a tragically neglected soundtrack from Hayes himself. The action scenes are surprisingly good, and Corman protege Jonathan Kaplan (director of fellow Grindhouse Project feature Night Call Nurses (1972) - review #443) makes sure he includes as much slow-motion men falling off rooftops and gushing fake blood as possible. Bloody good fun, and probably better than Shaft.


Directed by: Jonathan Kaplan
Starring: Isaac Hayes, Yaphet Kotto, Alan Weeks, Annazette Chase, Nichelle Nichols, Dick Miller
Country: USA

Rating: ***

Tom Gillespie

Review #443: 'Night Call Nurses' (1972)

If there was ever any proof that Roger Corman's New World Pictures would produce anything to make a buck, Night Call Nurses is it. Although, how this made money is beyond my comprehension (it is common knowledge that Corman never lost money with any films he produced). But then again, I assume this would have been predominantly show at drive-ins, and how many spectators would actually be watching the film? Anyway, the film begins with a topless girl jumping from the roof of a hospital, and then is never mentioned again, as we are introduced to our trio of "sexy" psychiatric nurses, Barbara (Patty Byrne), Janis (Alana Stewart), and Sandra (Mittie Lawrence).

The film is simply a series of non-sequential, rambling, unconnected stories (and story is too strong a word for the concept). We see a cowboy-style trucker, Kit (Dennis Dugan), who comes in cause he is tripping, starring at his hands (this scene is repeated later, as he enters a lighting fantasy in a truck cab, as he stars at his mirrored hands). Bathrode Benny (Martin Ashe) exposes himself at regular intervals, and the nurses break several doctor/patient restrictions by have relationships with patients (Janis with the tripping trucker, and Sandra with a black revolutionary that wasn't pleasant when they first met).

Barbara however, bizarrely gets therapy, but is then forced into psychosis, which manifests itself in a group meeting, where a bunch of cliched hippie-types sitting round a living room, as the male doctor encourages the women in the group to take their clothes off, in a bid to shake off any lack of confidence - it's this side of the sexual revolution that is rarely talked about, the lecherous side of men. There are also a series of car chases, explosions and smuggling out a revolutionary, but it's all just very silly and pointless. Kit does however, have one great (but very silly) piece of dialogue. Being seen out of the hospital by Janis, he reads her name badge: "Janis. Is that your name, or the name of your left titty?" Yeah, it's juvenile, but within the context of this pointless drama, it is a joy amongst the nonsense.


Directed by: Jonathan Kaplan
Starring: Patty Byrne, Alana Stewart, Mittie Lawrence
Country: USA

Rating: *

Marc Ivamy