BRAIN OF BLOOD 1971

     In 1971 after the successful run of Hampshire produced/Filipino shot Blood Island movies, Sam Sherman & Al Adamson's American Independent Productions (who had distributed Hampshire's product in the U.S.) discovered the Filipino production company's schedule booked solid and decided to produce an American version of the studios patented low budget horror.
    With the title alone (and maybe the presence of Kent Taylor from BRIDES OF BLOOD) attempting to tie it into the earlier Blood Island series, Sherman and Adamson created a Southern Calif. produced horror product that that in a strangely opposite kind of way tried to hide its American origins and be passed off as a foreign production.
     Zooming in on a still photo of Middle Eastern-type palace we're introduced to King Abdul Amir (character actor Reed Hadley in his last role) of the fictional Middle Eastern nation of Kahlid. Dying of cancer, he's attended by Dr. Robert Nogserian (Grant Williams THE MONOLITH MONSTERS) who revels to Amir's aide Mohammed (Zandor Vorkov DRACULA VS. FRANKENSTEIN) and his "# 1 secret agent"(!!) Tracy (the wonderful Regina "Freak-Out Girl" Carrol from ANGEL'S WILD WOMEN and SATAN'S SADISTS sporting a massive blonde hair-do & white go-go boots) that he has a plan to save the beloved ruler. Explaining that he has a "mostly discredited"(!!) doctor colleague in the U.S. who can perform a brain transplant that would allow Amir's brain to live on in a new body, Nogserian proposes flying Amir immediately upon his death to the U.S. for the operation by his doctor buddy Lloyd Trenton (Kent Taylor from BRIDES OF BLOOD and BLOOD OF GHASTLY HORROR) as he explains there's a 15 hour (!!) window in which to remove the brain and successfully transplant it.

  

     In the blink of an eye, Nogersian and Mohammed are driving through the canyons of So. California in a station wagon on their way to Trenton's lab with Amir laying in back wrapped in tin foil. Upon arriving at the lab Trenton informs them that he has no ready donor body but insists that this presents no problem as he can remove the brain and keep it alive with his nifty brain life support machine. Operating with his assistant Dorro (small person Angelo Rossitto from MESA OF LOST WOMEN & MAD MAX: BEYOND THUNDERDOME - and who must push a chair up next to the operating table to assist) he removes the brain and sends his other henchman Gor (7' 4" John Bloom THE DARK and THE INCREDIBLE TWO-HEADED TRANSPLANT) out to procure a body. Gor has a horribly scarred face which we're shown in flashback as the result of a run-in with beer-swilling bullies & battery acid.
    Heading off to a hotel (seems Doc Trenton doesn't have guest quarters) Nogersian and Mohammed are forced off the road by an unknown shaggy-haired assassin driving a big 'ol Cadillac in a chase that seems to take up a 1/4 of the movies running time. Nogersian alone survives and thinking there's something fishy going on contacts secret agent Tracy to come over and help (and gets a buxom blond in line for some monster terror).

     Unfortunately, Gor finds a suitable body donor by catching a burglar in act and pitching him off a roof. Scolding Gog after finding the body unusable Trenton comes up with the idea of transplanting Amir's brain into the hulking body of the acid-scared Gor (Hey, what can go wrong here??). Trenton also keeps a couple of women chained up his dungeon as he periodically needs blood for his experiments along with Dorro being able to terrorize them ever so often (in addition the scene provides for a memorable publicity still).
     Unlike most of Adamson's other films BRAIN OF BLOOD was filmed as a complete movie and is minus his usual trademark of mis-matched footage cobbled together from other acquired and/or aborted projects. This all leads to a kind of cohesive storyline that while more like an actual film is missing the daffy of wackiness of HORROR OF THE BLOOD MONSTERS (which is a true mind bogglingly experience to sit through).
      Complete with a bloody brain operating sequence and that along with the presence of Tito Arevalo's score for MAD DOCTOR OF BLOOD ISLAND used throughout, BRAIN OF BLOOD does get some atmosphere of the Blood Island mayhem it was trying to emulate with Regina Carrol more than ably filling in for Angelique Pettyjohn or Beverly Powers. The fetid humid jungle atmosphere is missing however along with blood soaked bare female flesh (and John Ashley).
     Grant Williams (who started out singing in the New York City Opera) was a Universal contract player in 1950's and along with MONOLITH MONSTERS is most famous for the title role in THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN in 1957. Later he opened an acting class in Hollywood with BRAIN OF BLOOD being his last screen credit.
     After being reported missing in 1995 Adamson was found brutally murdered and buried under his hot tub with his contractor later being arrested & convicted for the crime. Along with his horror output he directed some hugely entertaining and brutal biker films including SATAN'S SADISTS (1969), ANGELS' WILD WOMEN (1972) and HELL'S BLOODY DEVILS (1970) along with the Russ Meyer inspired I SPIT ON YOUR CORPSE.

Happy Birthday Margaret Markov !! BLACK MAMA WHITE MAMA 1973

Shackled together Margaret and Pam kick and claw their way

thru the Filipino jungles in this sweaty 70's drive-in classic !

"Chicks in chains...on the lam from a prison hell - 

manacled together by hate and the strange ideas 

a woman gets after 1000 nights without a man !!"

"Nothing behind but prison bars....Nothing ahead but trouble !"

    Featuring two of the most beautiful women ever to flicker across a drive-in screen and one of the true highlights of the Filipino exploitation genre this low budget homage to Stanley Kramer's 1958 classic THE DEFIANT ONES was directed by the ubiquitous Eddie Romero and produced by John Ashley who was both behind many films from the "wild east". Released by A.I.P., who were venturing into Roger Corman's New World milieu, it was based upon a story by Jonathan (SILENCE OF THE LAMBS) Demme who would later work for New World as a writer and/or director on ANGELS HARD AS THEY COME (1971), THE HOT BOX (1972 - also with Margaret), CAGED HEAT (1974), CRAZY MAMA (1975) and FIGHTING MAD (1975).
    Most often lumped in with the blacksploitation genre (MGM released it on DVD as part of their "Soul Cinema" line), BLACK MAMA WHITE MAMA is more closely aligned with the woman in prison (WIP) flicks that New World was cranking out at the time. Starring both Margaret and Pam Grier as a pair of mismatched inmates who find themselves shackled together and on the run through the usual nameless New World-type tropical hellhole (i.e. The Philippines). All the while they're being perused by various pimps, drug dealers and revolutionaries along with other assorted bad-asses including grungy rapists and a sadistic prison matron played by the wonderful Lynn Borden from FROGS and DIRTY MARY CRAZY LARRY.
    Clocking in at 87 minutes and containing what would seem to be a much too convoluted plot BLACK MAMA WHITE MAMA literally packs every woman behind bars cliche into its first 20 minutes of running time and sets up a large cast of intertwined characters and their minions (which after a while you just give up trying to sort out).

    Opening with a pair of new inmates at women's prison (or as its called here "Women's Rehabilitation Center") we're introduced to Karen Brent (Margaret) a political prisoner who's closely aligned with a ragtag group of militants looking to overthrow the government and Lee Daniels (Pam) a prostitute and drug runner for big-time baddie Vic Ching (the ever-present Vic Diaz). Sent immediately to the showers (!!), the prisoners are overseen by Matron Densmore (Lynn Borden) who enjoys inviting the girls up to her office for some sexual favors and spying on them through a peephole as they wash down.
   Lee wants nothing to do with her, but Karen cozies up to her, which causes a rift between the two inmates which later cumulates in a fight during mealtime. The two are manacled together and thrown in the hotbox and later while being transferred to a maximum-security prison an attack by some of Karen's brothers in arms allows the pair to escape, Unfortunately, they become separated from the rebels during the battle and still manacled together attempt their escape cross country.

   Immediately finding themselves at odds on their destination with Karen wanting to go to a prearranged meeting with some gun runners to purchase arms for the revolution while Lee has designs on heading to a boat where she has $40,000 waiting for her that she absconded from Vic. They stop long enough for a most excellent catfight and later appropriate some nun outfits as a disguise while along the way coming across a veritable who's who list of Filipino character actors.
   The police captain perusing them (Eddie Garcia from The Blood Island movies) hires local bandit and fashion nightmare Ruben (a typically deranged Sid Haig from THE BIG DOLLHOUSE - whose look here ranges from psychedelic pimp to urban cowboy) to capture the pair. Garcia is more interested in Karen for her rebel connections while at the same time you have rotund pimp/drug dealer (and nude massage & pedicure fetish fan) Vic Diaz chasing Lee for the theft of his money and thirdly there's the rebel leader tracking the duo and hoping to catch up with Karen.

     One of the more entertaining entries in the Filipino exploitation genre BLACK MAMA WHITE MAMA delivers what you'd expect with gusto serving up heaps of nudity and a satisfyingly bloody and downbeat ending. Margaret and Pam have wonderful chemistry together and watching them run up & down hills, roll around in the dirt while kicking & clawing, beating the crap out of and/or killing various lowlifes and authority figures is a highlight of 70's drive-in cinema (and what better way to celebrate Margaret's birthday !)

     Born in 1948 in Stockton, Ca. Margaret Markov with her long blonde hair and legs that seem to go on forever was a striking figure in 70's exploitation cinema. She appeared in only a handful of films and few TV appearances but made a lasting impression in all of her roles.
     Along with BLACK MAMA WHITE MAMA, she also appeared in the Filipino lensed THE HOT BOX along with the quirky PRETTY MAIDS ALL IN A ROW, the biker flick RUN ANGEL RUN (1969) and New World's WIP motif transferred to ancient Rome THE ARENA from 1974 (with Rosalba Neri and Pam Grier !!).
    On the set of THE ARENA she met producer Mark Damon (THE DEVIL'S WEDDING NIGHT) and they were later married (and remain so to this day). Her last acting appearance was a small part in an episode of DAYS OF OUR LIVES in 1997. She showed up in interview footage in the documentary MACHETE MAIDENS UNLEASHED where she now sports short hair (and still looks very beautiful).

  

SAVAGE SISTERS 1974

"Beware ! They are still at large..."

     From the late 50's up till the late 70's Eddie Romero cranked out dozens and dozens of low budget  exploitation movies encompassing war, horror, action and WIP. Most famous for the Blood Island series of movies he was for all intensive purposes THE Filipino exploitation movie industry before passing the baton over to Ciro Santiago. SAVAGE SISTERS was one of Eddie's last forays into the American drive-in market (with 1977's SUDDEN DEATH being his finale) and was his last movie for A.I.P.  Being an A.I.P. production (as Corman's New World had been the kings of Filipino exploitation) and coming rather late in the game, along with the lack of such recognizable Filipino exploitation genre actresses as Pam Grier, Margaret Markov or Roberta Collins SAVAGE SISTERS always seem to have been the odd movie out in regards to the other WIP/jungle action stuff of that era.

  

    Written under the pseudonyms "Harry Corner" & "H. Warren Moon" (most likely Romero and co-producer/co-star John Ashley) SAVAGE SISTERS is A.I.P's take on the standard Filipino formula of an initially fractured group of women who are thrown together in a sweaty setting (usually a prison of some sort) and who then end up banning together to take on the local military dictatorship (with the irony being these movies WERE shot the setting of an actual military dictatorship). Although Romero mixes in some of the usual 1970's "women in prison" staples including the classic shower scene and a bit of torture the movie mostly focuses on the action side of things.
    Hard core revolutionary Mei Ling (Rosanna Ortiz) teams up with Jo (70's bad ass chick GINGER Cheri Caffaro) to help Caffaro's rebel leader boyfriend hijack $1,000,000.00 that a corrupt general is attempting to sneak out of an unnamed banana republic. Unfortunately the rebels have decided to enlist the help of local bandit Malavasi (a wild-eyed and demented Sid Haig) who along with second in command (an eye patch wearing Vic Diaz) grab the cash for themselves while enlisting the help of hustler/con-man W.P. Billingsley (a leisure suit wearing John Ashley) to help get them out of the country. At the same time Mei & Jo have been captured by the military led by Capt. Morales (Eddie Gracia - Dr. Lorca from Blood Island).
   Once in prison the girls fall under the rule of the prison matron (who engages in some S&M playtime with Morales) and most importantly the chief prison torturer Lynn (played by the very beautiful Gloria Hendry from LIVE AND LET DIE). Lynn's boyfriend happens to be Billingsley who convinces her to help the ladies to escape with them all joining forces to get their hands on the money.

   The film is a bit of an oddity among the Filipino exploitation stuff as that it rather bizzarly has a complete lack of nudity among its leading ladies and although there's some pretty rough stuff implied such as Hendry's infamous "door slamming" torture along with Caffaro being threatened by an electric drill mounted phallic device (and a bit of blood here & there) SAVAGE SISTERS is pretty tame stuff. Although compared to what is considered the epitome of this genre (being Jack Hill's THE BIG DOLL HOUSE 1971 & THE BIG BIRD CAGE 1972) its a bit lacking, it's still a great little piece of low budget fun. The three leading ladies all jump into their roles with gusto and Romero, while as mentioned plays down the blood and nudity but has enough action (lots of machine guns & grenades) to keeps things from getting boring. There's even a bar fight mixed in with Hendry doing a sritp tease as a distraction.
    Many of these movies have quite a bit of humor in them (which is surprising to first time viewers) and SAVAGE SISTERS in no exception. Sid Haig as the hilariously (and seemingly) whacked out his mind on reefer & booze Malavasi and John Ashley as the slimy con-man both add to the fun. There's great scene where all three woman take turns seducing Ashley to find out his true motives (complete with Ashley wearing a series of outrageous bikini briefs).
   After a divorce from his beach party co-star Debra Walley, Ashely went to the Philippines to make the BLOOD ISLAND movies. He enjoyed it so much he stayed and eventually moved to the production end of things along with acting. He would later produce T.V's THE A-TEAM (that's his voice doing the opening narration).  Along with the above mentioned Diaz (who seems to have an affinity here for wearing shirts about two sizes too small and pants that show his ass crack) and Garcia the film if filled with the usual cast of Filipino character faces including Bruno Punzalan (Goro from BRIDES OF BLOOD).

    Although rather unknown today Cheri Caffaro was a huge drive-in star in the 70's. A tall statuesque blond (although she was always a bit hard and pissed off looking) the three "Ginger" movies she made with her husband Don Schain were huge money makers, with the first GINGER from 1971 playing for years on double and triple bills. She later appeared in another Filipino auctioneer 1977's TOO HOT TO HANDLE before walking away from movies (although she and her husband produced H.O.T.S. in 1979).
    I always thought it was strange that Gloria Hendry never had a bigger career. She was a Bond girl in LIVE AND LET DIE, had a great presence, was drop dead gorgeous and seemed to have everything to be as big as Pam Grier. Along with SAVAGE SISTERS, she had some great roles in BLACK CAESAR (1973). SLAUGHTER'S BIG RIP-OFF (1973) and BLACK BELT JONES (1974), but sadly never made it to the next step. In urban markets SAVAGE SISTERS was marketed as a blacksploitation, with the poster featured Hendry front and center.