Welcome to the latest installment of Lisa Marie’s Grindhouse Trailers. Since I’ve been battling a pretty bad cold for about a week now, I thought I would use this installment to highlight a few trailers that prove that the rest of the world is just as sick.
I’ve read so much about this 1976 film but — for whatever reason — it has never officially been released on DVD (though there all bootlegs out there as well as an “all-regions” DVD that apparently is not “all-regions.”) From what I’ve read, this is apparently a political satire disguised as a high school revenge film. The trailer has an oddly off feel to it. Maybe it’s just the exploding locker…
I first saw this film (directed by Mark Lester) on DVD about three years ago. I was expecting to see a silly, urban vigilante film from the early 80s so imagine my surprise when I discovered that Class of 1984 is a seriously dark and oddly disturbing movie. Tim Van Patten (he’s the one going, “I am the future…”) is now a pretty succesful television commercial. He actually gives a pretty good performance in this film, something that’s not necessarily obvious from this trailer.
Yes, another high school revenge film. In this one, Linda Blair’s sister is raped so Linda tracks and down and kills the Class of 1985. Usually, this is where I’d make my standard argument that this is a case of exploitation serving to empower. Honestly, though, it would be more empowering if the film’s villains weren’t so silly and stupid (you get the feeling that they’re all going to die soon anyway regardless of what Linda does) and if the avenging angel was played by someone other than Linda Blair.
4) The Warriors
The Baseball Furies always make me smile. 🙂
For extra fun, imagine the “gang” from Savage Streets trying to fight any of the gangs in this trailer.
5) Sweden: Heaven and Hell (not available from Amazon.com)
The previous trailers paint a pretty grim picture of America. According to the “documentary” Sweden: Heaven and Hell, the best thing about America is that it wasn’t Sweden.
Sweden: Heaven and Hell is actually an Italian mondo film, a rather vile form of “documentary” that was big from the mid-60s up until Ruggero Deodato did the world a favor and satirized the genre out of existence with Cannibal Holocaust. It was released in the States in 1968 (I think). This is one of those movies that I know by reputation as I’ve never actually seen the actual film. However, the trailer is grindhouse tackiness at its absolute best. Everything from the narrator’s leering tone to the “shocking” footage (a woman dancing with another woman — gasp!) makes this trailer a perfect time capsule of the Grindhouse Era.
6) Skatetown USA (not available in any format on Amazon. com — how odd)
But, as sick as Sweden apparently was, can it possibly be sicker than whatever it was that was going on at Skatetown, USA? Seriously, what was wrong with this country in the 70s? That said, I do like this ludicrous trailer if just for the sight of a young and dangerous Patrick Swayze. Plus, how can you dislike any trailer that claims to be advertising “the greatest story ever rolled?”
Seriously, the 70s were fucked up.
SPECIAL BONUS TRAILERS FOR A SICK, SICK WORLD
Seriously, what was the deal with people roller skating at a disco? Is that what passed for fun back in the 70s? Weird. Maybe it was all the cocaine. I came across this trailer while I was downloading the Skatetown USA preview and I just had to include it. Not only is the movie called Roller Boogie but it’s directed by the director of Class of 1984 and it stars the star the Savage Streets. So, everything ties together.
8 ) Finally, since I hate to end things on an odd number, here’s a silly little trailer that I made for my DVD collection.
Through the Shattered Lens 
“Do unto others…and make it permanent.” That’s pretty good.
In “Class Of 1984”, is that Roddy McDowell as the teacher with the gun?
As ridiculous as “The Warriors” was (the Yankees vs. Prince and the Revolution vs. The Marcel Marceau’s vs. …), it actually incited violence at some of the theaters in which it was shown in 1979. Can you dig it!?
Surprisingly, the “Sweden: Heaven and Hell” trailer actually came from the Swedish Tourist Board. It’s true.
Look at the cast at the end of the “Skatetown USA” trailer – In addition to Patrick Swayze – Scott Baio, Ruth Buzzi (Laugh In), Dave Mason (really?…why…?), Maureen McCormick (The Brady Bunch), Ron Palillo (Welcome Back, Kotter), Flip Wilson…You almost feel sorry for them.
I have less of a problem with the “greatest story ever rolled” claim than to the claim that it has “the most fantastic music.”.
“Roller Boogie” – Sigh…
As for your DVD collection, that is quite a compilation (“Mandingo”? Really…?). I’ve seen “The Car” more than once. I thought it was surprisingly good. Despite what one might expect, given the plot, it is not a “B” movie. It manages to avoid being ridiculous, and is really pretty engrossing and entertaining.
This time around, I guess your posting is more of an Exploitation/Cheese theme. Nicely done, again. And bonus trailers, to boot. Thank you.
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You’re welcome. I’m glad your enjoying the series because I love putting them together each week. 🙂
In Class of 1984, that was indeed Roddy McDowall as the teacher with the gun. A very young Michael J. Fox is in the movie as well. He plays apparently the only non-psychotic student at the high school.
I have to admit that the Skatetown Trailer holds a really odd fascination for me. I think it’s because the movie itself is so diffilcult to track down. If nothing else, I thought it would be released after Patrick Swayze passed away if just because it was Swayze’s 1st film. The large cast of people who, if wikipedia is to be believed, were celebrities in the 70s leads me to suspect that it’s something like Sgt. Pepper’s On Roller Skates. There’s also that guy with all the lights in his beard. I spent way too much time wondering, “Why is his beard all lit up?” lol. Perhaps it’s best that I never see the film as I suspect the guy with the lighted beard probably isn’t in the film that much.
Roller Boogie — I wonder if that was the title when the movie was greenlit? It just amuses me to think about Linda Blair calling her agent and saying, “You get me the lead in Roller Boogie or I get a new agent!”
I own Mandingo but I have yet to watch it. lol. To be honest, I think that’s one of those films that you own mostly so you can go, “I’ve got Mandingo on DVD!” The Car I was actually somewhat surprised by. I was actually surprised by some of the Car attacks and I thought that Ronny Cox (who played one of the deputies) actually gave a really good performance. And you gotta love those flames turning into a devil’s head.
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“LOL” on your “Roller Boogie” comment.
And I agree that Ronny Cox was really good as the deputy with the drinking problem. I thought James Brolin was really good, as well. Maybe I’m weird (actually, there’s no maybe about it), but I’ve seen “The Car” at least three times. I could watch it tonight. Just a fun horror movie that is better than it should be.
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