Film Review: Super Christian (1980, dir. John Schmidt)


Super Christian played by John Schmidt

Super Christian played by John Schmidt

I’ll admit it, I saw the title and thought this had to be hilariously bad. I mean it’s called Super Christian for crying out loud. But you know what, it wasn’t bad. It’s goofy and it’s low budget, but for a Christian movie, it has it’s heart in the right place. It’s not like God’s Not Dead.

Here’s the gist. It’s about a guy who during the week is a bit of douchebag. Let’s not mince words, he’s a total jerk. However, on Sunday, this happens.

Super Christian

Super Christian

Super Christian

Super Christian

During this spectacle a man takes notice and pays Clark Kant a visit. Yes, that is his name in the movie. He sits him down and explains that he knows what he is doing. He once did it himself. Then, the grand reveal. He was once The Lone Christian!

The Lone Christian

The Lone Christian

He tells him that he used to show up on Sunday to be the ideal Christian, but wasn’t a good guy the rest of the time. Clark gives up the secret identity nonsense and decides to just be a decent person all the time. Of course he still attends church, but the message applies to anyone who only acts like a great person when it’s convenient. It’s only 27 minutes which is perfect for getting the short point across to the audience. I liked it.

Apparently, Schmidt still makes movies. I wonder if he’s stayed above films like God’s Not Dead. Now I just need to find Super Christian 2. Yes, there is a sequel.

4 Shots From 4 Films: Douce, War and Peace, Rocker, Under The Bridges


Since it’s likely that many of my posts will be about films that come from the bottom, or near to it, of the barrel. I thought I would occasionally direct you to four films worth checking out simply through showing you a screenshot. Some may be difficult to find, but that’s part of the fun.

Douce (1943, dir. Claude Autant-Lara)

Douce (1943, dir. Claude Autant-Lara)

War and Peace (1966, dir. Sergey Bondarchuk)

War and Peace (1966, dir. Sergey Bondarchuk)

Rocker (1972, dir. Klaus Lemke)

Rocker (1972, dir. Klaus Lemke)

Under The Bridges (1946, dir. Helmut Käutner)

Under The Bridges (1946, dir. Helmut Käutner)

A Moment With Priest (Street Soldiers, 1991)


A few nights ago I watched a bad movie called Street Soldiers. We could talk about how it’s similar, very loosely, to West Side Story. The lame training sequences. The fact that the martial arts guy similar to Mr. Miyagi suddenly becomes psychic. Or even the rubber cobra that is clearly squirting a liquid like milk. But no. I want to take a moment to pay tribute to Jeff Rector who plays the villain named Priest. He amazingly overacts. Every facial expression he makes is like a gift from the cinematic gods.

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This shot should be posted by anyone who accomplishes something.

This shot should be posted by anyone who accomplishes something.

This has been a moment with Priest. Now back to your regularly scheduled programming.

Film Review: Battling Amazons (1987) (dir. Steve Antoniou)


Battling Amazons Title Screen

“Where’s Mercury? Mercury, it’s God. Listen, I need you to take a message to Odin and Zeus. And don’t forget Moses. Tell the boys to send their strongest, ablest, most beautiful women to Earth to punch it out. I wanna see some real knockouts. Tell ’em to call it: Battling Amazons. Do it!”

Thus begins one of dumbest and greatest things ever made. You might be asking yourself: Why Moses? Well, Delilah of course! We all know what she did to Victor Mature’s hair so she clearly can handle herself in the ring. So, the call goes out and numerous women are sent to battle.

Thesbian, The Viking Queen

Thesbian, The Viking Queen

Peelar, The Tiger Woman

Peelar, The Tiger Woman

Athena

Athena

Wanda, The Iron Mistress

Wanda, The Iron Mistress

Sandra, The Prophet

Sandra, The Prophet

Lazar, The Woman Of The Future

Lazar, The Woman Of The Future

Delilah

Delilah

Deidre, The Brazilian Bombshell

Deidra, The Brazilian Bombshell

We are then introduced to Georgia and Peter Willis who are two of the three people who guide us through the fights. I would be shocked if their lines were written in advance because it really sounds like they are improvising. Especially Peter. Sometimes it’s like he can’t think of something to say.

At first glance this looks like something exploitative, but it’s not really. You want that, then the movie called Trashy Ladies Wrestling that they advertise at the end of the copy I watched is for you. This is pure parody. The ladies get out there and lay it on as thick as possible. Even Holly the “round girl” comes out and does her best impersonation of those girls who are only there for eye candy.

But just as professional wrestling doesn’t all take place in the ring, neither does Amazon boxing. As the ladies arrive, Dan Dugen interviews them. They come up to him and act all tough to a remarkably small audience waiting for them. The best part of these interviews is the size of the guy doing them. The only people this guy is bigger than are Peter Dinklage and the lead singer of The Outfield. It really adds to the impression that these ladies are sent by the Gods. They tower over him.

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The other people who are of note are Issie, the manager of Delilah, and Wanda, The Iron Mistress.

Issie

Issie

Wanda is one of the last of the ladies to show up, but they cut several times to show that she is on her way. My favorite is when they show her running across some grass next to a parking lot. There’s a trash can in her way and she just knocks it out of her way while holding some weapon in her hand. Other times she just runs like a mad woman holding something. These parts always had me laughing.

Wanda is on her way!

Wanda is on her way!

In wrestling backstage drama is all part of the experience and that is brought to Amazon boxing as well. During the battle between Thesbian and Delilah, Issie plays a horn. It distracts Thesbian and causes Delilah to win the fight. Then comes the controversy that takes us into a flashback where we see that Delilah told Issie to sneak into Delilah’s training area to find her weakness. After realizing that the brush in her bag will do him no good, he finds the horn.

Finding The Horn

Finding The Horn

As for the fighting itself. It’s pretty ridiculous, but they actually appear to be fighting. It’s not like the kind of thing where you’d expect every move, punch, or grab to be of a sexual nature. It’s just weak sauce moves. Still, it’s fun to watch.

I just can’t do this thing justice with words or a few screenshots. It must be seen. It’s only an hour long and it’s on YouTube at the time of writing this. Otherwise, it’s available through Amazon on VHS. Check it out!

4 Shots From 4 Films: Planet of Dinosaurs, Real Genius, Switch, Some Girls


Since I’m new here, it was suggested that I cut my teeth on one of these 4 shots from 4 films posts. Also, because I’m new, I thought I would go with 4 films that have a special place in my heart. An introduction of sorts.

Of course, that means telling a little story behind each one.

Planet of Dinosaurs (dir. by James K. Shea)

Planet of Dinosaurs (dir. by James K. Shea)

Planet of Dinosaurs (1977) is a simple one. My Mom recorded it off of TV when I was a kid and I watched it over and over and over again. It’s a classic bit of Sci-fi B-Movie making. I watched this so many times that I can even recall the commercials. There was one for some compilation of hit songs. I was so young that when Gloria by Van Morrison played I thought he was saying the word Tijuana.

Real Genius (dir. Martha Coolidge)

Real Genius (dir. Martha Coolidge)

Real Genius (1985) is just a great movie, but it especially resonated with someone like myself who always felt out of place because I was so into computers at such a young age.

Switch (dir. by Blake Edwards)

Switch (dir. by Blake Edwards)

Switch (1991) is the easiest to tell the story behind. I’m transgender. I found it on cable one night as a kid and it became one of my favorites.

Some Girls (dir. by Michael Hoffman)

Some Girls (dir. by Michael Hoffman)

Some Girls (1988) is a tough one. When I first got a TiVo I put the Wishlist feature to use in order to see all the movies by actresses such as Angelina Jolie, Julianne Moore, and Jennifer Connelly. One day this movie popped up. I’m still not sure why, but it managed to bore a hole into my heart. It can still make me sad watching it.