Thursday, May 19, 2011

The Cycle Savages


The Cycle Savages
1969
D: Brill Brame (also wrote)

A crazed biker, upset with an artist who's been skectching the gang, seeks to teach him a lesson. Probably inspired by the Angels stomping Hunter Thompson over his book.

Keeg (Bruce Dern) is the leader of Hell's Chosen Few MC (great name), and also a procurer for his pimp brother (Casey Kasem, the film's EP, in a cameo). He gets word that a Polish artist named Romko (Chris Robinson) who's in town has been drawing them. For some reason, he's sure that the drawings could somehow be used as evidence against them for something, and gets angrier and more violent as Romko continues. Keeg threatens him, attacks him, sends chick Lea (Melody Patterson) to spy on him as the bikers ransack his pad, and finally decides to crush his hands, intending to "make it look like an accident"(?!).
Like Keeg needs this shit. He's also got broads to turn out, like the one who gets raped, dosed, and forced to participate in a gross PG-rated orgy.
Nothing happens in the finale that you didn't see coming a mile away, and the whole thing moves along pretty slowly. Aside from the cool instro theme by the Cycle-Mates, the music isn't anything to write home about. A real drag, honestly. Without Dern's over the top lunatic performace, this would be unwatchable; with great struggle he lifts this dud into 2 territory.

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