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Released by: MGM Limited Edition Collection
Released on: October 18, 2011.
Director: Daniel Haller
Cast: Buck Taylor, Leo Gordon, Mimsey Farmer, John Cassavetes
Year: 1967
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The Movie:
One of the seemingly endless string of biker movies that AIP had a hand in during the late sixties boom years of that genre, Daniel Haller's 1967 film Devil's Angels follows the exploits of a biker gang called The Skulls who wind up on the run after member Gage (Buck Taylor) accidently wipes out an innocent bystander during a crash. Gang leader Cody (John Cassavetes) decides the best place for them to hide out would be the 'Hole In The Wall' hideout that Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid used during their moment in the sun, and on the way stop off at a town called Brookville, just in time for the town fair! They're met in town by the sheriff (Leo Gordon), who tells them to spend the night on the beach outside of town and to head out the next morning of there will be trouble.
When Marianne (Mimsy Farmer), the town slut, starts fooling around with gang member Roy (Kipp Whitman), she winds up back at the beach party where, a few tokes later, she gets a little manhandled. Understandably afraid and upset she books it on out of there and squeals to the pigs - as she looks roughed up and possibly raped, they believe her story and throw Cody in the clink. When he gets out shortly after, The Skulls bring in scores more of their biker pals intent on trashing the town and taking it for all its worth, despite the fact that Cody wants them to just move on.
Executive produced by Roger Corman, who no doubt wanted to cash in on the success of his earlier hit, The Wild Angels, this movie doesn't have a whole lot going on in terms of story, it's really just a string of sequences in which The Skulls cause problems for various factions. That said, it's a fun movie and Cassavetes is great in the lead, playing the pensive tough guy well and adding his considerable screen presence to a picture that otherwise would have been a bit vacant in that regard. His Cody is actually a fair bit more likeable than a lot of the other bikers in the film, and so we're at least able to care about his predicament, particularly as we know he's innocent. Mimsy Farmer is decent here as well, basically playing a pretty airhead, not something that really asks her to stretch as an actress. She does look the part though, and she, along with Beverly Adams in a small role as Cody's biker broad, give the movie a bit of welcome sex appeal.
The film moves along at a good pace and offers up enough violence, mayhem and amazingly dated dialogue to entertain - but it doesn't really do anything that other biker movies made before and since haven't already done. Original? Nope, not at all, but definitely a fun watch and a decent mindless time killer.
Video/Audio/Extras:
Devil's Angels looks decent in its original 2.35.1 anamorphic widescreen aspect ratio. There's plenty of grain evident throughout and some minor color fading here and there in addition to specks and small bits of print damage but none of it is all that distracting. Detail isn't bad and there are no problems with compression artifacts, edge enhancement or aliasing to complain about.
The English language Dolby Digital Mono audio track on the disc is well balanced and features clean, clear dialogue. The score also sounds quite good, as do the various sound effects used throughout the movie. Some hiss is present as is the occasional pop, but it's nothing too serious.
If a static menu and chapter stops are your idea of extras, you'll be pleased, otherwise, there's nothing here, not even a trailer unfortunately.
The Final Word:
No extras, but the presentation is a good one. As to the movie itself? There are better biker movies out there, but so too are there far worse ones. Entertaining enough, this AIP quickie has got an interesting cast and delivers some cheap thrills but doesn't bring anything new to the genre. Fun to see once though and a must for biker movie aficionados, but unless you fall into that camp you're probably not going to go back to this one time and time again.
