Angels from Hell (1968)

So much average

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

The only reason I'm giving this bomb a "ten" is because of Ken "Von Dutch" Howards extensive artwork throughout the movie, including the opening credits. Bud Ekins's appearance riding the beautiful Triumph 500 Metisse certainly didn't hurt either! Check out his 2 jumps on that limited suspension bike. Of course you know he also did the jump in The Great escape about 5 years earlier. Anyway, Von Dutch's artwork, a usual, is Krazy! Can anyone imagine what it all would have sold at any recent auctions? Check out the full-sized Harley chopper he painted on the barn! That alone probably would auction of today for 10 grand if it was signed. Most of the artwork probably got lost or destroyed...sad. If anyone knows anything about the artwork in this movie, please contact me at [email protected] I'm a big fan of Dutch & Roth and have an extensive Roth collection. Many books on both. "The Krazy Painters!

A motorcycle gang flick that has very little to offer. A heroic Vietnam vet Mike(Tom Stern)returns home bitter, cynical and ready to ride. Mike thinks his bad ass military training will help him as he takes back most of his former gang of bikers. He is in no mood to get along with the local sheriff Bingham(Jack Starrett); Mike is obsessed with "sticking it to the man". When one of the gang members is blatantly gunned down by the fuzz; Mike has his gang ready to raise hell after the funeral; big dreams of organizing numerous California gangs to a total of 500 bikers does not seem to bother Bingham. How this movie got its R rating is somewhat odd; violence is all but nil, maybe 20 gang members, no foul language, some pretty girls...but no nudity. This is not even close to a run-of-the-mill motorcycle gang movie. Other members of the cast: Arlene Martel, Ted Markham, Steve Oliver, Suzy Walters, Sandra Bettin, Paul Bertoya, Jay S. York and Dirty Denny.

I worked with Tom in Angels From Hell. We worked together after the movie to produce our own biker movie. I had a lot of time and money in lining up the bikers for him. I got the bikers to really fix up their scooters 'cuz they were going to be paid well in the upcoming movie. After everybody had finished their bikes, I had them come together for Tom's inspection. For arranging all of the bikers, Tom had promised me a big part in the movie. On my last visit to Tom's office in Hollywood, he told me that he would contact me when he was ready to film. I waited until I found out the the HA were filming on location (Hells Angels 69). We rode out to location and talked with Terry The Tramp and Tiny. Tom had managed to get the real HA to do the picture and left me and my boys out. plus the HA weren't happy working with him at all.Tom is a good actor but he is a user/manipulator. Whether this has kept him from going to the top, I don't know. Dirty Denny

Tom Stern plays a Viet-Nam veteran who comes home with the dream of forming the most powerful biker gang around. His "wild bunch" consists of such immortals as Smiley, Nutty Norman, Tiny Tim, and Angry Annie. Turns out most of the cast are real bikers and their performances steal the show from the real actors.Stern however reminds one of a young Nick Adams or Steve McQueen. He doesn't overplay his role; just giving it the sharp edge it needs to be realistic. His anger is a product of his war experiences and his frustrations are those of a man who is powerless to control the events happening around him. For a "minor" film, Stern does an outstanding job. It makes you wonder why this talented actor/director never made it to super-stardom.