Angels' Brigade (1979)

If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

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.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

Seven fetching young ladies form a special squad so they can wage war on dope pushers. Of course, the gals incur the wrath of ruthless local drug kingpin Burke (neatly played with slimy élan by Peter Lawford). Director Greydon Clark, who also co-wrote the derivative, yet serviceable script with Alvin L. Fast, relates the entertainingly silly story at a zippy pace, maintains an engaging breezy'n'easy lighthearted tone throughout, milks plenty of amusing goofy humor from the delightfully campy "Charlie's Angels"-type premise, and stages the explosive action set pieces with gusto to spare. Singer Susan Kiger, endearingly ditsy school teacher Jacqueline Cole, feisty stunt woman Sylvia Anderson, petite karate expert Lieu Chinh, spunky teen Liza Greer, tough cop Robin Greer, and foxy model Noela Velasco are all quite sexy, vibrant, and appealing as the titular dynamic heroines. Moreover, the lively acting from a bang-up cast of dependable veterans keeps things humming: Jack Palance as smooth hit-man Mike Farrell, Neville Brand as cranky police chief Miller, Jim Backus as bumbling right-wing fanatic Commander Lindsey March, Alan Hale Jr. as jolly manager Manny, Pat Buttram as an amiable car salesman, and Arthur Godfrey as himself. In addition, Clark movie regular Darby Hinton has a funny secondary part as wormy drug dealer Sticks. Dean Cundey's slick cinematography boasts all kinds of snazzy stylistic flourishes and provides a pleasing sunny look. Both Gerald Lee's funky-throbbing score and the bouncy soundtrack hit the get-down groovy spot. An immensely fun flick.

Sure, it won't win any prizes for technical achievement or (especially) acting, but it is what it is: lively female-empowerment action entertainment for the drive-in crowd. If you watch this for the stars involved, be warned that some of them were hired basically just for their name value. Still, cult director Greydon Clark ("Without Warning", "Joysticks") keeps this silly diversion racing forward. Some viewers may know this flick for its being lampooned on 'Mystery Science Theater 3000', but the fact of the matter is that this was obviously meant to be played for laughs to begin with.Playboy Playmate Susan Kiger plays Michelle Wilson, a successful singer whose kid brother is beaten up by "Sticks" (Clark regular Darby Hinton), a drug pusher. It takes Michelle no time to take a schoolteacher, April Thomas (the directors' wife, Jacqueline Cole), up on her offer to assist in destroying a processing plant used by dealers. Soon April and Michelle are recruiting other young women, including a stunt driver, Terry Grant (Sylvia Anderson), a martial artist, Kako Umaro (Lieu Chinh), a policewoman, Elaine Brenner (Robin Greer), and a model, Maria (Noela Velasco) to join in the fight against drug trafficking. Meanwhile, a student, Trish (Liza Greer), tries to tag along, wanting to be in on the action.The ladies are lovely and fun to watch, no matter how seriously they may be lacking in acting ability. The veterans & guest stars are likewise thoroughly entertaining, including Jack Palance as a goon and Peter Lawford as the drug kingpin, Jim Backus as a member of a right wing militia, Neville Brand as Elaines' boss, Pat Buttram as a van salesman, and Alan Hale Jr. as Michelles' agent. Legendary TV & radio host Arthur Godfrey appears fleetingly as himself. Palances' son Cody has a small role as a young thug.The movie is often uproariously silly, complete with goofy comedy bits like the one with Backus, and cartoon-like sound effects. The scene transitions are particularly amusing. And there's enough gunfire, explosions, and stunts going on to ensure that things never get boring.Just go into this thing not expecting anything remotely resembling high art, be prepared not to exercise your brain too much, and get ready to laugh, and one *can* actually enjoy this.Eight out of 10.

Unbearably awful "liberated sexy woman" action movie obviously influenced by CHARLIE'S ANGELS has a group of young women, from all walks of life(stunt woman, Vegas singer, school teacher)deciding to take up crimefighting focusing their efforts on drug smuggling/dealing. Jack Palance must endure a lackey role as the enforcer for kingpin Peter Lawford(who seems drunk for most of his screen time), but poor Jim Backus(GILLIGAN'S ISLAND)is stuck in the role of bumbling fool, some sort of fascist running a camp who the girls embarrass. Without some eye candy(let's be honest, these gals weren't hired for their acting chops), this movie would definitely be hard to stomach. Susan Kiger and Noela Velasco provide some delicious bouncing boobs to admire, while Lieu Chinh gets to hack Lawford's goons with her samurai sword. Liza Greer, as the teenage girl who wants to be a part of the all-girl heroine team, is particularly side-splitting with her performance. Pat Buttram stops by as a car salesman with an endless supply of redneck jokes symbolizing actions by the girls as they attempt to "negotiate" a bargain for a van they later turn into their superhero vehicle. Lots of explosions help, but ANGELS' REVENGE is a flick I want to eliminate from memory as soon as possible..that is except for Kiger in a bikini. Palance not only gets beat up by a woman, he doesn't fare well against Lawford's doberman either.

Let's see. There was the idea that seven women without any sort of training of any kind would bring down a drug kingpin. There was the fact that none of these women ever thought to call in the police. There was the drug kingpin who stored millions of dollars of drugs in a ludicrously unguarded "processing compound." There was this famous pop star who can apparently get around Los Angeles completely unrecognized. There was a "Vietnamese" character with a Japanese name. There was this high school girl hanging on to the trunk of a Caddy, uncommented upon by other drivers, as it sped through LA.There were appearances by such actors as Jack Palance, Jim Backus(if you watch MST3K's version, Angel's Revenge, you can actually hear Mike and the bots groan when Backus makes his appearance), Peter Lawford(Tom Servo: "Do you think Peter Lawford even knows where he is?") and Arthur Godfrey. And there were plot holes aplenty and lots more awfulness besides this.All of this and more make for one of the worst movies ever made by anyone. That anybody thought this was a good idea and that actors of the caliber of Jack Palance agreed to participate is mind-boggling. Watch the MST3K version which is one of their best efforts.