Surfing the Ham Channel #9

Tonight, Surfing the Ham Channel presents a very special installment...

Expand your mind with the surreal delights of this anime short, Cat Soup.

Leave your ordinary thoughts at the door and prepare yourself for a deranged voyage of spectacular animation, as we follow the psychedelic journey of a cat trying to save his dying sister.
These two felines traverse oceans, deserts and the cartoon cosmos itself as their metaphysical quest leads them through a surreal and grotesque world.
It will feel as though your mind is taking this ethereal trip with them, as the endlessly mystifying imagery haunts your subconscious with a nostalgia for the unknown.
As the cats search for their salvation, you'll be busy searching for meaning among all the chaos and absurdity, and if there is any to be found it will surely be yours to treasure.


Stay tuned for!
- The fact that this isn't just some hot garbage I found, it's actually art!
- The greatest "Saw a Lady in Half" trick you'll ever see.
- Pig self-cannibalism is cuter than expected.

Pass Thru (2016)

"I am the future." - Thgil

An artificial intelligence visits Earth to eliminate all the evil people.
Starring: Neil Breen, Kathy Corpus, Chaize Macklin, Abraham Rodriguez, a tiger

Link to IMDB

Yes, it's time for another Niel Breen movie. It's a magical day!

Somewhere in America's southern desert we see a hopeless man on the edge of death, addicted to drugs and living in a burned-out old car. This man becomes the vessel of an Artificial Intelligence (depicted as a red light) from the distant future that has arrived on Earth to help humanity.

The evil that the A.I. first witnesses is the mishandling of illegal immigrants trying to cross the border. They are held captive by a group of drug smugglers, and poorly treated as they're forced to huddle together in tiny rooms for the rest of the movie.
Amanda and Kim are two ladies that have escaped the smugglers, and as they run through the desert they meet the man now controlled by the A.I. from outer space.


The A.I. has chosen the name Thgil (which is "light" backwards,) and helping the two young women will be his first step in saving humanity. It takes some convincing though, because to them he just looks like a crazy desert hobo sleeping on a shit-stained mattress.
There's also a subplot about a group of youngsters and an elderly professor tracking a cosmological event that we can assume was the arrival of Thgil. I'm not sure why they're in the movie, but it adds another perspective to the importance of Thgil's mission... or something.

"For when you are at that center within you, I am that place within me." - Thgil

Amanda & Kim                                           Old Professor Guy

Out of his four films, I'd say this one has the least amount of plot, which is saying a lot because Breen rarely focuses on plot to begin with. The first half consists mostly of Thgil napping in the dirt, visiting a mystical tiger, and daydreaming about how all life is connected and we must evolve in order to save our species. These peaceful moments are balanced by seeing the immigrants continuously threatened and beaten.

The second half is when Thgil decides to take action. Instead of saving a handful of people in the desert, he must save the whole world, and so he hijacks a global news channel to broadcast his plan of eliminating the evil politicians and corporate scum that are ruining humanity!

In a lot of ways this could be seen as a sequel and/or retelling of Breen's other film, I am Here....Now.
There's plenty of abstract metaphors and symbolism that Breen loves to use, as he once again plays a Christ-like figure wandering around in the desert, delivering a warning to humankind to stop their evil ways.

I don't expect a linear story with a Breen film, but unfortunately the plot here often gets replaced with a political message that's lacking any subtlety, and the point-blank delivery comes across as Breen preaching the same ideas that he's already conveyed more entertainingly in his past movies.

A special report from Thgil

Okay, that problem aside this is still a fun Breen experience that boggles the mind. Wonderfully awkward and yet always reaching for the profound, Breen continues to make his movies with no regard for rules or logic, undeterred in his attempts at being thought-provoking.

I am excited to see that his next film promises to step away from repeating the ideas and themes he's already explored over and over. Until then, I think I need to re-watch Pass Thru a few dozen times and try to solve what the heck was going on.

Be sure not to miss:
- Kim is Amanda's niece?
- Breen has the same dirt on his face for most of the movie. Great, but completely unnecessary continuity.
- The trailer cleaning scene.
- The infamous vest from Double Down makes an appearance.

Internet review:
"Breen is definitely onto something here, I’m just not sure what it is." - JakeT

Should I watch it?
Essential viewing for Breen fans, but newcomers should watch his older stuff first.

Where can I find it?
You might find some download links here.

Pass Thru gets...

Prisoners of the Lost Universe (1983)

"Oh great, a drunken green weirdo and an undersized thief." - Dan

A guy and gal get transported to a different dimension.
Starring: Richard Hatch, Kay Lenz, John Saxon, Kenneth Hendel, Peter O'Farrell

Link to IMDB

Coincidence has brought Carrie Madison, a TV reporter, and Dan, an agitated repairman, together at the office of Dr. Hartman. Hartman is a scientist working on some sort-of "matter transmitter" device for Carrie's show, but when he accidentally falls into the machine he's teleported to a parallel dimension! Not realizing the danger, Carrie and Dan also get pulled in, and now find themselves in a bizarre medieval world.

Carrie is alone at first, wandering around in a forest, but Dan comes to her rescue when she's attacked by primitive goons. As they search for Dr. Hartman they instead find dangerous creeps and freaks everywhere, but the biggest threat is a warlord named Kleel. He rules this world like a tyrant, and when sees the beautiful Carrie he hauls her off to his castle like a prize.

"Kleel's law is hard. Hard but just." - Kleel

Kleel

Dan begins his quest to rescue her, and for better or worse he finds some help along the way. There's the little thief, Malachi, a mysterious Greenman, and even a giant caveman. Dan and his motley band of companions get into all sorts of escapades, because every friend he makes just seems to brings more trouble than the next, but Dan is determined to rescue Carrie and find Dr. Hartman to get them all back home.

This is one sloppy adventure indeed. It's a low budget, low brow swords & sorcery type of movie, but with an extra helping of tongue-in-cheek silliness. There's not much plot and the make-up effects are embarrassingly homemade, but what holds it all together is the fun dialog and good performances.
Its cheap and cheesy tone only adds to the charm of the "fish out of water" misadventures of Dan, and I was consistently entertained despite there being very little substance or originality.
It's absurd, and proud of it!

Malachi and Greenman

Be sure not to miss:
- The "Weird and Wacky" TV show looks interesting.
- Malachi has some of the best facial expressions.
- What's growing on that plant? Tupperware?

Internet review:
"Cheesy cinematic generous!" - Barfur

Should I watch it?
Not essential viewing, but quite fun anyways.

Where can I find it?
It's on YouTube. Or better quality here.

Prisoners of the Lost Universe gets...

The Refrigerator (1991)

"I don't mean to be rude, but there's something wrong with your fridge." - Lady

A married couple are haunted by a killer fridge.
Starring: Julia McNeal, Dave Simonds, Angel Caban, Phyllis Sanz

Link to IMDB

Steve and Eileen Bateman are newlyweds moving into their first apartment in Manhattan. The place is a bit of a dump, but the rent is surprisingly low and it comes fitted with all the essential appliances, most notably an old refrigerator.
A mysterious voodoo lady in the neighbourhood warns the couple not to move in, but they brush her warnings aside. They should take heed though, because we know that the refrigerator is haunted in some manner and it likely killed the previous tenants!

Steve and Eileen have a lot of stressful things on their mind as their life in the city is off to a shaky start. Steve's new office job isn't all that great and Eileen is struggling to get an acting audition, and this is putting a strain on their marriage. 

Through all of this, the refrigerator's nefarious presence is right there with them. We know enough about the fridge to understand that it's evil and trying to influence the couple with disturbing dreams and thoughts, but it's unclear exactly what is going on with it.

"The appliances may be old, but they have a lot of character." - Hector

Juan

We soon meet Juan, the building's plumber. He seems like a friendly guy, but is he aware of the refrigerator's menacing ways, or does he have an ulterior motive for keeping a close eye on Eileen? And what about the mystery voodoo lady that lurks around?

At first it seems like the fridge is going to be nothing more than an evil force that encourages and feeds on peoples fears and worries, but eventually it does jump into action when it devours one of the neighbours!
Holy shit balls, yes! The refrigerator has shown just how powerful it can be, and it has a truly hellish plan to ruin the lives of everyone in the neighbourhood!
Rest assured, the final battle of man vs. appliance is an amazing sight to see.



A certain level of wackiness is expected with the premise of a killer fridge, and the movie plays it perfectly here. The melodrama of day-to-day life is kept realistic, making us sympathize with the likeable characters, but the underlying tone promises that things are definitely goofy and should be viewed as the dark comedy that it is.

Get fridged !

The humour doesn't come from jokes, but instead a Tim Burton-style vibe keeps the atmosphere lively and entertaining. The story does have a rather slow pace, as it builds the tension and eeriness of the fridge terrorizing them with dreams and inexplicable glimpses of batshit insanity, but it never gets to the point of boring.
The Refrigerator is a solid cult movie. It delivers the horror-comedy aspects with a surprising amount of skill, keeping me hooked to the story and anticipating the crazy reward of the hilariously bloody climax.

Be sure not to miss:
- The Dog House restaurant.
- "I am the waffle maker!"
- Steve's hobby seems to be a cheese enthusiast... Okay.

Internet review:
"Must see movie for fans of the weirder than weird." - mandiifaris.

Should I watch it?
Yes, just keep in mind it's not fast paced.

Where can I find it?
YouTube playlist starts here.

The Refrigerator gets...

Twister's Revenge! (1988)

"Enough of this computer talk, you know it only gives this cowboy a headache." - Dave

Three thieves try to capture a computerized monster truck.
Starring: Dean West, David Alan Smith, R. Richardson Luka, Jay Gjernes

Link to IMDB

Dave

Dave is a competitive monster truck driver that's arriving on the scene with his new truck called Twister, but this is not your typical vehicle. Twister is powered by advanced computer technology that allows it to basically drive itself; so Dave can let the truck plow through the car-crushing competitions while he simply relaxes in the driver seat.

The pile of computers that run Twister are kept in a nearby van where Dave's wife, Sherry, keeps the software running.
While Twister is impressing the audience, three bumbling rednecks have devised a scheme to hijack the van and sell the computers for some easy money. These goons are Kelly, Dutch and Bear, and each one is dumber than the last.


The three guys quickly realize that the van and Twister itself are protected by alarm systems, so instead they decide it will be easier to just kidnap Sherry and hold her for ransom!
Kelly, Dutch and Bear are so incompetent that it's a surprise they're actually able to pull this off, but now Dave is eager to rescue his wife... And that's when Twister starts talking to Dave!

Dumb,  Dumber  and  Dumbest

Yup, Twister's advanced AI program has given it (him?) a mind of its own, and he wants to rescue Sherry just as much as Dave does. Twister's pretty sassy and has a superiority complex, but he and Dave make a good team as they go around to the bars trying to track down the goons. Dave does the talking and Twister stays outside smashing-up the parking lot!
Kelly, Dutch and Bear are put on the run, but they have a secret weapon that might just give them a chance against Twister's revenge... A tank!

"You got me so upset, I'm losing my coolant." - Twister

This is the type of cinematic experience that, while not exploding too many hams, is still the definition of what I love finding in bad movies. It's trash, and it's aware that it can't be anything but trash.

Most of the "plot" consists of watching the three rednecks fumble around and argue, and while it's far from riveting drama these characters are oddly enjoyable. The second half gives us more action, but since there's not much that a talking monster truck can do except smash stuff, the movie plays to that strength by having Twister smash everything!

The movie usually fails at being coherent but it's also far from the worst thing I've watched, and all the chaos was fuel enough to keep me happily truckin' along to the end.

Be sure not to miss:
- Why is there a man-bat creature at the bar!?
- Those poor chickens.

Internet review:
"The enjoyment level depends on your tolerance for pure, unadulterated idiocy." - Milks

Should I watch it?
It's a bizarre treat for enthusiasts of trash, but everyone else should run away.

Where can I find it?
Here on YouTube.

Twister's Revenge gets...

Nightmare at Noon (1988)

"Alright, Alex. I'll take Famous Fatalities for 400." - Ken

aka: Death Street USA
A small town becomes the testing ground for a deadly toxin.
Starring: Bo Hopkins, Wings Hauser, George Kennedy, Kimberly Beck, and Brion James

Link to IMDB

When a mysterious scientist, known only as the Albino, begins a top secret experiment on the small town of Canyon Land, Utah, all hell is soon to break loose...

We meet Ken and Cheri Griffiths, a couple of city hot shots on vacation, as they roll into town in their RV. They also picked up a hitchhiker named Reilly, a cool, ex-military drifter type. They sit down for lunch but are soon interrupted when a local man goes full bonkers and attacks them! The cops have to shoot the man to stop his rampage, because he seems to have become some sort of mindless zombie with green blood.
Meanwhile, the Albino and his team of soldiers watch from a distance. They have cut all outgoing communications from the town, and set up an electromagnetic field so that no vehicles can drive out, effectively trapping the entire town.

Ken                                              Cheri                                           Reilly

When Ken, Cheri and Reilly realize they're stuck in town they work with Sheriff Hanks and Deputy Julia to deduce what the heck is going on. As more and more people start going crazy, Ken and the gang rightly suspect that the water has been contaminated with some sort-of toxin.
The town continues to tear itself apart, and our cast of characters become survivors in a war zone. When night falls on Canyon Land, the Albino comes to see his handiwork up close, but he'll be in for surprise when he sees that some of the residents are still organized and demand justice.

"I haven't touched water in years." - Sheriff Hanks

Sheriff Hanks  &  Deputy Julia

This fast moving plot mostly works as intended, giving us a thriller with enough explosions and gunfights to keep up the action. In fact, the plot moves so fast that it's usually falling apart or forgetting where it's even going! It's wonderfully inept in some ways, but still competently made.
It does aim for a serious tone and that builds tension, but overall this is all too deranged to work as a dramatic piece, which had me laughing instead.

The Albino

The movie loses points for not expanding on the Albino, played by Brion James. He doesn't get any dialog, and when the heroes confront him in the third act it just feels uninspired and basically runs dry. There's a shit tonne of explosions and helicopter action, but the climax feels unrelated to pretty much everything else in the story.
There's still a lot of B-movie fun to enjoy along the way, and the excellent cast of actors ham it up with the material they've been given. The movie's fully aware that it's ridiculous, and that's what makes it so enjoyable.


Be sure not to miss:
- The editing makes it look like the Albino is typing the opening credits on his computer.
- Soggy croissants are a recurring theme.
- Charlie's rampage is one for the record books.

Internet review:
"If you can't see the cheesy greatness of this film, you have no business watching B movies." - JLeach

Should I watch it?
Yes.

Where can I find it?
Here on YouTube. (it's not actually that long)

Nightmare at Noon gets...

Private School (1983)

"We only go around once in life, and you gotta grab all the nookie you can get." - Bubba

A bunch of horny teens attend private school.
Starring: Phoebe Cates, Matthew Modine, Betsy Russell, Mickael Zorek, Kathleen Wilhoite

Link to IMDB

The opening scene has a group of horny guys peeping on a group of half naked sorority girls, so the tone is established right away. This is a pure cornball sex comedy.

Christine and Jordan both attend the Cherryvale Academy for Girls, and they have a long running rivalry which is based on them competing for a hunk named Jim. Christine is actually dating Jim, but Jordan is always trying to steal him away and break their relationship.
Jim and his buddies, Bubba and Roy, attend the nearby Freemount Academy for Boys, and they're so horny that all they can think about is trying to get laid which usually lands them into goofy situations.

Christine                                                 Jordan

Jim

As Christine and Jim plan a romantic weekend together, Jordan is doing her best to corrupt Jim and get him into bed. Jim doesn't want to hurt Christine, but his rampant hormones are making it difficult for him to remain faithful.
That's most of the plot right there, but the love story between Jim and Christine actually has some heart to it. It's the only solid story element in this hurricane of sexually charged chaos, nudity, antics, and juvenile humour.

I've seen a lot of raunchy sex comedies, and this one is average on the scale of good times without being overtly offensive trash. There might be tits and ass everywhere but it's not too sleazy, and the positive vibes keep the movie from feeling completely pointless.

The guys... as girls

The comedy aspects are hit or miss, as expected, mostly centered around the guys fumbling their way through sexual encounters with the girls that all seem much more mature and empowered. The big centerpiece of the movie is probably when they sneak into the sorority house disguised as girls.
Boners and boobs ensue.
With hardly any plot to follow it does get a bit tiresome, but thankfully the characters (and the talented actors themselves) are fun to watch as they try to survive all the hijinks of their burgeoning sex lives.


Be sure not to miss:
- The opening song has some wack lyrics.
- The Big Score video game looks fun.
- Frances Bay and Ray Walston in the same movie. A couple of classic oldies.
- And because I know you're wondering... Yes, there is an aerobics montage.

Internet review:
"This is a great movie for perverts made by perverts." - LogLand

Should I watch it?
It's an average entry in the genre.

Where can I find it?
Links here.

Private School gets...

Warriors of the Wasteland (1983)

"The world is dead. It raped itself, but I'll purify it with blood." - One

aka: The New Barbarians
Two heroes fight a biker cult in the wastelands of the future.
Starring: Giancarlo Prete, Fred Williamson, George Eastman, Anna Kanakis

Link to IMDB

Scorpion

The year is 2019 and the world has been left in ruins after a nuclear holocaust wiped out most of civilization. Humans now survive in small convoys, roaming the wastes looking for food and technology, but they live in fear of a religious cult know as the Templars. These fanatics are led by a cold-blooded man named One, whose mission is to eradicate all human life from the face of the Earth as punishment for the past atomic wars. Equipped with laser guns, rocket launchers and killer motorcycles, the Templars are an unstoppable force.

There is a hero that fights against the Templars and his name is Scorpion. Being an ex-Templar himself, he knows the horror that One is capable of, so he drives around in his car helping people when he can. Although we get the impression that he longs for the peace of solitude.

"Now you know how I'm different... I want to live." - Scorpion

When Scorpion rescues a lady named Alma from the clutches of the Templars, she leads him to a caravan of survivors that are following a radio signal in hope of finding civilization. One, being the psycho that he is, makes these people his next target, and hopes to get his revenge against Scorpion.
With help from an old friend, the bad ass Nadir, Scorpion plans to protect the peaceful caravan, but can they truly stand-up against One and his Templar's crusade of death and blood!?

Nadir                                                                        One

I get excited every time I find some Italian-made post-apocalyptic trash, and this movie delivers the goods! It clearly didn't have much of a budget, but that didn't prevent them from making some truly wild and weird action and mayhem. It borrows heavily from Mad Max, of course, but even when compared to its peers this movie still has some "holy shit" moments that blew my mind a little bit.

Scorpion's ride

There's not much of a story but what we do get has a western vibe to it, as Scorpion fights for the common people against a small army of bad guys. There was potential to explore some religious themes here and give us a decent conclusion, but it gets overshadowed by wacky violence and explosions instead. Not that I'm complaining though, because this movie has a lot of fun with vibrant battles and cars smashing; all accompanied by some seriously groovy, upbeat synth music.

Bizarre, unhinged and somehow held together by some respected B-movie talent, this is an above average post-apocalyptic adventure.

Be sure not to miss:
- The fuck tent.
- There are some peculiar sound effects used for the guns.
- Books started the apocalypse!?
- Apparently, plastic domes of all sizes are going to come into fashion soon.

Internet review:
"Perfect for connoisseurs of bad movies." - Ratgirl

Should I watch it?
Recommended.

Where can I find it?
Here on YouTube.

Warriors of the Wasteland gets...

Nighthawks (1981)

"The only difference between him and us will be the badge." - DaSilva

Two cops must protect New York from a terrorist.
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Rutger Hauer, Billy Dee Williams, Nigel Davenport

Link to IMDB

Deke DaSilva and Matt Fox are two of New York city's finest undercover officers. They make a great team together as they work some of the most dangerous streets to catch drug dealers, muggers and other such scumbags.
We are next introduced to a man named Wulfgar, an international terrorist that is currently bombing the streets of London to get the media's attention. As the Interpol agents begin to close in on him, he decides to escape to America where he can continue his cold-blooded plans.

DaSilva  &  Fox

Interpol Agent Hartman suspects correctly that Wulfgar has arrived in New York, so he comes to work with the NYPD and form a task force. Due to their excellent records, DaSilva and Fox are selected to be on the team. The men aren't too certain about it though; they feel uncomfortable about the whole "shoot to kill" rule, and are struggling to grasp the immense scale and deadliness that terrorists function at.

"I represent the oppressed of the world. I am their voice. I am a liberator." - Wulfgar

Wulfgar

Meanwhile, Wulfgar has already struck fear into the city, and he's remaining one step ahead of the cops as he plans his next act of terrorism. The job for DaSilva and Fox gets more dangerous the closer they get to Wulfgar, and they're forced to play his deadly game of cat-and-mouse if they want to save the city!

I was expecting an 80's action movie here, but it's actually much more of a gritty 70's cop thriller. There are chase scenes and gunfights, but they are kept realistic and intimate. Even though we get to see a lot of what Wulfgar is doing, his ultimate plan is a mystery and this keeps the tensions rising steadily until the very end.

There are some small problems with the story-telling and underdeveloped characters, but it doesn't really detract from the bigger picture. Overall, this is definitely an underrated movie that seems to get forgotten, but it's worth a watch for any fans of police thrillers that (mostly) keeps things realistic.

Be sure not to miss:
- Stallone in drag. Twice.
- Lindsay Wagner has a small role.
- The script was originally planned as The French Connection 3

Internet review:
"This movie rules. That is all." -Mr. Fiendish

Should I watch it?
Yes.

Where can I find it?
Links here.

Nighthawks gets...

Challenge of the Tiger (1980)

"We're agents 05 and 06." - Huang

aka: Gymkata Killer
Two CIA agents hunt down terrorists.
Starring: Richard Harrison, Bruce Le, Nadiuska, Brad Harris, and Bolo Yeung

Link to IMDB

When a secret formula that is capable of killing all sperm (yes, you read that right) is stolen by terrorists, two CIA agents are called in to investigate. The men are Huang Lung, a martial arts expert, and his partner Richard Cannon, a spy that does his best to imitate James Bond.

They are soon tracking the bad guys, getting into fist fights and dodging bullets; but they also meet a mysterious woman named Maria who tricks them both and escapes with the formula.

Richard  &  Huang

Maria

It seems terrorists from all over the globe are after the sperm killing serum, so Huang and Richard are surrounded by bad guys everywhere they go as they travel around trying to find Maria.
There are Neo-Nazis, Vietnamese spies, and more! All muscle-bound men trying to get that serum. The movie is basically just a jumble of fights, bad guys plotting, and our heroes doing some spy work. There's not too much else to explain except that it's gloriously ridiculous.
There are some twists along the way, and it gets even crazier when all the terrorists start trying to kill each other, but it all feels unplanned. This is one sloppy movie, but thankfully the inherit sloppiness here is actually quite fun.



You get all the kung-fu fighting you'd expect, and it's balanced well alongside the slower spy stuff, but most of the action is saved for the second half when the guys infiltrate the terrorist hideout. I found quite a few laughs here, too, because the dubbing is hilariously bad and the acting even worse!
Mix in random nudity, random questionable fashion, and a funky musical score to keep things lively and you've got yourself a fun, albeit repetitive, quirky little spy movie.

Lots of this

Be sure not to miss:
- Is the dog growling or purring?
- That's Bolo Yeung and Brad Harris as two baddies. Great to see these titans battling.
- Most random cameo ever from Jane Seymour.
- Rats enough!

Internet review:
"Parts of it were fun. Parts of it were bum." - Dave

Should I watch it?
Probably. Watch the first 5 minutes and you'll know.

Where can I find it?
Here on YouTube.

Challenge of the Tiger gets...

Banzai Runner (1987)

"A man with a grudge is one thing, but a cop with a grudge is something else." - Captain

A highway patrolman goes after a speeder gang.
Starring: Dean Stockwell, John Shepherd, Charles Dierkop, Dawn Schneider

Link to IMDB

Officer Billy Baxter is one of the best highway patrolmen in California, working hard to keep the drunks and reckless drivers off the road, but there's one group of speeders he's been trying to catch for years. A bunch of rich men called "runners" always elude him as they race up and down the highway in their powerful sport cars.

Baxter's brother was previously killed by a drunk driver, so his nephew, Beck, lives with him now. The anger and pain from that tragedy fuels Baxter to relentlessly pursue anyone breaking the law on the highway, but he'll never catch the runners in his old patrol car.
What Baxter really wants is a powerful vehicle that can rival the runners, so he goes to his eccentric friend Traven to learn how to drive a turbo injected car.



Baxter's obsession with the untouchable runners and his bad temper on the job ends up forcing his Captain to fire him! Now jobless, going through a divorce and feeling useless, Baxter has no idea what to do next, but that's when the federal drug police offer him an undercover job to infiltrate the rich and powerful runners that might just be trafficking drugs.

Baxter: "Damn, Traven, you're an outlaw."

Traven: "So are you, you just don't know it yet."

Beck                                            Traven

Posing as rich car enthusiasts, Baxter and Beck head to L.A. and start hanging with the runners. There's definitely some shady business going on with these guys, and one man named Syszek is a real sleazy wildcard. As Baxter gets deeper into the runner club, he and Beck are faced with the fact that they'll have to race for their lives if they want to see justice!

Obligatory picture of a car going fast

This is a simple little movie, not doing much that will surprise you, but it remains consistently watchable. There's a lot of soap opera drama that Baxter and Beck have with their girlfriends, but it adds depth to the characters as we see the guys trying to outrace their own inner demons.

Too bad there isn't as much car racing as I expected, because the movie spends a lot of time teasing the fact that Baxter will eventually get his chance to race the runners off the road, both literally and figuratively. 
It works as a cop drama, and there's some laughs at how cheesy everything is, but it doesn't drive head-first into B-movie vehicular craziness like I was hoping.

Be sure not to miss:
- Traven's idea of a fly swatter.
- Syszek is played by Billy Drago, because when you need a sleazy villain you call Drago.

Internet review:
"If only this video was as good as it's cover implies." - Jill-68

Should I watch it?
Good, but not a must see.

Where can I find it?
Here on YouTube.

Banzai Runner gets...