Firestorm II: The Angel Blade

The overrated Howard/Randall team went back to the well a couple more times for these forgotten followups, reviewed here for the record. They're no longer available, though the collectors/bootleg market remains a source for the most ardent fans.

After a montage of highlights from the original film to set the story, Part II (poorly titled, as if anticipating a Japanese hentai version) errs off the bat by recasting the central sort-of-title role of Joanna Storm with Renee Summers taking over as Claire. Storm also appears and the effect of transitioning the role from one actress to another is more confusing than Bunuelian.

The "Citizen Kane" structure of an interviewer asking people about Lee Balcourt (the John Leslie role) is strained, with film proper opening with Leslie humping an uncredited Veronica Hart, followed by him humping Storm via old footage. Overdubbing of fake moaning/groaning during sex is not what one would expect from such a "prestige" production.

Tish Ambrose in the shower recalls Storm and masturbates, then the soapy plot ensues with Tish and Eric Edwards involved in an affair and jealousy, with Storm as Claire's memory hanging over them after she walked out on them two years ago (time of the first film).

Enter fresh-faced and nubile Renee Summers, who recalls what Claire (Storm) told her, and now lives vicariously through the role of Claire - starting with hot sex with Paul Thomas.

Summers delivers endless expository dialog as the story needlessly becomes convoluted, with perky Ali Moore cast as her gal pal listening to the drivel. Plenty of flashback material from Part 1 adds up to perhaps 10 minutes of the feature's 84 minute running time.

Leslie hires detective Michael Gaunt to find his daughter Claire (which one? the viewer might ask), and a subplot of Edwards having stolen stock certificates belonging to Kay Parker is emphasized (who cares?).

Sharon Kane and Tish have a lesbian scene wearing dance outfits, crosscut with Sharon Mitchell and Eric humping. Soap opera subplots fly left and right, e.g., Thomas throwing Claire (the new not-improved Renee version) out, and Mitch writing Eric a check for $50,000. And Leslie is on the run from some Arab oil sheiks, over money he owes them.

Gaunt takes time out to hump Tiffany Clark, and then Leslie meets a masochistic girl (played by ultra-obscure actress Sonya) who reminds him of Claire (Storm). Guest star Ron Jeremy (film would hardly be complete without him) shows up wearing bondage gear to hump Sonya.

As if there weren't all the superstars in the firmament already on screen, Rhonda Jo Petty joins in and seduces Leslie.

This all unfolds against a backdrop of cheap production values, but at least 35mm film is still in use. Ending of Part II is merely a preview of Part 3, with Summers talking to Tish.

It's difficult to criticize these efforts from the end (actually after the end) of Adult's Golden Age, with their virtual catalog of stars of the era on view, but Howard's hodge-podge of footage and characters leaves much to be desired. On to Part 3...