Devil's Angels

First there are no Hell's Angels as in mentioned in the main summery, the MC is the Skulls for you trivia lovers. As is so often the case in many of these summaries their weakness makes me wonder if they actually watched the movie. The movie does have a common plot for the genre, the beat music and slang of the Sixties fills the movie. The leader, John Cassavetes, is one of the not really bad guys, just a guy trying to find his way. So his performance is above what one often sees in these types of movies. Over another normal 60s biker "gang" stereotypes in plot but without the why so common death ending so in so many of films. At least more of a more positive ending

A quickly made follow-up to AIP'S ''The Wild Angels'', ''Devil's Angels''nevertheless provides solid entertainment, as well as some good acting from a game cast. John Cassavetes stars as the craggy head of a motorcycle gang who decides to lead his fun-loving bunch to a mythical place he calls ''Hole In The Wall''.This Nirvana is supposedly a hide-out he has heard of, where they won't be bothered by the outside world of ''Squares'' and can happily debauch to their heart's content. This group, however, is nowhere near as savage as ''The Wild Angels'', and their idea of fun is taking apart a little country store, stiffing the owner, and setting fire to the camper of a couple unlucky enough to accidentally knock over one of their ''Hogs''. But the story turns ugly when they stop in a small town and are accused of rape by the local yokels. Cassavetes brings a certain likability (and even a sense of honor) to his part, Leo Gordon is his usual proficient self as the local Sheriff, and, as a nice, but reckless girl who chooses to party with the gang, Mimsy Farmer (in the second of three films she made for AIP) is lovely and persuasive. The gang members are mostly convincing as well, though Beverly Adams, sporting a Vidal Sassoon haircut (courtesy of her future husband)and an enormous pair of false eyelashes, simply looks ridiculous as Cassavetes main squeeze. The widescreen photography is great, as is Mike Curb's music score, with many numbers performed by ''Angels'' alumni,Davie Allan And The Arrows. ''Devil's Angels'' has just been officially released on DVD by ''MGM'S Limited Edition'' label, and it's uncut, in widescreen, and looks fine. Previously available only as a full-screen VHS tape, double billed with a forgettable TV-movie, ''Return Of The Rebels'', this DVD is a welcome addition to any ''Biker Film''collection.

Although following a line of biker movies, stretching back to "The Wild One," "Devil's Angels" feels remarkably contemporary in its tone: anarchists on wheels ride into a town, smashing windows, stealing whatever they want, burning a car, disrespecting legal authority, boasting of their contempt for the bourgeoisie, and vandalizing everything. Their leader, John Cassavetes, is surprisingly reasonable and the beauty of Mimsy Farmer is hereby preserved forever.

This is not a great movie, and it never was. But today, the period foolishness in telling the story of poor, misunderstood counterculture bikers is a hoot! The bikers flaunt their bad-boys image and behavior, but then bemoan the harsh treatment they get from the "citizens" they despise. They--and this film--want it both ways. If this was a new film, I would be more critical of it, but as it is, it's a wonderful time capsule of '60s film-making and ideology. The acting and dialog continually swing from wooden and contrived to endearing and dramatically believable. Cassavetes was truly a talented actor, and this otherwise low-grade movie proves it. I am much more fond his gang leader character than the script or production warrant.

After the 1966 biker movie "The Wild Angels" became a box office smash, American-International Pictures over the next few years made and released a number of other biker movies, "Devil's Angels" being one of the first. While the movie definitely was profitable, the profit was much less so than what "The Wild Angels" grossed. Watching the movie, it's pretty easy to see why drive-in audiences weren't as enthusiastic. There is pretty much no plot or character development in the first half of the movie - it's just one vignette after another. The second half of the movie has a little story and fleshes out its characters slightly, but not too much more. Also disappointing is that the movie is nowhere as sleazy and explicit as some other biker movies of the time (it got a PG rating); it's quite tame even by 1967 standards. The best I can say for the movie is that there is some good widescreen photography and composition.