The Cycle Savages

I collect "cheap biker movies" and this qualifies. There is a lot to be said, but, most others out there covered it all. I thought I would throw in a few (of many) bloopers. When Romko's hands are in the vise, they are obviously loose (not being crunched). Check out how many times the cast accidentally bump the vise handle and spin it. If the vise was under tension, the handle would be tight. Another blooper was when a biker hops on his bike that is backed to the curb. Watch the exhaust pipes. Before he even "Kicks it over" there is a very obvious belching of smoke, indicating the bike was running at idle before he even got on it.(not to mention in need of valve guide work). Comical stuff. Thats why I love these cheap biker movies. Notice the sky high exhaust pipes on one bike? Cool. The leaders of most real outlaw biker clubs (not gangs) ride a Harley Sportster (for quicker handling and speed while being pursued by the law) not any English bike(s) like "Keeg" (what's a Keeg?) The purple Triumph of "Keeg" is cool, but not authentic. Outlaw clubs rode Harleys, not Limeys. It is just that cheap biker movies can't afford an all Harley cast, I guess. All in all, one great "Cheap Biker Movie". VERY racy for it's time. These movies were meant to terrify the viewers. Maybe at the time, but comical, now.

Wow, is just one of the many words used to describe this movie. A terrific 60's independent sound track that make you want to take the nearest drug available. Also, the supporting cast is amazing. So amazing, that it makes the leads in this film terrible. Melody Patterson makes her first feature since leaving her days on F-Troop as the beautiful Wrangler Jane. Yes, she gets naked, but we don't see much. This may be one of the biggest reasons why people actually paid money to see this back in 1969. Then again, we see Bruce Dern's talents as a wonderful actor in this movie. One of the most original and outrageous characters in independent cinema, Dern's performance gives the audience another reason to keep watching.

The leader of a biker gang (Bruce Dern) takes exception to an artist sketching them, so he makes plans to crush the artist's hands.

The film is cheap, with awful audio and terrible music. This was director Bill Brame's debut, though he had worked as an editor on "Star Trek" (and continued to be an editor for many years after). Although the movie has Roger Corman written all over it, this surprisingly is not one of his films.

We get some decent cast members here: Dern, Melody Patterson and even Casey Kasem (who doubles as executive producer). And there is some interesting conflict, but this is a largely disposable film.

"Keeg" (Bruce Dern) is the psychotic leader of a motorcycle gang, which pretty much does whatever it wants because the people in a certain community are terrified to testify against them. This is especially true for a beautiful woman named "Lea" (Melody Patterson) who would love to tell the police everything she knows. Unfortunately, her sister happens to be in a prostitution ring run by Keeg's older brother and is deathly afraid of what might happen to her. So like everybody else, she remains silent. Then one day, Keeg catches a glimpse of a young man by the name of "Romko" (Chris Robinson) who spends his time sketching everything he sees, and that includes some of the activities of the motorcycle gang. This infuriates Keeg, who roughs up Romko and destroys all of the sketches involving him and his gang. However, Keeg soon becomes obsessed with the idea that Romko might begin drawing more sketches, and because of that, he begins to make plans to prevent that from happening. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this turned out to be a rather dramatic biker movie due in large part to the performance of Bruce Dern. Likewise, the scene involving the brutal gang-rape of the attractive blonde by the name of "Janie" (Karen Cirol) was also quite shocking and intense. Be that as it may, I thought that this was one of the more explicit and realistic biker movies out there, and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.

This Casey Kasem production has to be the funniest biker flick in biker flick history! The film stars a host of "cult" favorites. Bruce Dern plays a wild-eyed, demented, out-of-control, biker named Keeg(guess he has a "weakness" for beer!). Dern's performance is so over-the-top, it's great. Every time he goes off the deep end, you can't help but break out laughing! He is a"White-Heat Cagney" in leather on a chopped-up hog! The romantic interest is the beautiful Melody Patterson-Wrangler Jane on t.v.'s F-Troop. Ms. Patterson is the most talented actress in the film, but who cares? She's as lovely as can be, and she's nude too! The hero is played by South Florida "Cult" legend Chris Robinson. Robinson is the Bogart of "Z" films, this film makes you wonder how mainstream Hollywood didn't discover this "Diamond" in a mountain of garbage. The academy award for most colorful acting goes to character-actor Scott Brady as a less than tough-talking vice squad detective. The movie poster for this "stinker" bills the gang as "The Wildest Bunch of the 70's", unfortunately they are the funniest!