Inferno

The other comments on this film sum up fairly well the dramatics of it. Don "The Dragon" Wilson is an Interpol agent whose best buddy is killed in an opening shoot-em-up scene. Still hunting terrorists, Wilson is sent to India (helmer Fred Olen Ray sits in for a cameo as Don's boss at Interpol), where he gets into a tangle that leads to a couple of revelations.

There's not much to distinguish this from any other quickie, straight-to-video actioner, except that much of the stunt work seems a little anemic. Nonetheless, I highly recommend the DVD edition of this film (which is entitled "Operation Cobra") to all fans of low-budget movies. One might say, "War, Pestilence, Plague, and Famine -- the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse!" but a close runner up for the fifth spot on that team might -- at first blush -- seem to be "With Director Commentary track by Fred Olen Ray." That conclusion would be a definite mistake.

The director's commentary track is the most fascinating part of the DVD package. Ray pulls relatively few punches in discussing the movie. We learn that the whole film was shot in Hyderabad, India, and Fred tells us that it was the first American movie to be filmed completely in India. (Was "Maya," in the 60s, not all shot on location?) We also learn that although Hyderabad is not among the scenic high lights of India, one of the producers owned a studio there, which made for economical filming! Ray also discusses the ins and outs of low-budget film-making, pointing out where specific locations were used for multiple purposes, and noting the Indian actors who had to be dubbed for the American release. We also learn a good bit about the crew's drinking habits and the outbreak of dysentery on the set, as well as the logistics of the big action finale sequence, which was filmed under less than ideal circumstances. (I got two words for ya -- Flies! Flies!) There is likewise a short on-set featurette, which is mostly home movie footage and not nearly as informative as the commentary track.

Fred Olen Ray makes straight to video/straight to cable movies for less money than Brad Pitt's personal assistant gets paid. Ray is not likely to win an Oscar any time soon (I always felt he should have at least been nominated for "Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers"), and he's not remotely pretentious here. You wanna know about making movies for peanuts in a difficult overseas location? Here it is.

I watched the film once for story, then ran it again with the commentary track. Cut out the middle man and go straight to the commentary. Anyway, Ray throws in enough of the plot (sometimes puzzled by it himself) that you can follow the story with no problem. You can find the DVD, if you shop around, for somewhere in the neighborhood of $5, and if you love Poverty Row movies as much as I do, you'll think it a bargain at twice the price. Forget about the plot and concentrate on America's most prolific non-porn filmmaker at work.

The fourth of nine films bearing the title INFERNO, most of which are straight-to-video or "Z" grade flopperoos.

Before watching this alleged martial-arts but in reality actionless no-brainer, you gotta ask yourself, what DOES director Fred Olen Ray have in common with compatriots Bill Carson, Sam Newfield, Roger Collins, Freddie Valentine, Nick Medina and the incomparable Ed Raymond? Give up? well you will be underwhelmed to discover that they are ALL the same person! Not a promising start! But there again these ARE the people responsible for the timeless classics DINOSAUR GIRLS, EVIL TOONS, THE BRAIN LEECHES and who can forget BAD GIRLS FOR MARS?

So armed with this knowledge (and I was deprived of this vital information on my first viewing) you can sit back and watch Olen-Ray's INFERNO. Don "The Dragon" Wilson "stars" (I use the term loosely) as Connors - our chop-sockey hero who seems more adept with guns and wigs than anything else. Actors appear in different roles, none of which matter, they are so stupefyingly amateurish.

Why the hell am I reviewing this trash?

Picture this; Don "The Dragon" Wilson, mattress, cobra, bed sheets and a gun. Can you see it, well, director Fred Olen Ray delivers on that unbelievable image. Wilson plays an Interpol agent who ends up in India tracking down his partner's killer.

I haven't watched a lot of Wilson's films, but the quickie, low-rent "INFERNO" aka (OPERATION COBRA) is one of his better efforts. However it doesn't really have much to do with him, as he simply goes through the motions (robotically) when he's not high kicking people's faces. Watching an uncomfortable looking Wilson act, is just as awkward to watch. I'm sure there's more life and charisma stemming from his eyebrows alone. Across from him is the effortless Evan Lurie as the lethal, calmly spoken henchman. The final showdown between the two (which also involves a snake) is the best the action had to offer. This can be contributed to the spotty, lackluster choreography in most of the activity in the lead up to it. I can't say the same for Tana McClure's feisty performance, as things to do liven up when she's around. She even gets a standoff with the underused Jillian Kesner. Also making themselves known are Rick Hall and Michael Cavanaugh. Being that Olen Ray is behind the camera; in between the action are the customary, steamy soft-core sex scenes (and one of those including a water fountain and white dress).

He actually does a good job presenting the Indian locations and its local color, giving it another dimension, which the material lacks. Everything about the narrative plays out like an uninspired James Bond adventure, where it obviously steals its ideas. Even the lead is a lady magnet, just going by the out-of-nowhere "special" room service. What starts basic (buddy-buddy set-up), develops into silliness (McClure dressed up as an Indian woman) and the character's intentions do become a muddle. In the end, for entertainment, it does work out for the better.

A surprisingly enjoyable combo from Don Wilson and Fred Olen Ray; a better one from both their resumes. This reminded me a lot of the mainstream Chris Hemsworth film EXTRACTION, with our hero tasked with going to India to take down some villains. Good scumbags for him to battle against and fun fights throughout, although a bit too much of the Playboy-style sex scenes.

"Operation Cobra" brings together several people long associated with cinematic schlock. Ashok Amritraj and Andrew Stevens were producers, Roger Corman was the executive producer, and Fred Olen Ray was the director! Needless to say, the budget is low, though since the movie was shot in India - which is a pretty cheap place to shoot a movie - the cheapness is less evident than usual. And the Indian locations do give the movie an exotic feel at times. Unfortunately, there's not much else positive I can say about this movie. The story is confusing at times, with information and key scenes seemingly missing at times. And the martial arts sequences are done in the typically boring American fashion - someone does a move, cut to another angle, another move is made, cut to another angle etc. But the movie's biggest flaw is that it's more often than not dull to watch. Even if you see this movie for free, chances are you'll feel ripped off at the end.