Thursday, September 22, 2011

JUNGLE WARRIORS (MEDIA - 1984)

At one time, people actually made interesting movies. I just don't understand what happened. There are a limited number of people out there who still produce what you could call "exploitation flicks," where women are physically molested and abused for the sake of entertainment, but they're generally too smutty and serious to be fun. I don't understand why they give mentally imbalanced dudes who dress like Joe Coleman, dye their hair black and have no sense of humor money to make tribute films to their ex-girlfriend issues.

Exploitation films now verge on dirty secrets, or something closer to pornography, whereas they used to be a healthy part of fringe culture. Where did all the overly-macho, overly-sexed action flicks go? Why isn't anything fun anymore? There seems to be very little joy in anyone's work these days. Everything is just way too serious and way too direct. Sure, the people who churned out shit like "Jungle Warriors" were more than likely motivated by the opportunity to make a return on their investment. They knew people liked explosions, violence, and tits. Twenty-some years later, the public has been cheated out of what it once loved through the shaming voice of the moral minority. Our attitudes have regressed in many ways. If someone made a movie like this today, it would probably start riots of ecstasy. It's okay to enjoy this shit. Really. It doesn't make you deviate.

Anyway, this movie rules. A bunch of models fly down to South America for an exotic photo shoot and are quickly captured by a drug czar's militia. Once brought back to his pleasure dome, they are menaced by Sybill Danning. Meanwhile, the Mafia has arrived to discuss business. What a fucking plot! And if you weren't already sold, here's a little trivia tidbit on how Marjoe Gortner wound up replacing Dennis Hopper in this flick:
"Dennis Hopper was arrested by Mexican police for wandering naked around a village near where the film was shooting. He was fired and replaced by Marjoe Gortner. He later said he had a drug problem at the time and didn't even remember being arrested, let alone being fired from the picture."
Check out the trailer, courtesy HumungusFromDaHood.

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