1971 Angels, As Hard As They Come in depth review

SYNOPSIS

Angels Hard as They Come is an American biker exploitation film directed by Joe Viola and produced by Jonathan Demme for New World Pictures. The film stars Scott Glenn, Charles Dierkop, James Iglehart, Gilda Texter, and Gary Busey in his motion-picture debut.

The story follows members of the Angels motorcycle gang who become involved in a deadly conflict with a rival gang, the Dragons, while visiting a desert ghost town occupied by a hippie commune. Combining motorcycle action, counterculture themes, drugs, and graphic violence, the film is a gritty example of early-1970s exploitation cinema.

PLOT (Spoiler Alert)

When a planned drug deal is interrupted by police surveillance, Long John, a member of the Angels motorcycle gang, arranges to meet the buyer, Lucifer, several days later. While traveling through the desert with fellow bikers Juicer and Monk, they encounter members of the rival Dragons gang, who invite them to Lost Cause, an abandoned ghost town where a hippie commune is holding a party.

There, the Dragons' volatile leader, General, challenges Long John to a motorcycle race and loses. Long John also meets Astrid, a young woman living with the commune, and becomes attracted to her.

Later that night, several drunken Dragons attempt to assault Astrid. Long John and his companions intervene, but Astrid is fatally stabbed during the ensuing fight. General blames the Angels for her death, stages a mock trial, and declares them guilty. Long John, Juicer, and Monk are imprisoned and subjected to a series of sadistic games.

Monk eventually escapes into the desert, while Long John and Juicer receive help from Henry and Vicki, the commune's leaders. Monk reaches the Angels' drug contact and brings reinforcements back to Lost Cause.

General threatens to burn Vicki alive unless the fugitives surrender. Long John and Juicer emerge from hiding, but the confrontation is interrupted when Henry reveals that Axe, one of the Dragons, possessed the knife used to kill Astrid.

General realizes Axe had been plotting against him and kills him. The Angels then arrive, and a violent battle leaves the Dragons dead, including General, who is crushed when a makeshift wooden structure collapses on him. With the conflict over, the hippies and bikers leave Lost Cause, going their separate ways.

PRODUCTION

The film was directed by Joe Viola, who co-wrote the screenplay with Jonathan Demme. Demme also served as producer, with legendary low-budget filmmaker Roger Corman credited as executive producer. The production was made for New World Pictures, the company responsible for numerous exploitation films of the period.

Stephen Katz handled cinematography, with additional photography by Caleb Deschanel. John Fisk was the art director, Richard Hieronymos composed the score, and the rock group Carp contributed music. Filming took place in California and Yuma, Arizona.

RELEASE

Angels Hard as They Come was released in the United States in July 1971 through New World Pictures. The color production runs approximately 90 minutes and received an R rating.

The film became part of the wave of motorcycle-gang exploitation pictures that followed the success of The Wild Angels (1966) and Easy Rider (1969). It has since attracted interest as an early production in the career of filmmaker Jonathan Demme.

CAST

• Scott Glenn as Long John

• Charles Dierkop as General

• James Iglehart as Monk

• Gary Busey as Henry

• Don Carerra as Juicer

• Gilda Texter as Astrid

• Janet Wood as Vicki

• Gary Littlejohn as Axe

• Brendan Kelly as Brain

• Dennis Art as Rings

• Larry Tucker as Lucifer

• Cheri Latimer as Lucifer's Girl

• Steve Slauson as Magic

• John Raymond Taylor as Crab

• Marc Seaton as Louie

• Neva Davis as Clean Sheila

• Ron Starr as Ron

• William Carter as Charlie

• Evelyn Littlejohn as Eve

• Lance Hefner as Cloud

CREW

• Director: Joe Viola

• Executive Producer: Roger Corman

• Producer: Jonathan Demme

• Screenplay: Jonathan Demme and Joe Viola

• Cinematography: Stephen Katz

• Additional Photography: Caleb Deschanel

• Film Editing: Joe Ravetz

• Art Direction: John Fisk

• Music: Richard Hieronymos

• Music Production: T. C. Corbett

• Sound: Peter Pilafian

• Production Company: New World Pictures

• Distributor: New World Pictures

IMDb RATING

4.7/10 (IMDb rating at the time of research).

TRIVIA

Gary Busey's film debut: The film marked the motion-picture debut of actor Gary Busey, who plays Henry.

Jonathan Demme's early career: This was Demme's first feature film as a screenwriter and producer. He would later become an Academy Award-winning director.

Roger Corman's involvement: The legendary independent filmmaker served as executive producer through New World Pictures.

A low-budget production: The film was made within the economical production system associated with Corman's New World Pictures.

Real motorcycle culture: The production drew on the outlaw biker culture that had become a popular subject of American exploitation cinema.