Werewolves on Wheels Review from Dark Sky Films!
Some evenings when I watch the films that I’ve collected over the years, I must thank the great Exploitation Lord for bringing me such beautiful creations like Werewolves on Wheels. I’d heard about it now and then, finally buying it last month, and watched it soon afterwards. If one movie could be used to illustrate the crazy and random reality that exists beyond Hollywood Pop, it’d probably be this one, or it’d be part of a top five anyhow.
You’d be forgiven if you thought this one might be played a bit for laughs, or really camp. No, it’s dead serious with a likeable cast of characters, and some inventive moments that stay with you as the credits roll. This one will make ya smile proudly. It’s a masterpiece of trash cinema, and it’s damn proud of itself.
As I’ve stated on previous reviews where bikers are concerned, the Hells Angels and bikers as a whole, have been a huge part of my family. It’s so nice to find proper cool flicks that write great roles for bikers instead of just cut ‘n’ paste villains. We all know of Easy Rider, the great classic that it is, but then on the underground, there’s Stone, Northville Cemetery Massacre (see review here) and 2008’s Hell Ride (c’mon, it was fun and brutal. Vinnie Jones as a biker??!! Awesome!!).
Anyhow, file Werewolves on Wheels under the ‘Did someone actually come up with that concept?’ category and sit back for one hell of a journey.
A foot stomping, beer swigging tune hits us as we see the gang, called The Devil’s Advocates, riding along the highway in the traditional formation seen in so many movies of that era. They’re a decent bunch, only getting mad when a redneck runs one of their number off the road, so he gets even at a gas station. One member of the gang is called Tarot, and that’s his speciality. “We all know how we’re gonna die,” laughs leader, Adam, as they all grab a beer, “Baby, we’re gonna crash an’ burn!” (incidentally quoted on Sick Bubblegum by Rob Zombie) Tarot smiles obligingly, “That’s too simple, man.” He explains the cards lift the blindfolds. He reads the fate of Adam’s old lady, Helen, then they all head off, the final two cards being a possible portent of doom.
Soon they chance upon a building which houses a temple. Drunk and shouting about Satan, etcetera, they are suddenly surrounded in the huge grounds by Monks carrying food and wine whilst the head of the sect watches from the top of the edifice.
“I am called One. I am the One who speaks for those who must remain silent.” states the sect leader as he stands above Helen and Adam, who are kissing. He plucks a strand of her hair. “The hair of many, is the hair of One.” Predictably, the beverage is drugged. They all crash out on the lawn. “Shadows are the sails of night,” says One, “They soon will come to hide the light.” That night a ritual is performed, and Helen walks in slow-motion to the cluster of Satanists, dancing nude with a skull in her hands and a snake round her arm. Adam wakes up to find her gone, so the gang burst in on the party and beat the hell out of the monks. As they grapple, each member of the bikers has their face touched by a black mark. As a small wax figure burns, Helen freaks out, so Adam carries her from the place.
Adam decides they should head into the desert to clear their minds a bit. Out there, they drink and fool about until two of their number wander off further away and are attacked by what appears to be large animals. Gore and blood all over the sand, their corpses are discovered next morning. Adam figures they both fell off a rock, drunk, broke their necks, and beasts chewed at them.
Off they go again, stopping on their way to nowhere to steal gas from the lone outpost in the desert, run by a weird guy in a hat. After listening to the commentary track by the two writers, this guy wasn’t even an actor, he was a real guy manning the desolate gas station, and they chanced upon him, asked him to say a few lines, which he also added loads of ad-libs and actions which you can see genuinely has the actors laughing. In fact, the camera blurs and shakes sometimes, apparently, the camera crew couldn’t stop laughing either. “You guys are lost, aren’t you?” he does say to them which kind of haunts the gang as they ride deeper into the dust and the heat.
Discovering an enclosure filled with derelict cars and vehicles of sorts, they settle down for the night, set fire to the trucks, etcetera, to hopefully ward off any beasts, then drink and smoke weed. Finding their film quoting buddy, Movie, dead in the fire the next day, Adam realises it could be to do with the Monks, the gang are cursed. The plan is to return to the temple and destroy the sect. However, soon it transpires that some of their number are indeed werewolves…
It’s obvious who’s hairy in this one before the rather bewildering exposure. To me, the fact the wolves are revealed the way they are doesn’t make sense considering how they’ve remained hidden for so long, but y’ know, exploitation rules, I guess. Nevertheless, Werewolves on Wheels is a classic for those who enjoy something entertaining and different. The whole primeval stance running to the rather creepy climax where they face all their dead friends again, is chilling.
The commentary supplied on this DVD by Dark Sky Films, has both writers (David M. Kaufman and Michel Levesque) asked why the look of the werewolves were so Universal retro. It’s because of the budget, and the fact the make-up guy was an ex-Disney artist. “He probably only knew about ducks!” they laughed.
Both writers lament the lighting in the final chase sequence. On VHS tapes you can only see flaming torches and nothing else, and they explain the hurried filming they had to deal with as a team. Their stunt guy was only hired to them for one day, and the make-up guy for three days. It is a let-down, to be honest, the illumination and the bloody appearance of what should have been vicious creatures, but look cuddly, like Karen at the end of The Howling. Our last wolf jumps on his bike and is chased until an obvious stuntman burns. At least the confrontation with the unholy monks kind of redeems the film in the last minutes. I dunno why, but it got me thinking of Rob Zombie’s, Lords of Salem.
Michel Levesque also directed this mutant hybrid and favours some great wide angled set-ups. The bikes in the desert and the monks in their temple are filmed in such a way that seems dreamlike and as if you’ll swoop down any moment. It’s shocking that his career as a director didn’t continue much, but as an ‘Art Director’ he was very prolific over the decades that followed (which explains the wonderful angles I guess) working with Russ Meyer on a number of productions, as well as TV series like Hunter and Renegade.
Werewolves on Wheels feels a bit like Race with the Devil (see review here) in as much as it has a similar plot set up but is executed far better than the Peter Fonda vehicle. Plus, this one has Barry McGuire in the cast. You know, Eve of Destruction, that gravel voiced singer. He plays Scarf. As a matter of fact, some of the players in this film had lengthy careers, not big players, but surviving over many years. Severn (One) Darden and Billy (Pill) Grey appeared in a hundred or more TV series and films. Others such as Gray Johnson, who portrayed the ill-fated, Movie, and Tex Hall, were stunt men, which helped a lot.
Dark Sky have provided a decent commentary with Werewolves on Wheels as I said, but if you’re looking for extras, then they’ve blown it by sticking two cruddy trailers and a radio spot on. That’s it. The film print however is top-notch, and the sound with the catchy soundtrack really powers through your TV.
Werewolves on Wheels Bikersploitation and horror, with some blood splashed here and there, plus lush eye candy locations for lovers of low down filthy ‘70s movies. What more do you want? It is probably best to grab a beer or likeminded friends first. Like The Cramps said, “By tomorrow we’ll feel like we’ve been hit by a truck, but let’s get fucked up!” Turn the volume way loud and enjoy.
AKA: Angel Warriors 2, Lobisomens sobre Rodas, Terror Pa hiju, La notte dei demoni
Directed by: Michel Levesque | Written by: Michel Levesque, David M Kaufman | Produced by: Paul Lewis, Stuart Fleming | Cinematography by: Isidore Mankofsky | Editing by: Peter Parasheles | Music by: Don Gere | Cast: Steve Oliver, Gene Shane, Barry McGuire, Donna Anders, Gray Johnson, Owen Orr, Anna Lynn Brown, Tex Hall, Severn Darden, Ingrid Grunewald, Nick Palmisano | Year: 1971 | Country: USA | Language: English | Color: Color | Runtime: 1h 20min
Distributor: Dark Sky Films
DVD SPECS:
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Region: NTSC R1
Audio: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL:
– Commentary with Michel Levesque, David M Kaufman
– Trailers
– Radio Spot
– Photo Gallery
