torrascotia

Never heard about this movie until today but it seems that 80s movies made by the likes of New World and other long forgotten about VHS fodder are finally being dumped onto streaming services. Movies that only until recently existed as video files ripped from grainy VHS and downloaded are now here in full HD.

This is yet another female clone of The Defiant Ones, a proto Thelma and Louse without the bad driving. We have Tatum O'Neil, a name I remember but not anything shes been in, and Irene Cara who was ridiculously pretty and not in enough stuff. Something to do with a lawsuit.. The story is that both girls end up in court by chance, and by further chance end up in court at the same time as two female gang members who are intent on shooting their way to freedom. Which is where the first shock of this movie appears, which is how violent and gory it is. This was a feature of many VHS movies, because they knew it would get people talking. However the level of violence is probably more severe than most movies today. The girls make a run for it and are pursued by the cops who think they were part of the shooting. What follows is typical 80's people on the run stuff, but with a heavily sleazy angle of violence against women and drugs. Its almost a woman in prison movie, just minus the prison.

Entertaining, but not if you want an easy watch.

Prime Video comes up trumps again. Even though I though I had seen most of the best Blaxsploitation movies, this one presented itself and it didn't disappoint.

Friday Foster is yet another Pam Grier flick, but its overlooked probably because she isn't in a role where she plays a violent woman beating up men. Of course that genre has its own weird fan base. But what we have here instead is Pam as a photographer slash investigator with no martial arts skills on show. The punch ups are left to the male cast. But what a cast this is. It reads like every main black actor of the time, the twist is however they are playing the good guys, whereas many of them have been type cast as bad guys. Many of the faces on show from James Bonds Live And Let Die.

This movie has a banging soundtrack and a great pay off at the end, even if like me you had no clue what the hell was going on.

This is an overlooked gem of a movie from this era with a higher than expected standard of cast and execution.

Recommended.

I initially missed a showing of this at a local cinema, but when I discovered it was doing a run at The Edinburgh Festival, I bought a ticket straight away. The fact that some of the heavyweight names from the late 90's and early 90's were attached made this an interesting prospect. Names like Mc Mello, Blade, Rodney P and others meant at least some of the acts I would have been a fan of at the time.

What isn't clear from the info is that this is a short, it clocks in at around 45 mins. Usually followed up with a live Q&A by the director. Who I had never heard of before, and I am Scottish as well as a rap fan, but she is apparently better known as a supermodel.

So what to make of this supermodel MBE directed documentary?

It is very engaging and well researched, although it is mainly talking heads. There is some music in there, but definitely some classic tracks and indeed artists missing from the roster. No Hijack, Demon Boyz, Gunshot or Hardnoise. There are of course newer artists I hadn't heard of, which is generally the case as people tend to age out of the scene eventually.

Its professionally produced so its head and shoulders above most the YouTube content which focuses on the UK rap scene of the past. The main downside is it lacks a timeline structure. But it is engaging nonetheless.

I think what this needs is someone to step up and throw some cash at it to make it a full length feature, so that other important artists can be included, as well as their music. And a nod to record labels like Kold Sweat, Mango and Music Of Life.

There is definitely a market for it, as older rap fans of the Britcore sound would be keen to own a copy if it had a bit more of what's on offer. This is a good start however and the Q&A with the director who is engaging and articulate is well worth the ticket price alone.