Black Angels

Here is a biker flick that tries to deal with interacial tensions between black & white clubs. There are fights, drugs, riding, sex (to include a vary racy (no pun intended) rape with 2 black men & a white woman). Its fun to watch this in its silly production, 1 just has to remember this is a exploitation film, it is intended to make money off this type of flick, that is biker's & black's.

I say "Ouch!" 'cause this one is painful to watch. My video has major problems...The sound comes and goes and the picture is grainy and streaked. Probably the best thing about this movie! WOW! Remember the little boy who rides his bike with no hands? I think HE wrote, produced and directed this one. Plot? Can't find it. Acting? Where? I like the (little) comedy in it, such as the nun who M.F's the biker. The drunk was kinda cool, too. I couldn't watch this one all the way through. Got at about one hour and eight minutes into it. I had found something better to do that was less painful. I had to go out in the garage and crush my hand in my bench vise. I collect "cheap biker movies" and this one is the worst/best. "Chopper Chicks From Zombie Town" was the worst until I saw this one. CCFZT took me a few years to watch it. I got about 1/2 way through and couldn't take it anymore. Broke it out a few years later and finished it. I'll probably not finish "Black Angels". That's how good it is.

Black Angels (1970)

* 1/2 (out of 4)

Jimmy is a young black male who hopes to one day be the leader of the all-black motorcycle gang. This leads him to attack a notorious white biker known as Chainer. Chainer, understanding what the kid is trying to do, gives him a good beating but nothing too serious. This here sets off a chain of events that lead to the black gang thinking that the white one is about the wage a war.

Laurence Merrick isn't a name that is known by many but he directed this film as well as a couple other notoriously bad movies. GUESS WHAT HAPPENED TO COUNT Dracula? and MANSON are two really campy movies and both of them are more entertaining than this film, which is obviously trying to cash in on the success of films like EASY RIDER and THE WILD RIDE. Obviously this low-budget exploitation picture can't match either one of those pictures and there's just not enough going on here to keep it more entertaining.

The biggest problem with BLACK ANGELS is that there's just not enough going on to keep it entertaining throughout its running time. I say that because the film could have made for some campy fun because of the racial angle that it takes but sadly very little is done with the plot. The highlight of the film happens very easy on when the "young" guy tries to show up the "old" guy and it leads to a fairly funny and entertaining fight.

For the most part the cast members are good enough for this type of film and that includes James Whitworth who would later gain fame playing Jupiter in Wes Craven's THE HILLS HAVE EYES. The film also offers up some minor nudity and violence but there's just not enough here to save the picture.

I agree with the other comment posted here - we're talking Ed Wood bad -- we're talking Plan 9 might have to step down. This movie is so full throttle awful - you wont believe it - bad writing, awful camera work, ugly chicks, for no reason live raccoons and a mountain lion partying with the bikers sas they drink beer and smoke weed, the WORST fight sequences, terrible "rock" songs with a message and one of thos early 1970's downer endings that supposed TO MEAN SOMETHING, MAN!!!! My friends and I howled and hooted and applauded. Some of the acting is so bad, you are left numb. Fight scenes that my brother and I did better when we were 6 and 7 "fighting" in the back yard. I cant believe this movie isnt more famous on the Midnight movie circuit!!! If you love turkey cinema - go on and feast!

A hybrid between a blaxploitation movie and a biker film, with the emphasis heavily on the latter. Interestingly, the Black Angels here are not the brothers but the evil cops! The joy of this one is it's rough and ready nature, with off-the-street actors and ropey fight scenes.