Wheeler

This is one of those 70's movies I appreciate not because it's good, or even because it's "so bad it's good", but because it's so far out of the generally accepted cinematic universe that it's hard to believe it was ever made at all. The Southern-fried plot involves a kidnapping masterminded by the greedy son-in-law of a rich oil baron (which naturally goes completely awry). The hired goon he gets to do this "Wheeler, the titular "Psycho from Texas", is a completely unlikeable and physically unattractive sociopath, who the filmmakers for some reason try to turn into some kind of tragic, sympathetic anti-hero by showing flashbacks of him as a grubby little kid watching his prostitute mother service male clients while a strangely touching country music song plays on the soundtrack.

The most famous scene by far in this movie though is where "Wheeler" makes a barmaid, played by a very young Linnae Quigley, take off all her clothes and dance for him him while he pours beer over her head (then for the coup de grace he makes her dry hump the corpse of a man he has just killed). This scene actually gave me a new appreciation for Quigley who I had previously known only as a 1980's "scream queen", where she always adopted this intentional bad-acting schtick, (which I assumed covered up a total lack of talent) in countless "horror" movies that in turn used her and other half-naked "scream queens" to cover up the fact that they were completely worthless dreck. Quigley looks really good here despite (certainly not because of)the degrading nature of the scene, but what is REALLY impressive, even in such a small role as this, is her acting. I don't want to make outlandish claims that she deserved an Academy-award nomination or anything, but how many Academy-award nominated actresses would have had the guts to do something like this? And how many of her fellow "scream queens" could have possibly pulled it off?

This movie is not very good, but it is kind of interesting.

License plate on the car and the main actor are from Texas. Where is this taken place? Nobody says anything about that, in a town, and in no time in the middle of nowhere with a run down refinery. My Grandfather was the Bank President and Mr. Phillips best friend. His role was short and sweet to the point and I believe he acted as himself with no lines. He was just like, think about this, and added logic reasons, he should have been asked in the meantime why weeler cashed a check with no I.D. from someone else's account. Sound was what can I say, horrible, chase scene was miles long, so still trying to figure out where they were! I could tell though that the courthouse in El Dorado was noticeable in South Arkansas. More porn on this movie than movies of that nature nowadays. It's alright if your bored! I watched it only for the 2 or 3 minute scene my Grandfather played as the best friend to Mr. Phillips.

True to its title, this film does feature a psycho from Texas. Wheeler (John King III) rolls into a small town in order to help out in the kidnapping of a local oil businessman. He accomplishes his task early on and then spends the rest of the running time trying to get the money. He fails. This is a curious regional flick. It seems to have a message (child abuse makes people bad) but loses all that in the sleazy aspects and Southern justice. The film's highlight/lowlight has Wheeler pouring a pitcher of beer over a totally nude barmaid (Linnea Quigley in her first role) he is harassing. There is also one of the longest footchases in the history of cinema. It starts at like 52 minutes in and doesn't resolve itself (other scenes cut in) until a half hour later. If anything, it is worth seeing for John King III, who looks like a young, deranged Dick Van Patten with long hair.

Buoyantly grimy feature is a headless wallow in the cinema pigpen, but does have its iniquitous black heart in the right place. The meandering account of two hired criminals embroiled in a kidnapping scheme is merely a flimsy framework for the binding of several scenarios, each rife with senseless violence and gratuitous naturism of the female form. I have absolutely no problem with that, especially with a baby-faced Linnea Quigley in the mix, being doused with beer and forced to dance to twangy country tunes.

Our primary antagonist is a moon-faced Texas nutcase with a sick penchant for lustmord, a psychosis seeded in his childhood when he saw his mother in concupiscent action with some random Tom, Dick, or Harry. John King III gives his psychotic character the works in an over-the-top and pretty memorable performance, though the rest of the cast are merely commensurate(which is better than can usually be expected from this subjacent ambit of cinema)

5.5/10...unapologetically excessive, dog-eared 70s fun.

Less of a video, more of an experience! Follow the adventures of Wheeler (John King III) and Slick (Tommey Lamey) as they plot to obtain filthy lucre from local oil baron Mr Phillips (Herschel Mays). Watching this film may make you laugh or cry, but most probably it will make you do both! Check out the over the top dialogue e.g. Slick telling Phillips "Nowwwwwww I got Your Asss" after the chase through the woods, the flashbacks to Wheelers childhood (complete with shoddy editing and booming noise!), and the legendary beer pouring over barmaid at the end. A must for all bad movie fans.