Johnny Firecloud

Johnny Firecloud is one of the more interesting features from David F. Friedman and company, mainly due to its cast... chances are, you're not going to find names like Ralph Meeker, David Canary, Frank DeKova, Sacheen Littlefeather, etc. in this kind of exploitation film, let alone one produced by the self-proclaimed "Mighty Monarch of the Exploitation Film World".

This film is about the trials of the title character, a Native American who returns to his town, only to find it under siege by a controlling bigot portrayed by Mr. Meeker. Mr. Canary plays the sheriff sent by Meeker to capture Johnny, dead or alive (in Meeker's case, preferably dead. Johnny will have none of it, especially when his grandfather, played by Mr. DeKova, is a victim of the townspeople. Being the anti-hero, he takes the law in his own hands.

Ms. Littlefeather. who plays a doomed friend of Johnny's, is best known as the young actress who Marlon Brando sent to the Oscars to refuse his Academy Award in protest of the treatment of Native Americans.

The acting is adequate enough to keep this rather average "revenge film" from sinking. The conclusion is rather surprising given the weak script. I recommend it if you're into this kind of picture.

Gritty, pulpy but professionally handled 70s revenge exploitation that could have easily been a Western. It has a familiar selection of characters, plot themes and set-pieces that could easily have been set 100 years previously, substituting horses for cars.

The performances are more than adequate for this sort of thing, the redneck hicks coming across as bug-eyed, one-dimensional and evil, whereas the more sympathetic characters are given more sensitive treatment. It does have a real comic book feel interspersed with some very nasty action, which may sit awkwardly with those unfamiliar with grindhouse cinema from this era. If you're used to films like 'Fight For Your Life' or 'Gator Bait', you will probably love this.

The pacing is pretty good. It threatens to drag a little towards the end but redeems itself with some strong dialogue between Johnny and the sheriff character. One of the unexpected things about this film is the dialogue - it's hardboiled stuff but cleverly done. The cinematography and score are also effective, again with some clever touches that elevate this movie above many of its ilk. Recommended.

I always saw David F. Friedman as basically a low budget Roger Corman. Dont get me wrong, I enjoyed many of the David Friedman classics (such as Two Thousand Maniacs and She Freak), but those films paled in comparison next to the wraith of Johnny Firecloud.

The movie plays out like Charles Bronson's Deathwish, only more violent. The bad guys, a group of country fried bigots lead by head bigot Mr. Colby, are truly wicked. This wickedness, which includes rape, murder, and torturing of the elderly, is truly disturbing, but in the long run makes the bad guy's deaths even more enjoyable to watch. The good guys (Johnny Firecloud, the Sheriff, and Chief White Eagle), have qualities that make them likable as heroes, but also flaws that make them seem more human (like White Eagle's drinking problem, and the inner turmoil faced by the Sheriff caused by his "sexual secrete"). But with any David Friedman film, the main draw is the gore, and this film has it....boy does it have it.

Granted, there are flaws, mainly in the acting. Sacheen Littlefeather gives a rather stiff performance and, at the opposite end of the spectrum, some of the bad guys tend to put on the southern act a little too thick.

So with that said, Robot Rancher's Final Score is a big 7 points. A solid film with enough eye gouging, scalp lifting, crotch socking violence to keep any David Friedman fan happy.

Johnny Firecloud (1975)

*** (out of 4)

Johnny Firecloud (Victor Mohica) is an Indian who returns home from the Vietnam War where he expects to live a good life. That isn't the case because the local town is full of racist trash and being led by a man named Colby (Ralph Meeker) who pretty much calls all the shots. After his family is attacked Johnny decides to seek vengeance against everyone.

JOHNNY FIRECLOUD comes from producer David F. Friedman and I must admit that I was really shocked at how much I liked it. The film certainly borrows from various "revenge" pictures out there but it pretty much does what any good film like this should do and that's make you care for the hero and hate the bad guys. There's no question that your blood will boil with each passing moment as this group of bad guys are really great.

What's so entertaining about this film is that director William Allen Castleman really nails the mood of this small town and I thought he created a believable atmosphere. The hatred in this small town just stinks so bad that you can sit in your living room and smell it. The director perfectly makes the rednecks people you can hate and you can't help but cheer when they finally go up against Johnny. As far as the Johnny character, he's just an all around good guy and someone you want to root for.

The film contains some pretty bloody violence at times including one guy who gets scalped! This bloody effect actually looks quite good in its gory details. There's also a rape sequence that doesn't show too much graphic material but it's shot so well that the impact is still there. Finally, both Mohica and Meeker are so great in their roles that you can't help but enjoy the film even more.

JOHNNY FIRECLOUD deals with a serious subject matter, for the most part, in a serious way but it also throws in some gory action for exploitation fans. It's certainly an enjoyable picture.

The opening credits feature a truly great 70s font and some kinda cheesy music and you know you are in for a good time. Johnny is pulled over by the police and is needlessly harassed and the clichés begin. What happens is mostly unsurprising and the middle of the movie is by far the best stuff, the beginning and end are just so-so.

The story focuses between a rampaging Johnny and a lawforce that is split between wanting justice and just wanting to scalp Johnny before he scalps them. There are some great kills amidst a lot of racism and rape... not for the faint of heart. The best scene here is a scalping, and that kinda says it all.