p e n g u i n d e v i l

Back in the early 90’s my friend Lucy had (or so I recall) a videotape of a Russ Meyer movie. I’d never seen one (and in fact, was only vaguely familiar with who he was) so one day we got around to watching it and I wasn’t terribly impressed. The movie was a rather silly and corny one and I had a hard time really paying attention after a half hour or so. Now, after many years and many Russ Meyer movies, I find that I still think that I have a hard time rally giving it my full attention. But, as my RM project must proceed, I watched it again on classic, washed VHS quality dvd. This film is, of course, Motor Psycho!

While it has a classic name and is by the Great RM, I would certainly say it is a mixed bag. Yes, low production values… filmed almost entirely out of doors, washed out and the feeling that someones vision exceeded their pocket book. But that is pretty much on par with all of these things. While half of the story is campy and serious that the movie somewhat redeems itself, in between it does get a bit dull.

Motor Psycho is the story of Brahmin, Slick and Dante, three young toughies driving their motorcycles across the desert to Vegas. Well sort of, though they’ve got the groovy lingo (don’t wig out man, I’m hip), they drive mopeds and have a transistor radio and are rather unconvincing in their appearance.





While they are gallivanting across the desert looking both harmless and obnoxious, they come across a couple out fishing and sunbathing and we learn that, appearances aside, they are seriously out to rape and pillage. These poor folks are just the first of a string of couples who they menace in a most serious fashion.





As might be expected, their actions incur the ire of some of the survivors of these meetings and so Alex Rocco (yes, Moe Greene) and Haji (yes, the Haji) set off in pursuit. While they are exciting cast members to have on the screen, the movie is a bit light on the usual suspects of RM’s films. Though, to make up for it, there is even a cameo by the man himself!





So yes, another Russ Meyer story of sex, sin and the bad folks who are out to cause troubles to the good folks of the world. Lacking the montages, narration and nudity that are somewhat the calling cards of early Russ Meyer films, it is still an alright film, though somewhat more of a standard 1960’s “youth gone wild” type of film.

And, as one might expect, this joy ride doesn’t end well for anyone involved…