Brute Corps (1971)

Very Cool!!!

Go in cold, and you're likely to emerge with your blood boiling. This has to be seen to be believed.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

Free-spirited hippie chick Terry (winningly played by fetching blonde Jennifer Billingsley) and amiable Vietnam draft dodger Kevin (a likable performance by Joseph Kaufmann) run afoul of a group of savage bloodthirsty mercenaries while wandering in the desert.Director Jerry Jameson, working from a compact script by Michael Kars and Abe Polsky, keeps the enjoyable story moving along at a steady pace, ably crafts a harsh gritty tone, delivers a satisfying smattering of tasty female nudity, rough'n'tumble fights, and bloody'n'brutal violence, and even adds some stinging social commentary pertaining to the Vietnam war and the pacifist youth counterculture who were opposed to it. The bad guys are a delightfully scummy and hateful bunch of real bastards: Alex Rocco as unhinged psycho Wicks, Michael Pataki as the sleazy MacFarlane, Charles Macauley as the stern no-nonsense colonel, and Felton Perry as the vicious Hill. Paul Carr lends sturdy support as the conflicted Ross while Joseph Bernard amuses as the cowardly Sheriff Alvarez. Jack Walker's funky score hits the right-on groovy spot. The competent cinematography by Michael D. Margulies likewise does the trick. The downbeat ending packs a devastating punch. A nice slice of 70's grindhouse grime.

First, not for one moment will you believe that you are looking at the best mercenaries money could buy. The action appears more like some boy scouts horsing around at camp. While there are a few creative moments at the beginning and at the end, what is in between consists of a rape scene followed by endless climbing around a rock quarry. The outdoor photography is fine, however that is not why exploitation films succeed. I thought Alex Rocco's character, "Wick", was by far the most interesting, followed by everyone else. Make no mistake, this is a low budget, drive in second feature, that would be very easy to sleep through. - MERK

"Brute Corps" is a solidly entertaining little film that deserves to be better known by exploitation film fans. It's got an intriguing story going for it: two hippie-like hitchhikers, draft dodging pacifist Kevin (Joseph Kaufmann, "Private Duty Nurses"), and comely, free spirited blonde Terry (Jennifer Billingsley, "White Lightning") encounter a group of men who happen to be mercenaries. One of the merc's is a sleazy creep named Wicks (Alex Rocco, "The Godfather") who madly lusts after Terry, even wanting to take her along on their next mission. So this merry bunch of men ends up competing to see who can claim possession of the girl. While she's being mistreated, Kevin slips away and tries to motivate the ineffectual local sheriff (Joseph Bernard, "Judgment at Nuremberg") into action. There are some unexpectedly poignant moments in this enjoyably trashy and decently paced flick, and as directed by TV veteran Jerry Jameson, whose feature credits also include "The Bat People" and "Raise the Titanic", the film also shows off some impressive scenery. The story takes place in Mexico, and the merc's hole up in an abandoned rock quarry, so this makes for an effective rural setting. The music by Jack Walker is a little too jaunty at times for some of the scenes, but for the most part it works out alright. Exploitation lovers will be satisfied to note that there is at least a little bit of nudity, from both Kaufmann and Billingsley. Her mistreatment at the hands of Wicks is suitably depraved, especially as he forces her to utter that interesting refrain that forms the summary of this review. The acting ensemble in this thing is very watchable, and it also features Paul Carr ("Truck Stop Women") as Ross, the most humane and reasonable of the merc's, Charles Macaulay ("Blacula") as the Colonel leading the group, Roy Jenson ("Soylent Green") as Quinn, Michael Pataki ("Zoltan: Hound of Dracula") as MacFarlane, Felton Perry ("Magnum Force") as Hill, and Parker West ("Lemora: A Child's Tale of the Supernatural") as Ballard. They're all fun to watch, and keep this thing entertaining for the duration. It's true enough that this is never exactly "action packed", but it's got its moments, and it does address the theme of whether a person committed to the idea of non-violence can take drastic steps if necessary. The last second bummer ending is typical of the kind of resolution to be found in 70s cinema, studio and independent films alike. If you're into this kind of thing, you may find this an acceptable diversion as well. Jameson would work with Carr and Pataki again on "The Bat People", and would utilize Carr, Pataki, *and* Macaulay for "Raise the Titanic". Seven out of 10.

"Brute Corps" was never released on videotape, and it was only recently that it was released on DVD. Seeing it, I can understand why it took so long for it to be released for home viewing. I can't understand why Code Red DVD thought there was an audience for it. It is an extremely cheap affair, for one thing. It looks like there was very little money available for props, actors, and set decoration. As well, there is very little action executed during its running time. For the remaining running time, almost NOTHING of interest happens. In fact, there is a weird feeling throughout that the filmmakers were making it up as they were filming. I rented this movie because Alex Rocco was in it, and while he usually adds life to a movie, here he seems utterly helpless and lifeless. Even if you're a die hard grindhouse fan, odds are you will fall asleep way before the movie ends.