Powerful

There's a more than satisfactory amount of boom-boom in the movie's trim running time.

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

Fight for Your Life (1977) *** (out of 4)Downright insane exploitation film has three convicts (a white, Asian and a Hispanic) breaking free from a van carrying them to prison where they're about to serve life sentences. They end up at the house of a black preacher and his family who they take hostage and abuse.FIGHT FOR YOUR LIFE is the type of exploitation film that certainly wouldn't be made today and when you really think about it it's actually hard to believe that anyone would have produced this even in 1977. This film has a rather notorious reputation and this is one rare case where the film actually lives up to the hype. Many people have called this another cash-in on Wes Craven's THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT and while there are a few minor connections there's no question that this thing takes on a life of its own.This is without question one of the most racist movies that you're ever going to see. The white leader Kane (William Sanderson) is quite evil from start to finish but he gets a sadistic kick out of picking on the black family and making them feel less than human. There are countless racist names being thrown at the family but some of the harshest things to watch in the film isn't the violence but instead it's the father (Robert Judd) being humiliated in front of his family. Being forced to dance and call Kane "master" are just a few of the racist scenes that play out in front of your eyes. In all honesty, I'm really surprised that they were able to find actors willing to put up with this.The performance are pretty much split down the line but none of them are horrible enough to take you out of the picture. Sanderson easily steals the picture as the racist nut who is constantly shouting and humiliating people at every move. There's not a single second where you feel like you're not watching a real wacko and this certainly helps sell the movie. Judd is also good in the movie and manages to present a very stern performance. Lela Small has some unintentional hilarious moments as the grandma in the wheelchair who is constantly getting fed up with the comments.Is FIGHT FOR YOUR LIFE a good movie? I guess that will depend on your definition of what a good movie is. It's certainly not an Oscar-caliber picture but it wasn't meant to be. If you're looking for something trashy, downright dirty and sleazy then the film certainly succeeds at that. FIGHT FOR YOUR LIFE is one bizarre exploitation film that manages to entertain and shock.

More than textbook exploitation, with plenty of intelligent twists and details to keep the viewer alert. Nót shying away from lots of violence, but (for instance) when it comes to the obligatory rape scene, the viewer must use more imagination than with other, similar movies, but in this treatment lies a nice twist of the top cop condoning vigilante justice. The acting is good enough, though not great, even if William Sanderson comes awfully close, portraying a seriously damaged white man who hides his fragile state by laying the racism, degradations and violence thick on anyone who gets in the way. The rest of the cast do their jobs adequately, but that's pretty much it.The ending, though it has the smart idea of exposing the fragile state of Jessie, felt rather off-handed. Even if exploitation films are all about the revenge, somehow this one didn't feel completely right. The best way I can explain this feeling is that the reverend's demeanor changes way too fast. It's sort of disappointing to see him lower himself to the baddies' standards, even if every blow he deals out is a just one - or am I getting too old for this shiii-it...? Nah. Other than that it is a pretty good exploitation flick, with a lot of violence (including the necessary gore and a little nudity) and some pretty smart writing here and there.A good 7 out of 10 for now, perhaps more in the future.

Well, I've now seen two of the video nasties. While I'm sure I will encounter worse films, I'm sure few will be as damn uninteresting and boring as this. A standard house invasion/hostage movie with blaxploitaion/race wars crap thrown in, awful use of music, and a thriller script so standard that the only fun I had while watching this was giggling at the worst part and eating a Quality Street chocolate every time I guessed something right (drinking would have made the movie more enjoyable, and I'm attempting to sit through all these fully sober). That doesn't sound like much fun, does it? The movie's really no fun either. As for why it was classified as a video nasty, I have no idea, and I'm expecting to have a similar reaction to a bunch of other stuff.

Three escaped convicts led by racist Jessie Lee Kane head across the state line in a stolen car.They conduct a convenience store robbery where they shoot the owner and take black woman Corrie Turner hostage.They drive to her place where they take the Turner family prisoner as they sit down to Sunday dinner.There the gang proceed to torture,rape and racially abuse the family.This blacksploitation version of "Last House on the Left" is worth checking out especially for insane William Sanderson's performance as Kane.His racial hatred and use of racial insults can be pretty hard to stomach for non-exploitation fans.The scene of a young boy,who has his head bashed in with a rock by Chinese criminal is also pretty brutal and disturbing.It's a shame that "Fight for Your Life" was the last film Robert A.Endelson would ever get to make.