1970
 
Written & Directed by RICHARD COMPTON Produced by ROGER CORMAN (Executive) BEACH DICKERSON Cast
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We found only two reasons to watch this movie and they divided along gender lines in our video group. William Smith looks drop dead gorgeous in his biker accessories and Alan de Witt does a funny turn as the local undertaker who gets swept up in the biker life style - sort of. [We also liked the double entendre title,]Otherwise, we just have some stereotypical biker scenes put together semi-randomly. Once they finished shooting, the movie must have been too short because there was no attempt to edit out slow, meaningless transition and filler scenes. They keep in so many driving scenes, it almost looks like a travelogue for the parts of Kern County they want tourists to avoid.
We start out with a standard biker "parade" into town, insults against cops, a big fight with the locals. When the gang leaves town to camp out at the town dump, Seed [real name Howard Kimble] is left behind in jail to be released in a couple of days if the bikers stay out of town.
Tim & Blair harass the cops |
Good Cop, Bad Cop |
When Seed is released, he has a little chat with the Sheriff's pretty daughter as she stops by to admire his motorcycle. The Sheriff is not pleased. Seed rides out of town and over the Kern County line to join the gang.
Seed gets an eyeful |
of Jailbait Nancy |
A gesture to Kern County |
But Seed is just over the line when he's killed (driven off the road we think). This leads the bikers to a funeral parlor where they hook up with the nerdy undertaker who helps them with funeral arrangements.
Dead Seed |
Helpful undertaker |
Bill's mourning suit |
On the way to the funeral, the gang stops off at the pool hall for a combination food fight and sexual assault. That scene was so completely discordant to the bikers as free-spirited, misunderstood, rowdy victims of prejudice that the movie seemed otherwise trying to depict that we just gave up on discerning a theme. If they needed some gratuitous sex, why not just the usual casual trading around of their women which was usually offensive enough.
Bill roughs up the owner |
An armload of noodles |
The undertaker watches |
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They finally get around to burying the corpse. Bill gives a somewhat self-pitying eulogy [which, as frequently happened in these low-budget films, may been ad-libbed by William Smith]. The gang's final tribute to the dearly departed is to urinate on the grave.
The undertaker talks to the cops |
The Eulogy |
Some dead get urns, bikers get urine |
During a drunken party complete with a couple of half nude girls half-heartedly dancing, they share their drugs with the hapless undertaker. The next day in town, Tim (Bill) is on his bike trading jibes with the local rednecks when a call comes in about an accident in the mine. Bill is unconcerned until the one "nice" deputy tells him there's a kid trapped in the mine. The bikers end up coming to the rescue and save the boy. After the boy's taken to the hospital by townspeople who can't even say thank you, the nice deputy gives Tim a pat on the shoulder that says he at least recognizes Tim's basic decency. During the aftermath of the rescue, Blair (Tom Baker) meets Nancy and talks to her. She's obviously intrigued.
Bill looking to cause trouble until he finds a little boy already has some |
The Bikers are key players in the boy's rescue |
The good deputy makes a friendly gesture |
Blair eyes jailbait Nancy |
That night Nancy is out with a local boy who accuses her of wanting to be with the biker. They quarrel, she runs off. She has a little romantic interlude with Blair while the boy tries to pick a fight with Tim. When they meet up again, the boy accuses her of being with the biker and pushes her. She falls and hits her head.
A snotnose kid looking for trouble |
Tim just wanting the kid to bug off |
Thnking Nancy is dead, the little snotnose punk goes to the sheriff with a story. R.G. Armstrong (Mel) leads the well-armed rednecks after the bikers none of whom carries a firearm. Mel himself shoots Tim dead. Blair and two of the others get away after doing in Mel. Too late the kid tells the good deputy that Nancy wasn't actually forced to do anything.
The kid touches Nancy and finds blood |
The kid makes up a story for the Sheriff |
R.G. Armstrong, redneck hero |
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Rednecks v. Bikers Guns win |
The Sheriff finds Nancy alive by the side of the road. But when he sees Blair drive by on his bike, he leaves her there unconscious and drives off after him. When he keeps seeing visions of the dead Seed, we guess he's the one who drove Seed off the road. The Sheriff goes off the side with what appears to be a bullet shot through his windshield [we're sort of lost on that part], The movie ends as his car bursts into flames.
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He leaves her on the side of the road to chase bikers |
and dies in the attempt |
NightOwl Review: We opened with our review. If you want more, check out the review Laura wrote on her William Smith fan site. She says it all. And her favorite scenes are the same as ours. Check her review out at Laura's Angel's Die Hard review page. Hard to believe this was written by the same person (Richard Compton) that wrote the story for Run, Angel, Run.Trivia Note: According to Martyn, a UK fan who bought this video in a "car bootsale" for 20p, the UK title was Rough Boys. They apparently enjoyed the over-the-top qualities.
Comments on Angels Die Hard??? Did you like it better than we did?
CONTACT US AT: niteowls@williamsmith.org
William Smith Biker Movie List William Smith Site Contents To Bill's other Biker Classics
Run, Angel, Run C.C. & Company Chrome & Hot Leather Hollywood Man
