Plot: What’s it about?
After his stint in Vietnam, Native American Johnny Firecloud returns to his small town home and prepares to move on with his life. But that isn’t what fate has in store, as some local bigots have decided to prey upon Johnny and unless he leaves town or is killed in the process, their assault will not end. The team of bigots is led by Colby, who has just discovered that his own daughter has fallen for Johnny, which results in a beating for Johnny, who is thrown in the clink afterwards. Then, Johnny’s grandfather demands that he be released and gets lynched, which forces Johnny to concoct an escape plan. But even if he can manage to slip out, can he somehow settle the score with the moronic bigots? In Bummer, we watch as the bass player from a successful rock band is fired, which sends him spiraling out of control. He was off balance to begin with, but now he is poised to rip up the world in a rape & murder melee. Can anyone stop him before he leaves behind a massive string of violence & destruction?
This trippin’ double feature flashes us back to the groovy 1970s, where sex, drugs, and rock & roll weren’t just words, they were a lifestyle. These films haven’t been slapped together at random either, as both were directed by William Castleman and produced by David F. Friedman, who needs no introduction. As per usual with a Friedman production, the lack of funds is obvious, but the movies still end up fun to watch and that’s what counts. Johnny Firecloud is more focused on violence and Bummer covers the sex angle, so right from the start, you know the two most important elements are present & accounted for. I think Firecloud works much better than expected, with some nice makeup work and a solid storyline, which more than compensate for the cast, which is not the kind of group you want in a serious picture. The violence is pretty outlandish at times, but it sets the right tone and in the end, the film is well worth a look. Bummer is more of a wild, drunken ride however, with an ending sure to elicit some strange looks. It is flawed in all respects, but has some moments and it can always be viewed as a supplement in this case. I think this is a cool double feature and while Bummer lives up to its name, Johnny Firecloud alone is worth the asking price, so don’t hesitate to nab this disc, if you’re interested.
Video: How does it look?
Johnny Firecloud is presented in a 2.35:1 widescreen transfer, which is not enhanced for widescreen televisions. The lack of added resolution is obvious, as I saw a lot of shimmering and jagged edges, which an anamorphic treatment would have solved. These flaws are frequent and can sometimes distract from the feature, which is bad news. The print looks clean enough however, while colors and contrast remain more than solid, so not all is lost here. I do wish Something Weird would look into anamorphic transfers though, as this could have been an excellent presentation, but instead, falls a few notches below mediocre.
Bummer is presented in a full frame transfer, which looks like an acceptable video option. As expected, some nicks & wear are evident on the print, but aside from those problems, this is a solid visual effort. The colors and contrast look solid, though some scenes do slip a little and obscure some detail, but not too much. A few scenes also display some shimmering elements, but on the whole, this is an acceptable transfers, given the materials involved.
Audio: How does it sound?
These movies don’t demand much in terms of dynamic audio, but the included mono tracks manage to provide a solid and enjoyable experience. The music is very cool in both and emerges in fine form in these mixes, with no distortion in the least. The music also never overpowers the other elements, which means the sound effects come through with clarity and separation. I didn’t find much in terms of harshness with this track either, and the usual mono hiss is minimal. The dialogue is clean and crisp at all times, with no problems at all to hinder the vocals. Not the sharpest tracks out there, but given the nature of the material, more than acceptable.
Supplements: What are the extras?
At the top of the extras heap here is an audio commentary track on Johnny Firecloud, which is headlined by David F. Friedman himself. He is joined by a few others, but Friedman dominates the track and offers some cool insight on various topics. We learn about the production, the costs involved, his thoughts on the cast, and even a wealth of non film related nonsense, especially toward the start of the session. This disc also includes theatrical trailers for both films, some bonus trailers, two short film subjects (War Drums & Blind Bidding and How It Affects You), and of course, a selection of exploitation artwork.
