Unholy Rollers
| The Unholy Rollers | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Vernon Zimmerman |
| Screenplay by | Howard R. Cohen |
| Story by | Vernon Zimmerman Howard R. Cohen |
| Produced by | John Prizer Jack Bohrer |
| Starring | Claudia Jennings Louis Quinn Betty Anne Rees Roberta Collins |
| Cinematography | Michael Shea |
| Edited by | Martin Scorsese George Trirogoff Yeu-Bun Yee |
| Music by | Bobby Hart |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | American International Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 88 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The Unholy Rollersis a 1972Americanaction comedy filmdirected byVernon Zimmermanand starringClaudia Jennings.
The film focuses on a team ofroller derbyskaters whose members are hostile to each other.
Plot
[edit]Karen wants more action out of life and quits her job at the cannery to become a skater in theroller derby.She encounters friction from the other skaters—especially Mickey, the current star of the team. Karen proves herself a feisty competitor but refuses to be a team player. As she skates her way to stardom, she incurs the wrath of jealous team members and the owner of the team.
Cast
[edit]- Claudia Jenningsas Karen Walker
- Louis Quinnas Mr. Stern
- Betty Anne Rees as Mickey
- Roberta Collinsas Jennifer
- Alan Vintas Greg
- Victor Argoas Vinnie the Trainer
- Candice Roman as Donna
- Jay Varela as Nick
- Charlene Jones as Beverly Brayton
- Joe E. Tataas Marshall
- Terry Wolf as grocery boy
Production
[edit]The film was made to cash in on publicity from MGM's roller derby film,Kansas City Bomber.Roger Cormanagreed to produce the film for AIP, even though he had established his own studio,New World Pictures.This was one of the last times Corman collaborated with AIP.
There were several other competing roller derby films announced in early 1972. They includedJamproduced by Al Ruddy starringMama Cassand George Hamilton and directed by Steve Inhat, andWipeoutwithLois Nettletonand Ina Clair. The Corman project was known asLeader of the Pack.HoweverJamandWipeoutwhere never made.[1]
The movie was the first screenplay credit forHoward R. Cohenwho went on to have a long association with Corman.[2]
Reception
[edit]Due to delays in editingKansas City Bomberwas released first to cinemas beforeUnholy Rollers.[3]Martin Scorsese,who had directedBoxcar Berthafor Roger Corman and AIP, was called in to supervise editing. He said the delay in releasing the film caused it to be "destroyed" commercially.[4]
ThePittsburgh Post Gazettecalled it "a poverty row version ofKansas City Bomber."[5]
Take Onemagazine said Jennings "carries the film. Her characterization of a woman so angry that she becomes, in some strange way, an all-avenging Kali figure, is fascinating."[3]
References
[edit]- ^"All jammed up".Oakland Tribune.4 May 1972. p. 48.
- ^Howard R. Cohen Papersat Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
- ^ab"Unholy Rollers".Take One.Vol. 3, no. 4. September–October 1971. p. 25.
- ^Scorsese, Martin (1989).Scorsese on Scorsese.Faber & Faber. p. 39.ISBN978-0-571-14103-6.
- ^"Stage and Screen".Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.1 December 1972. p. 31.
External links
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- 1972 films
- 1972 action comedy films
- 1970s exploitation films
- 1970s English-language films
- 1970s sports comedy-drama films
- 1970s action adventure films
- American action comedy-drama films
- Roller derby films
- American International Pictures films
- American sports comedy-drama films
- American action adventure films
- Films directed by Vernon Zimmerman
- 1970s American films
- 1972 comedy-drama films
- 1970s comedy film stubs
- 1970s American film stubs