Manila Dead

 

THE THIRSTY DEAD-1974-In Manila (where this was filmed) some young women, Bonnie (Chiqui da Rosa), Claire (Meredith McConnell; THE DOLL SQUAD), Laura (Jennifer Billingsley) and Ann (Fredricka Meyers) are kidnapped by some hooded thugs and taken to a remote place. At first they believe they're prisoners of white slavers but then they learn they are captives of an ancient cult lead by Ranu (Tani Gutherie) and Baru (John Considine; a year after DR.DEATH-SEEKER OF SOULS). They have special leaves that when mixed with the blood of young women make a potion that gives "the chosen" eternal life. They all worship a head in a red crystal like stone. They want Laura to join them but she refuses so Baru locks her in a dungeon where some hideous women with long fingernails attack her. They are former victims drained to uselessness. An old woman helps the quartet escape but when they stop in a tiny village they are recaptured. Randu does a dance in front of the head while Baru talks to Laura about life before eternal youth. After the old woman who helped her is killed Baru decides to help them escape. Claire falls to her death but he leads the others through the jungle after letting free the ugly victims as a diversion. Unfortunately he goes beyond the "ring of age" and starts getting old. The girls escape but when Laura brings back the police lead by a grouchy Lieutenant (Vic Diaz) they are unable to find anything. Ken Metcafe (later the male lead in FIRECRACKER) is a helicopter pilot. 

This is the only full length feature directed by actor Terry Becker (Sgt. Sharkey on TV's “Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea”) after many TV credits. He also co-produced it and provided the story.

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https://moviemeltdown.blogspot.com/2009/08/one-from-japan-one-from-philippines.html

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