Gargoyle Good Time

 

 (imdb)

GARGOYLES-1972-Anthropologist Mercer Bolley (Cornell Wilde) and his daughter Diana (Jennifer Salt) run afoul of an ancient race of gargoyles. An old geezer (Woody Chamblis) tells them a story and shows them a weird skeleton just before his shack is set ablaze and he burns to death. Bolley rescues a skull and he and Diana hightail it to a sleazy hotel run by Mrs. Parks (Grayson Hall). Later 2 gargoyles break in and steal the skull. While fleeing, one is killed. Still the sheriff (Warren Stevens) blames everything on a motorcycle gang and it's leader (Scott Glenn). The gargoyle leader (Bernie Casey with the dubbed voice of Vic Perrin) kidnaps Diana. The bikers team up with local authorities to hunt the monsters who want to wipe out mankind and take over. They have a cave full of eggs and the leader takes a shine to Diana. Though mankind is eventually saved, the leader gets away. 

Stan Winston did some work on the gargoyles in this underrated horror tale that seems to have gained a cult following in recent years. It's certainly one of the best TV horror movies ever! Director Bill Norton (sometimes known as BWL Norton) made it between CISCO PIKE and MORE AMERICAN GRAFFITI. His next film was 1985's BABY: SECRET OF THE LOST LEGEND. He then worked mostly in television.

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 (public domain pictures)

   

Demme's Third

 

 (imdb)

FIGHTING MAD-1976-Tom (Peter Fonda), a divorced dad returns to his rural Arkansas horse farm with his young son Dylan (Gino Franco) to help run the place with his dad (John Douchette) and brother Charlie (Scott Glenn). Meanwhile a contractor Pierre Crabtree (Phillip Carey) and a senator (Noble Willingham) plot to take over the town and close down the farm to make way for a strip-mining factory and stuff. Tom almost immediately hooks up with former flame Lorene (Lynn Lowry). Corporate thugs beat up Charlie and his wife (Kathleen Miller), then kill them in a car crash and make it look like they were drunk. 

When workers try to come in and bulldoze the farm, Tom stops them. He even drives several trucks off the road while riding a motorcycle with Dylan. When some company goons beat him up, Loraine attacks them with a hammer. After Tom blows up some equipment, the storm trooper like police throw everyone in jail. Then a judge, who might have ruled in favor of the farmers, is killed. This allows the corporation to really take over and burn down Tom's farm and causing the death of his father. Tom invades Crabtree's citadel and blows everyone away. He gets shot up but the stupid sheriff (Harry Northup) finally comes through and covers up Tom's involvement. 

This low budget action revenge drama was future Academy Award winning director Jonathan Demme's third feature after CAGED HEAT (1974) and CRAZY MAMA (1975).

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