Action Jackson, 1988

STARRING: Carl Weathers (Jericho 'Action' Jackson)

Weathers is best known for playing Apollo Creed in the Rocky movies. This was his big break as one of 80's action's leading men. Sadly it didn't really happen.

Vanity (Sydney)

One time member of the group Vanity 6 and popular 80's pin-up. She recorded two solo albums for Motown, a few movies, then became a born again Chrstian preacher after she almost died from substance abuse.

Craig T. Nelson (Dellaplane)

You'll no doubt recognise him from his many screen credits including Poltergeist, Troop Beverly Hills (Shelley Long classic!) and The Devils Advocate.

Sharon Stone (Patrice Dellaplane)

After Police Academy and before Basic Instinct, Sharon made this action extravaganza!



PLOT: Tough Chicago cop Sgnt. Jackson (Weathers) is determined to expose evil businessman/drug dealer Dellaplane (Nelson) who has killed Jackson's brother, but his cheif wants him off the case. Jackson turns to Dellaplane's sexy mistress, a singer named Sydney (Vanity), to help him prove his case.

THOUGHTS: This movie is perfection in my mind. We open with a pretty scary sequence where masked hoods crash through the windows of a skyscraper and murder an unsuspecting businessman. We cut to the great opening credits accompanied by the Pointer Sisters' fabulous theme tune 'He Turned Me Out', one of their best singles too! There's pleanty of humour when we meet Jackson and throughout this great little movie. It's tough without being too macho, and there are more soundtrack delights from the fabulous Vanity, Sister Sledge and Madame X who sing the title track at the end. Everyone in this movie is great (even Vanity -- slurred lines and all) and it's a shame that it didn't do well enough for a sequel.


CAN I BUY IT? Region 1 DVD, dirt cheap!


MUSIC VIDEO: Pointer Sisters - He Turned Me Out

MUSIC VIDEO: Vanity - Undress

Certain Fury, 1985

STARRING: Tatum O’Neal (Scarlett)

She won an Oscar for her debut screen appearance in Paper Moon in 1973. Her father is actor Ryan O’Neal. Most recently she appeared in the US telenovela Wicked Wicked Games. I can't say I know too much about Tatum, but rest assured I am going to get hold of some more of her movies!

Irene Cara (Tracy)

Cara is probably best known for starring in Fame and singing the ever popular Oscar winning theme tune as well as the title track to Flashdance too. Although she never had that much success in music or movies she’s still worked extensively and remains popular thanks to her movie theme days.

With Peter Fonda

PLOT: A group of girls get caught up in an escape plot by some female criminals at their shared court hearing. Scarlett (a hooker) and Tracy (charged with possession) are the only two to escape alive, even though they had nothing to do with the plan. They are blamed for the slaughter of countless cops and court officials and go on the run from the law. Along the way they must get the help of drug pushers and lowlifes to help them.

THOUGHTS: As sleazy exploitation movies go this one is excellent! The video box boasts ‘Two Oscar winners in one explosive movie’, well they did both win Oscars and there are plenty of explosions! The budget seems pretty healthy; maybe there were high hopes for this trash fest. Cara fans will be pleased to note that she was once again to sing the theme tune to this should-be classic “Ohhhh it’s a certain fury, a certain fate…”, it’s quite tragic that it hasn’t become a staple of 80’s hours on commercial radio stations across the globe. I guess it just was too cutting edge! In fact it’s even produced by Phil Ramone, of the Ramones, obviously. There’s lots of nudity (courtesy of Cara, revisiting her scene in Fame where she poses nude, but this time she's a would-be rape victim, this is an 18-rated movie afterall!), plenty of drug use and even more violence. You might say it’s an 80’s version of Black Mama White Mama.

CAN I BUY IT? Used on VHS.

LINK: See more pictures from the movie at Film Virtual History


WATCH: the trailer at Video Detective