Directed by:
Justus AddissCinematography:
Floyd CrosbyComposer:
Gerald FriedCast:
Jack Nicholson, Brett Halsey, Lynn Cartwright, Ed Nelson, Bruno VeSota, Roger Corman, Bill Erwin, Harry Lauter, Leo Gordon, Herb Vigran, Mitzi McCall (more)Plots(1)
Seventeen-year-old Jimmy Wallace (Nicholson) is a jilted teen with a big chip on his shoulder. In a brawl over a girl, Jimmy grabs for a gun, shoots and panic, thinking he's killed one of the punks. Jimmy accidentally involves three hostages, who include a mom and her baby, by ducking into a storeroom. Despite the best efforts of the police, Jimmy is too scared to surrender. A media circus develops, adding more pressure to a wild standoff. (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Reviews (1)
Of course, like most of Roger Corman’s productions from before 1960, this flick is blunt, cheap and rushed. From today’s point of view, this piece of filmmaking is interesting only due to Jack Nicholson’s presence, yet to a minimal degree – granted, he has the main role, but there’s not much acting for him to do! He’s stuck in a constricted scenario where his character remains shallow and it’s all about him behaving nervously and waving a gun. What keeps the film afloat is some mild criticism of the media, of intergenerational misunderstanding and of the hunger for violence.
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Gallery (25)
Photo © Allied Artists Pictures
