Color, 1981, 77m. / Directed by Paul Grau (as Paul Gray) / Starring Robert O'Neal / ABC DVD (Switzerland R0 PAL) / WS (1.85:1) (16:9)


Perturbed about having his make-out session with an 18-year old virgin interrupted by a septet of Nazi bikers, Hal (our "hero," played by Robert O'Neal of Hell of the Living Dead fame) puts his Chevy Stingray to good use and runs one of 'em into a parked car. Not a smart move. This act of vehicular manslaughter (!) has some serious repercussions as the filthy fascists later ambush the pair, roughing up our main-man and raping his barely-legal babe. Not one to take this sort of thing lightly, Hal then calls on a local clan of kickboxers (!) who set out to get even with the "gang of hoodlum bastards." The coteries collide at an amphitheater funeral pyre and engage in Dolemite-esque bouts of martial arts, during the climax of which Der Fuhrer is castrated and force-fed his own Bratwurst! And this is literally just the first twenty minutes! Things soon escalate into a full-on blitzkrieg of the senses with good ol' Hal doin' his best Robert Ginty impression as he tries to wipe out the rest of the Wolfpack once and for all.

Bullet-paced and completely indefensible, Mad Foxes is truly one of the most absurd trash-epics ever made. Every single element screams outrageousness - from its tasteless acts of violence and gore to its non-stop slate of sexual shenanigans and nudity (including some startlingly casual male full-frontal shots). What other film do you know of that includes obscure hair-metal rockers Krokus on the soundtrack? Hilariously vulgar English dubbing only adds to the package. Whether you're a fan of garbage cinema at its finest or just lookin' for a fun flick to knock back a few bottles with, this 77-minute chunk of celluloid insanity is essential.

A Spanish / Swiss co-production partially financed by sleaze magnate Erwin Dietrich, the film was also released internationally as Los Violadores (which translates to The Violators or The Rapists), Stingray 2 and Desperados op Weilen (Desperados on Wheels). Running afoul of censors in several countries (it was cut in the UK and outright refused classification in Australia) MAD FOXES strangely never received US theatrical distribution, which is a shame 'cuz I'm sure 42nd St. audiences would've hit the roof watchin' this sucker play out. On domestic home video it didn't fare any better, and those wanting to see an uncut, English-dubbed copy would either have to settle for a bootleg or track down the rare TechnoFilm PAL tape from the Netherlands. Luckily that's no longer the case as Dietrich's ABC DVD have digitally restored the film to virtual perfection. Their new 1.85:1 transfer looks amazing, instantly impressing with a crystal clear picture and bright, bold colors. Other than one vertical black line that intrudes for about 45 seconds the print is flawless and I can't throw a single complaint towards it. The mono soundtrack is equally free of any defects or distractions - which is necessary for proper Krokus appreciation.

Although it's labeled as a "Special Edition" on the box art, the disc contains very little in the way of supplemental material. The only film-specific extra is a spoiler-laden theatrical trailer that is well worth checking out due to its use of alternate footage. While we're on the subject, I should probably mention that the cover sleeve's story synopsis also gives away practically every major plot point! You'd be wise to avoid glancing at either until after you've viewed the feature itself. Other included previews promote additional titles from ABC DVD and consist of Rolls Royce Baby (a rare, non-Franco role for a clean-shaven Lina Romay), Gefangene Frauen (aka Island Women, a sex-filled women-in-prison romp with Brigette Lahaie) and Eine Armee Gretchen (aka She-Devils of the SS, a Nazi sex comedy!).- Bruce Holecheck


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