Wild Rebels (1967)

Director:

William Grefe

Writer:

William Grefe

Release Date:

September 1967 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

THEY LIVE FOR KICKS...LOVE FOR KICKS...KILL FOR KICKS!

Plot:

A stock car driver goes undercover as the wheel man for a motorcycle gang.

Plot Keywords:

Motorcycle | Motorcycle Gang | Undercover | Bank Robbery | Bar Brawl

Cast

Steve Alaimo	...	Rod Tillman
Willie Pastrano	...	Banjo
John Vella	...	Jeeter
Bobbie Byers	...	Linda
Jeff Gillen	...	Fats
Walter R. Philbin	...	Lt. Dorn
Robert Freund	...	Detective
Seymour A. Eisenfeld	...	Walt Simpson
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Nora Alonzo	...	Nori
Art Barker	...	Gunshop owner
The Birdwatchers Band	...	Band in the bar
Nick Bontempo	...	Policeman
Gary Brady	...	Third college boy
Aaron Deaton	...	Policeman
Emil Deaton	...	Second Sheriff
Dennis French	...	Policeman
Tom Frysinger	...	First Sheriff
Steve Gellar	...	Second college boy
Jamie Hickson	...	Policeman
Dutch Holland	...	Driver
William P. Kelley	...	Bank teller
Cosmo Lloyd	...	Bank guard
Phil Longo	...	First man
Chris Martell	...	College Boy
Kurt Nagler	...	First college boy
Milton Smith	...	Bartender
Bob Sparks	...	Policeman
Edward Wanisko	...	Policeman
Bobby Brack	...	Driver in Group Walking Behind Rod Tillman (uncredited)
Craig Caraglios	...	Birdwatcher band member (uncredited)
Dave Chiodo Jr.	...	Birdwatcher band member (uncredited)
Sammy Hall	...	Birdwatcher's Band Lead Singer (uncredited)
Rocky Hart	...	Birdwatchers band member (uncredited)
Ish Ledesma	...	Birdwatchers band member (uncredited)
Keith MacKendrick	...	Birdwatchers band member (uncredited)
Eddie Martinez	...	Birdwatchers band member (uncredited)
Joey Murcia	...	Birdwatchers band member (uncredited)
Joey Murcia	...	Birdwatchers band member (uncredited)
Jerry Schills	...	Birdwatcher band member (uncredited)

Directed by
William Grefe

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
William Grefe

Produced by
Joseph Fink	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Al Jacobs

Cinematography by
Clifford H. Poland Jr.
Harry Walsh

Film Editing by
Julio C. Chávez
Robert Woodburn

Makeup Department
Marie Del Russo	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Daniel Karoff	....	second assistant director
Ronald N. Walsh	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Charles Guanci	....	property master
Patrick Nielsen	....	set designer

Sound Department
John Barry	....	sound
Bernie Blynder	....	sound
Nat Ragland	....	boom operator

Stunts
Bobby Brack	....	stunt driver (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Jack Clark	....	key grip
Tony Gulliver	....	still photographer
Bill Swan	....	lighting
Harry Walsh Jr.	....	camera assistant
William Walsh	....	camera operator (as William J. Walsh)

Editorial Department
Ronald N. Walsh	....	assistant editor

Other crew
Chelo Garcia	....	titles
Betty Kerwin	....	script supervisor
Charles W. Persons	....	assistant producer
Nohemy Someillan	....	titles (as Nohemi Someillan)

Production Companies

• Comet
• Crown International Pictures

Distributors

• Crown International Pictures (1967) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Pictures of Canada (????) (Canada) (theatrical) (Canada only)
• Mill Creek Entertainment (2010) (USA) (DVD)
• Rhino Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Jupiter, Florida, USA

Company:

Comet

Goofs:

Continuity: When Fats nails the college boy with his beer bottle, the bottle shatters totally in his hand; yet a moment later, Fats is playfully looking down at his victim through the neck of his beer bottle- which is now half intact.

Quotes:

Banjo:He's square baby. Really square.
Rod:Look, you just keep trying to put that square peg in a round hole and everything'll be FINE!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Village of the Giants (#6.23)" (1994)

Wild Rebels (1967)

This 1967 biker-flick written and directed by William Grefe turns out to be a real sleeper; truly one of the top 5 biker films ever made.

Filmed around south Florida in such famous local hot-spots as Trader John's, Palm Beach Fairgrounds Speedway, and the old lighthouse in Lighthouse Point, this action/comedy/drama stars Elvis-wanna-be Steve Alaimo as "Hot" Rod Tillman,an embittered drag-strip racer who "falls-in" with an outlaw motorcycle gang.

An impressively "hip" 60's musical score by Al Jacobs, with songs by The Birdatchers (who look exactly like the Monkees) and Steve Alaimo, make this one of the best soundtracks of any "B" film. Alaimo does his best "Elvis" and is impressive singing, " You Don't Love Me".

Former world light-heavyweight boxing champion Willie Pastrano gives a "good" performance as a sadistic biker named Banjo. The former boxer would later team up with Alaimo & director Grefe to make Alligator Alley (aka The Hooked Generation) and the Naked Zoo.

Grefe has a strong cast of local south Florida "cult" acting legends; Seymour Eisenfeld, Art Barker(Mission Mars), Robert Freund, and Walter Philbin(Alligator Alley).

The Wild Rebels is filled with such "cult" famous lines as, "Dig the cat at the bar ", "Hi. Handsome"," I don't know what's going on, but I don't like it", " No creeps are allowed to touch her", and " Let me have a beer. What kind? A cold one!". With lines like this, it's a wonder this film didn't win an Oscar for best screenplay!

In an uncredited role, 1960's stock car legend Bobby Brack provided the stunt driving for Steve Alaimo in the film's racing scenes at the Palm Beach Fairgrounds Speedway.

So, if you like drag races, bar-room brawls, hip lingo, biker gangs, car chases,singing race car drivers, and "great" one-liners, you will enjoy The Wild Rebels. A 10!