Unholy Rollers (1972)

User Rating:

4.9/10   

Director:

Vernon Zimmerman

Writers:

Howard R. Cohen (screenplay)
Howard R. Cohen (story)

Release Date:

10 November 1972 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

A locker room look at the toughest broads in the world!

Plot:

Karen wants more action out of life and quits her job at the cannery to become a skater in the roller derby...

Plot Keywords:

Roller Derby | Roller Skating | Female Nudity | Independent Film

Cast

Claudia Jennings	...	Karen Walker
Louis Quinn	...	Mr. Stern
Betty Anne Rees	...	Mickey
Roberta Collins	...	Jennifer
Alan Vint	...	Greg
Candice Roman	...	Donna
Jay Varela	...	Nick
Charlene Jones	...	Beverly Brayton
Joe E. Tata	...	Marshall
Maxine Gates	...	Angie Striker
Kathleen Freeman	...	Karen's Mother
John Harmon	...	Doctor
Karl Rizzo	...	Referee
Mike Miller	...	Referee
John Steadman	...	Guard

Also Known As:

Leader of the Pack

Runtime:

88 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:R

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

American International Pictures (AIP)

Trivia:

Martin Scorsese's first job as an editor.

Goofs:

Continuity: At the gun range, after firing all the rounds Nick, empties the spent rounds, but it is obvious the rounds weren't fired, with the bullet and shell still intact.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Beverly Hills, 90210: Fade In, Fade Out (#6.17)" (1996)

Soundtrack:

Stay Away From Karen

The '70s as they were....

..as in 'bad fashions,' 'bad hairdos,' and just plain old tackiness.

The movie isn't really interesting. A woman who is being harassed by her employer (even through she's annoying as hell) and goes into the rollerderby. Despite the fact that all her teammates hate her, she somehow succeeds by her viciousness alone and spends the latter half of the movie beating down her opposition and getting beaten in return. At the end, she just goes around beating the hell out of people, shows her tattoo for some reason, and all this nonsense ends.

It was basically the last half of a drive-in triple feature and it shows. Nudity is sparse, violence is all around, and the movie tries to be gritty but only succeeds in being extremely goofy and annoying. There is no real plot and nobody will care at the end. I have a feeling this was designed to GET people out of the theater or to give teens in the '70s extra time to makeout or get their clothes on before the drive-in closed.

Be warned. It's a long ride to nowhere.