The Black Alley Cats (1973)

Director:

Henning Schellerup

Writer:

Joseph Drury (written by)

Release Date:

September 1973 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama

Tagline:

So Cuddly By Day ... So Deadly By Night!!

Plot:

Wanting revenge on a street gang for a rape attack, four young girls get together, take kung-fu lessons, learn how to shoot, form a gang called the Black Alley Cats and search out the gang that attacked them. |

Plot Keywords:

Gang | Rape | Kung Fu | Revenge | Male Rear Nudity

Cast

Sunshine Woods	...	Pamela
Sandy Dempsey	...	Vivian
Charlene Miles	...	Marsha
Johnnie Rhodes	...	Melissa
Eve Crawford	...	Joanna St. Clair
Norman Fields	...	Dr. Wayne Kincade (as Pepe Russo)
Betty Mitchell	...	Miss Woods
Charles Ranger	...	Rufus
Bart Hammond	...	Karate Instructor
John Paul Jones	...	Babcock (as Carl John)
Marsha Jordan	...	Mrs. Kincade
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sandy Carey	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Angela Carnon	...	Joan Murray (uncredited)
Bert Davis	...	Bearded Gang Member (uncredited)
Uschi Digard	...	Party Guest in Black (uncredited)
Keith Erickson	...	Frank Murray (uncredited)
William Guhl	...	Babcock Sr. (uncredited)
Penny King	...	Girl in Shower (uncredited)
Cleo O'Hara	...	Party Guest in Purple (uncredited)
Tricia Opal	...	Girl in Shower (uncredited)

Directed by
Henning Schellerup

Writing credits
Joseph Drury		(written by)

Produced by
John Munchkin	....	producer
Harry H. Novak	....	producer

Original Music by
Jack Millman

Cinematography by
Ray Icely		(photography)

Film Editing by
Kris Daune

Makeup Department
Martin Elliott	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Clark Trees	....	production manager

Sound Department
Paul Girard	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Rick Fellows	....	key grip
Bob McVay	....	gaffer (as Bob McVey)
Mike Petrich	....	assistant camera

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Peg Hopkins	....	wardrobe

Other crew
Carolyn Miller	....	continuity
Sharron Miller	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Monarex

Distributors

• Entertainment Pyramid Inc. (1974) (USA) (theatrical)
• Marden Films (1974) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Consul International Films (1978) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Blake Films (1980) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Something Weird Video (SWV) (1992) (USA) (VHS)
• Something Weird Video (SWV) (2003) (USA) (DVD) (DVD-R)

Also Known As:

"The Black Alleycats" - USA (reissue title)

Runtime:

Australia:81 min (original release)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:(Banned) | West Germany:18 | UK:(Banned)

Company:

Monarex

Trivia:

The film was refused a UK cinema certificate in 1973 by the BBFC.

Rape and revenge on a shoestring budget

No matter how you look at it, Black Alley Cats is junk. Even for this type of film; this is still below par in the quality department and not everything can be blamed on the low budget. The film is extremely obscure (apparently only seeing the light of the day in the form of a Something Weird VHS some years ago) and that's hardly surprising. The plot begins with a rape and leads into a group of girls taking kung fu lessons and buying some 'mean' jackets, and then going round robbing people as some sort of revenge tirade. The low budget gives way to a very unpolished look which helps the film in the sleaze department. There's plenty of sleazy goings on too and most of the film is made up of either the girls pushing people around or, more frequently, some rather rough sex scenes. This is what really sinks the film; it's all too samey and doesn't have enough about it to keeps itself interesting for the whole eighty minute duration. The acting is stunningly atrocious too; not that I would expect anything else, but the performances are so humdrum that it makes the film even more difficult to get into. Fans of this genre may want to track this film down and may even appreciate it but there are far better examples of films like this out there and that is reason enough to leave this one in obscurity.