"The Pick-Up" was something of a vanity project for sexploitation maven Friedman. In fact, he and many of his cronies (e.g., Bob Cresse) play significant cameo roles in the film -- the best bit of business coming when Friedman himself illustrates how showgirls are cast. A lot more effort than usual was expended on creating a professional, stylish narrative, with the two leads being well-drawn and winningly acted, a twisty story with a few zingers in the dialogue, and fine Cassavettes-like direction from nudie/roughie vet Frost (who went on to more "legitimate" titles later). Although, in comparison to other efforts in the genre, the sex and exploitation elements take a back seat here, the realistic context gives them a more intense edge than usual -- it'll remind you of all the times you spontaneously ended up in the sack with some sexy dame and lived to regret it. One particularly electrifying (I mean that literally) scene of torture is right out of Michael and Roberta Findlay's playbook. This 60s rarity is only available in a print with Danish subtitles, and is a perfect follow-up to the same team's equally astounding "The Defilers", which was arguably the first authentic title in the "roughie" genre. Unending kudos to Something Weird Video for its persistence in digging this one up.
5 Reviews
Vegas Road Trip - Sexploitation - Roughie - Film Noir -
mgtbltp22 November 2015
Warning: Spoilers
The Pick-Up (1968)
I'm beginning to see a pattern, formulating a supposition, especially after viewing this film and recently 1967's Aroused. It's almost as if during Classic Film Noir's original run the darker subject matter of the films, even though hampered by the Hayes Code would reflect the realities of society albeit in a coded way, but with a sort of delayed time lag. But once the code and the Studio System began to breakdown and when film began to get increased competition from TV the subject matter began to get up to speed so to speak and cover more current topics, i.e., beatniks (The Beat Generation 1959) juvenile delinquency (Crime in the Streets 1956, The Young Savages 1961), heroin addiction (The Man With The Golden Arm 1955, Stakeout on Dope Street 1958), rape (Anatomy of a Murder 1959), racism ( No Way Out 1950, The Crimson Kimono 1959, Odds Against Tomorrow 1959, The Pawnbroker 1964). Eventually independently produced films began to explore and depict fringe sex topics, virginity (The Moon Is Blue 1953 ) multiple partners (The Night of the Iguana 1964) homosexuality (Suddenly, Last Summer 1959, The Children's Hour 1961, Reflections in a Golden Eye 1967) fetishism (Satan In High Heels 1962), prostitution and sex maniacs (Aroused 1967) and this film The Pick-Up which features casual sex and a bit of bondage and sadism. But the sadism/bondage sequence would for all intents and purposes be equal to the James Craig torture sequence in Casino Royale (2006) but getting an R rating because the victim is female.
The last two Films are shot in the Film Noir style but The Pick-Up would have benefited with just a tad bit of restraint. It just crosses over the line in a few sequences lingering on female nudity going into, for me, what I would consider definite exploitation. I wouldn't cut any shots but I didn't need to see that much repetition, a few seconds for each shot would have been sufficient and also would have left a bit to the imagination, the best of both worlds. You could say it went over the speed limit of the prevailing Zeitgiest. Noir for the most part sort of went underground. The mainstream culture wouldn't catch up to some taboo subjects for 20 or 30 years.
If you overlook those small excesses in The Pick-Up you will discover one of the last great gritty Black & White Neo Noir's.
The Film starred writer, actor, producer, Wes Bishop (Perry Mason (1957), Combat! (1962), Bonanza (1959) and The High Chaparral (1967) as Tony. Tony reminds you of a cool Robert Wagner, Stefan Zema (Crime Story) plays Frankie, he's comes off like a young Ernest Borgnine. Tony and Frankie are bag-men for the mob transporting Las Vegas skim in a '66 Cadillac Fleetwood from a strip casino run by Charlie (exploitation film producer David F. Friedman) to Los Angeles Mob boss Sal (sexploitation producer Bob Cresse).
The story set up is that Tony, the veteran bag-man is breaking in hired gun Frankie the newbie. The operation has a simple check and balance Tony works for Sal, and Frankie was hired (back East) to work for Eddie. Frankie has never been to Vegas before and since they have arrived early in the morning before the scheduled pick-up, Frankie wants to explore the strip a bit.
Frankie is like a kid in a candy store, exclaiming at one point that the mass of neon lights the street "like daylight". Tony plays by the book but breaks down a little and while the Caddy is being serviced and he and Frankie walk the strip, he even lets Frankie try his had at the slots. The opening sequence is a great traveling time capsule through the windshield of the Fleetwood to circa 1967 Las Vegas as Tony & Frankie glide into town.
When ever Tony has to get serious he puts on his shades, perhaps a reference to Sam Fullers killer in Underworld U.S.A. (1967). When they arrive at the casino Tony tells Frankie to stay inside the car while he puts on his shades and makes the transaction accepting two suitcases from Eddies cronies and handing over a receipt. They head out of town into the desert on old Highway 91 towards Los Angeles. Frankie is driving down a desolate stretch of highway while Tony tries to catch some shut eye, when they approach two women stranded on the side of the road with the hood up on their car. The women dressed in mini skirts try to flag Frankie down. Frankie pulls over and wakes up Tony and convinces him to go back and give the ladies a hand. They U- Turn and pull up behind the women. Tony puts on his sunglasses and tells Frankie to stay inside and lock the doors.
The women wear that mid sixties fashion style tent dress mini - micro mini skirt resembling the female cast of daytime TV soap opera Dark Shadows. The two women are played by the sultry Lois Ursone (Dana) and waif-ish space case Lynn Harris (Marcia) who looks like a brunette Goldie Hawn circa her Laugh-In years.
Frankie convinces Tony to give the girls a ride to a service garage. On the way Marcia comes on to Frankie in the back seat.
Frankie convinces Tony to call in and say they have car problems so that they can party with the girls. The decide to look for a bar but since the girls have there own booze they get two rooms at a motel.
What could go wrong?
The film has a period 60s score that ranges from a folk singer entertaining up in the casino's penthouse, to bongo drums.The DVD is available from Something Weird Video
I'm beginning to see a pattern, formulating a supposition, especially after viewing this film and recently 1967's Aroused. It's almost as if during Classic Film Noir's original run the darker subject matter of the films, even though hampered by the Hayes Code would reflect the realities of society albeit in a coded way, but with a sort of delayed time lag. But once the code and the Studio System began to breakdown and when film began to get increased competition from TV the subject matter began to get up to speed so to speak and cover more current topics, i.e., beatniks (The Beat Generation 1959) juvenile delinquency (Crime in the Streets 1956, The Young Savages 1961), heroin addiction (The Man With The Golden Arm 1955, Stakeout on Dope Street 1958), rape (Anatomy of a Murder 1959), racism ( No Way Out 1950, The Crimson Kimono 1959, Odds Against Tomorrow 1959, The Pawnbroker 1964). Eventually independently produced films began to explore and depict fringe sex topics, virginity (The Moon Is Blue 1953 ) multiple partners (The Night of the Iguana 1964) homosexuality (Suddenly, Last Summer 1959, The Children's Hour 1961, Reflections in a Golden Eye 1967) fetishism (Satan In High Heels 1962), prostitution and sex maniacs (Aroused 1967) and this film The Pick-Up which features casual sex and a bit of bondage and sadism. But the sadism/bondage sequence would for all intents and purposes be equal to the James Craig torture sequence in Casino Royale (2006) but getting an R rating because the victim is female.
The last two Films are shot in the Film Noir style but The Pick-Up would have benefited with just a tad bit of restraint. It just crosses over the line in a few sequences lingering on female nudity going into, for me, what I would consider definite exploitation. I wouldn't cut any shots but I didn't need to see that much repetition, a few seconds for each shot would have been sufficient and also would have left a bit to the imagination, the best of both worlds. You could say it went over the speed limit of the prevailing Zeitgiest. Noir for the most part sort of went underground. The mainstream culture wouldn't catch up to some taboo subjects for 20 or 30 years.
If you overlook those small excesses in The Pick-Up you will discover one of the last great gritty Black & White Neo Noir's.
The Film starred writer, actor, producer, Wes Bishop (Perry Mason (1957), Combat! (1962), Bonanza (1959) and The High Chaparral (1967) as Tony. Tony reminds you of a cool Robert Wagner, Stefan Zema (Crime Story) plays Frankie, he's comes off like a young Ernest Borgnine. Tony and Frankie are bag-men for the mob transporting Las Vegas skim in a '66 Cadillac Fleetwood from a strip casino run by Charlie (exploitation film producer David F. Friedman) to Los Angeles Mob boss Sal (sexploitation producer Bob Cresse).
The story set up is that Tony, the veteran bag-man is breaking in hired gun Frankie the newbie. The operation has a simple check and balance Tony works for Sal, and Frankie was hired (back East) to work for Eddie. Frankie has never been to Vegas before and since they have arrived early in the morning before the scheduled pick-up, Frankie wants to explore the strip a bit.
Frankie is like a kid in a candy store, exclaiming at one point that the mass of neon lights the street "like daylight". Tony plays by the book but breaks down a little and while the Caddy is being serviced and he and Frankie walk the strip, he even lets Frankie try his had at the slots. The opening sequence is a great traveling time capsule through the windshield of the Fleetwood to circa 1967 Las Vegas as Tony & Frankie glide into town.
When ever Tony has to get serious he puts on his shades, perhaps a reference to Sam Fullers killer in Underworld U.S.A. (1967). When they arrive at the casino Tony tells Frankie to stay inside the car while he puts on his shades and makes the transaction accepting two suitcases from Eddies cronies and handing over a receipt. They head out of town into the desert on old Highway 91 towards Los Angeles. Frankie is driving down a desolate stretch of highway while Tony tries to catch some shut eye, when they approach two women stranded on the side of the road with the hood up on their car. The women dressed in mini skirts try to flag Frankie down. Frankie pulls over and wakes up Tony and convinces him to go back and give the ladies a hand. They U- Turn and pull up behind the women. Tony puts on his sunglasses and tells Frankie to stay inside and lock the doors.
The women wear that mid sixties fashion style tent dress mini - micro mini skirt resembling the female cast of daytime TV soap opera Dark Shadows. The two women are played by the sultry Lois Ursone (Dana) and waif-ish space case Lynn Harris (Marcia) who looks like a brunette Goldie Hawn circa her Laugh-In years.
Frankie convinces Tony to give the girls a ride to a service garage. On the way Marcia comes on to Frankie in the back seat.
Frankie convinces Tony to call in and say they have car problems so that they can party with the girls. The decide to look for a bar but since the girls have there own booze they get two rooms at a motel.
What could go wrong?
The film has a period 60s score that ranges from a folk singer entertaining up in the casino's penthouse, to bongo drums.The DVD is available from Something Weird Video
Interesting mix of noir and sleaze!
The_Void10 February 2008
The Pick-Up clearly takes influence in style from the classic film noirs, but it's a hell of a lot rougher than your average noir, and that gives the film a sense of originality - sort of like a classic where naked women get their nipples electrocuted! The plot is your classic crime thriller, and focuses on two men who are working as couriers to the mob, transporting a million dollars across Las Vegas. They meet two women with car trouble and decide to take them back to a hotel for a little fun - but it turns out the women only have eyes for the money, leaving the men in trouble as they are faced with the task of tracking down the women and getting the money back or facing the wrath of the mob! The film flows very well and despite the fact that it was obviously made on a small budget, director Lee Frost (the man behind a number of sleaze flicks such as Love Camp 7, Poor Cecily, Policewomen and A Climax of Blue Power) does well at ensuring the film flows well and remains interesting for the duration. The film also looks surprisingly professional and the director does well at capturing the classic film noir style. The torture is quite nasty and still has an impact despite the fact that the film is in black and white. Overall, this is not a great film; but it's certainly a very interesting one, and I'd recommend it to cult fans.
An underground film noir
NJ-414 October 2001
Warning: Spoilers
"The Pick-Up" (1968) is considered one of the last of the "roughies," a term for exploitation films that contained violence toward women. While there certainly is that in this picture, I think it plays more like a film noir from the underground. In this movie, the action is played out in seedy hotels, dusty highways, cramped apartment and the glitz of Vegas at night. The story concerns two couriers off to L.A. with a shipment of cash. Along the way, they pick up two seemingly stranded girls and take them to a motel room for sex. The girls steal the money and split. The men trail them to a hotel room and torture them. See, there's a cigar-chewing mob boss (Bob Cresse, who was a producer himself, I believe) who will whack them if they don't get the money back, and there's another mob hand (played in a showy performance by exploitation producer David Friedman) who's got his own agenda. And it all ends up in the most ironic wrap-ups you'll ever see. (SEE SPOILER.) The picture is slow in spots, particularly during the numerous sex scenes, but the realistically sleazy atmosphere keeps your attention throughout. And for the sadists, there's some nasty just desserts for the women involving whippings, water torture, and most graphic of all, nipple electrocution. But this is only a small part of the picture. The characters and the low-down dirty atmosphere take up the rest. By no means am I saying that this is a work of art, but it does have its qualities. (SPOILER ALERT: The two girls are mercilessly tortured, yet they end up marrying the two men and having kids! How's that for irony? But it is only part of the story, trust me.)
I'm surprised Tarantino has not remade this film .....
PimpinAinttEasy4 February 2016
Warning: Spoilers
Dear Lee Frost,
first off, what a great idea to make a noir soft porn film. There is a lot to appreciate in your low budget flick.
Let me start with the plot. Two gangsters who are supposed to pick up and deliver a million dollars are seduced by a couple of female gangsters who steal the cash. Absolutely wonderful! I wonder why Tarantino or any of his imitators never bothered to make a film with the same plot.
The film is structured in a way that you could show a lot of people having sex. While the male and female gangsters have sex, the guys waiting for the money are also having sex with other women. And you even managed to insert a very small lesbian sub plot. No complaints from my side.
I guess I would not be wrong if I said that your visual style was inspired by Blast of Silence which came out seven years before your film. The scenes in Las Vegas and one of the shoot out scenes definitely reminded me of Blast.
The edgy score was definitely very interesting and is one that I would download and play in my car. Quincy Jones' score for In Cold Blood came to mind. The score is an important part of your film. It was used to great effect during the lesbian sex scene.
I also liked the plot resolution at the end.
Unfortunately, the four gangsters were all played by awful actors. That affected the film quite badly. They were painful to watch and listen to.
The dialogs were also quite uninspired. I am surprised you did not work harder on them. I mean, you and writer Wes Bishop are not exactly minnows. You guys wrote the great RACE WITH THE DEVIL (1975).
Anyway, I will be watching more of your films, Lee. You are a man with a great imagination.
Best Regards, Pimpin.
(7/10)
first off, what a great idea to make a noir soft porn film. There is a lot to appreciate in your low budget flick.
Let me start with the plot. Two gangsters who are supposed to pick up and deliver a million dollars are seduced by a couple of female gangsters who steal the cash. Absolutely wonderful! I wonder why Tarantino or any of his imitators never bothered to make a film with the same plot.
The film is structured in a way that you could show a lot of people having sex. While the male and female gangsters have sex, the guys waiting for the money are also having sex with other women. And you even managed to insert a very small lesbian sub plot. No complaints from my side.
I guess I would not be wrong if I said that your visual style was inspired by Blast of Silence which came out seven years before your film. The scenes in Las Vegas and one of the shoot out scenes definitely reminded me of Blast.
The edgy score was definitely very interesting and is one that I would download and play in my car. Quincy Jones' score for In Cold Blood came to mind. The score is an important part of your film. It was used to great effect during the lesbian sex scene.
I also liked the plot resolution at the end.
Unfortunately, the four gangsters were all played by awful actors. That affected the film quite badly. They were painful to watch and listen to.
The dialogs were also quite uninspired. I am surprised you did not work harder on them. I mean, you and writer Wes Bishop are not exactly minnows. You guys wrote the great RACE WITH THE DEVIL (1975).
Anyway, I will be watching more of your films, Lee. You are a man with a great imagination.
Best Regards, Pimpin.
(7/10)
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