Game on. HBO Guide challenge #1 January 1982, 8:30 am (not sure what they were thinking with this time slot given the film's violence and lack of a rating, but I digest). As indicated previously, I 'messed up' and started with the second movie of the month first - "Snowball Express" is actually in the 6:30 am slot - but we are just going to do this or the whole thing will stall in the gates.
The guide refers to this film as "Blood Barrier"; clearly it WAS known by this title at some point in its history, but all current references, DVD's, etc., refer to it as "Border Cop". This is fitting as the former title is probably suggestive of a bit more subtlety than the film pulls off; human trafficking across the Mexican border is the topic, and our central character, played by Kojak star Telly Savalas, is out to "...see that justice is done" as per the guide description.
The set up: Savalas is a border cop (hence the descriptive title), tenured in the profession for a fair number of years, as evidenced by his cynicism and lax approach to the enforcement end of things. He doesn't have an issue with Mexicans going north, illegal or otherwise, only with the 'dirt-bags' who pray on these desperate folks. Enter our Mexican douche bag played by...Michael V. Gazzo. This guy plays stock mob bosses in movies like The Godfather II and Serpico (and many many more) and the accent and delivery don't stray at all from these other performances. But his name is Suarez and we are supposed to accept him as the moral equivalent I suppose; regardless, it doesn't help the credibility of the film at this early stage.
Suarez is running a human traffic ring that supplies labor to a meat production facility just north of the border, and the Mexicans used as fodder for this employment are treated only marginally better than the cattle they are tasked with slaughtering and processing.
Officer Frank Cooper, our 'screw procedure' hero, plays godfather to a late teenage Mexican who, due to desperation and lack of funds, decides he must find employment with Suarez: he will act as driver on one of these traffic runs. He worries what Frank will think if he finds out he is associating himself with the 'bad guy', but feels he has no choice, etc.
Turns out Benny (the godson) doesn't like the treatment of his fellows at said meat processing plant, and all hell breaks loose. Frank (Telly) eventually enters the fray, and comes face to face with his nemesis Suarez, learning the full extent of his corrupt reach.
Savalas is likeable as the avuncular godfather to Benny; Benny on the other hand (played by Danny De La Paz) is predictably naive and bumbling, to the point of annoyance at times. The acting and overall film quality are on par with the made for television movies of the period at best. I'd like to see more Savalas (I don't believe I ever actually watched an episode of Kojak, despite it's ubiquitous presence): despite the tacky bling and bare chest look that can't possibly have ever been 'hip', he is compelling in some awkward way.
Eddie Albert, recognizable from Green Acres, amongst many other things, plays a generally insipid but mildly unsavory character. On a side note, though he lived until the quite ripe old age of 99, passing in 2005, his son Edward, also an actor, died only a year later in 2006 of lung cancer, aged a mere 55.
The single most captivating scene in the entire movie is a three minute tour of the processing plant where we see, quite literally, the slaughtering of a cow, from dispatch via gunshot, to guts being torn from its belly, to sawing in half with some seriously medieval looking appliances. All clearly shot in a real processing plant, seemingly as part of the movie shoot: typically this type of film would cut to stock footage, but this doesn't have that feel at all. This footage lends a brutality and weight to the story that the contrived stunt scenes fail to achieve.
Finally, the closing scene (I promise no spoilers) will not fail to leave you giggling at the sheer silliness of the 70's B flick. Classic cornball, no question.
Don't expect much and have a love for 'that 70's feel' cheesiness? This movie will certainly keep you occupied for 2 hours. 1.5 stars out of 4.
I couldn't find a trailer, but here is a brief clip of the promising opening scene. Enjoy!
The guide refers to this film as "Blood Barrier"; clearly it WAS known by this title at some point in its history, but all current references, DVD's, etc., refer to it as "Border Cop". This is fitting as the former title is probably suggestive of a bit more subtlety than the film pulls off; human trafficking across the Mexican border is the topic, and our central character, played by Kojak star Telly Savalas, is out to "...see that justice is done" as per the guide description.The set up: Savalas is a border cop (hence the descriptive title), tenured in the profession for a fair number of years, as evidenced by his cynicism and lax approach to the enforcement end of things. He doesn't have an issue with Mexicans going north, illegal or otherwise, only with the 'dirt-bags' who pray on these desperate folks. Enter our Mexican douche bag played by...Michael V. Gazzo. This guy plays stock mob bosses in movies like The Godfather II and Serpico (and many many more) and the accent and delivery don't stray at all from these other performances. But his name is Suarez and we are supposed to accept him as the moral equivalent I suppose; regardless, it doesn't help the credibility of the film at this early stage.
Suarez is running a human traffic ring that supplies labor to a meat production facility just north of the border, and the Mexicans used as fodder for this employment are treated only marginally better than the cattle they are tasked with slaughtering and processing.
Officer Frank Cooper, our 'screw procedure' hero, plays godfather to a late teenage Mexican who, due to desperation and lack of funds, decides he must find employment with Suarez: he will act as driver on one of these traffic runs. He worries what Frank will think if he finds out he is associating himself with the 'bad guy', but feels he has no choice, etc.
Turns out Benny (the godson) doesn't like the treatment of his fellows at said meat processing plant, and all hell breaks loose. Frank (Telly) eventually enters the fray, and comes face to face with his nemesis Suarez, learning the full extent of his corrupt reach.
Savalas is likeable as the avuncular godfather to Benny; Benny on the other hand (played by Danny De La Paz) is predictably naive and bumbling, to the point of annoyance at times. The acting and overall film quality are on par with the made for television movies of the period at best. I'd like to see more Savalas (I don't believe I ever actually watched an episode of Kojak, despite it's ubiquitous presence): despite the tacky bling and bare chest look that can't possibly have ever been 'hip', he is compelling in some awkward way.
Eddie Albert, recognizable from Green Acres, amongst many other things, plays a generally insipid but mildly unsavory character. On a side note, though he lived until the quite ripe old age of 99, passing in 2005, his son Edward, also an actor, died only a year later in 2006 of lung cancer, aged a mere 55.
The single most captivating scene in the entire movie is a three minute tour of the processing plant where we see, quite literally, the slaughtering of a cow, from dispatch via gunshot, to guts being torn from its belly, to sawing in half with some seriously medieval looking appliances. All clearly shot in a real processing plant, seemingly as part of the movie shoot: typically this type of film would cut to stock footage, but this doesn't have that feel at all. This footage lends a brutality and weight to the story that the contrived stunt scenes fail to achieve.
Finally, the closing scene (I promise no spoilers) will not fail to leave you giggling at the sheer silliness of the 70's B flick. Classic cornball, no question.
Don't expect much and have a love for 'that 70's feel' cheesiness? This movie will certainly keep you occupied for 2 hours. 1.5 stars out of 4.
I couldn't find a trailer, but here is a brief clip of the promising opening scene. Enjoy!
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