Illustration : Unknown

The Female Bunch
 

Al Adamson | USA | 1969

This sweaty Western from director/producer/screenwriter Al Adamson, behind of countless exploitation pictures throughout the 60’s and 70’s, certainly lives up to its title – “We are completely independent of men” boasts Grace, the whip-cracking leader of the aptly named “Female Bunch”! This quartet of feminists, played by a bevy of sexy American starlets, includes Jennifer Bishop (House of Terror) and the filmmakers’ future wife, Regina Carroll as Libby – whom Al married in 1972.

After a string of misadventures with men, and on the brink of suicide, newcomer Sandy (introducing Nesa Renet, in her only screen role) is rescued by Libby, a female ranch hand working alongside a trio of similarly hardened women. Battered, abused and beaten, Sandy is taken to meet the rest of the “bunch”, whom live the isolationist's dream at a remote ranch ( actually the infamous Spahn Ranch, the then Californian home of the Manson family). Here Sandy is indoctrinated into the sisterhood that is “The Female Bunch”, and encouraged to become a fully-fledged member of their man-hating cult of high plains hell cats!

The film offers its fair share of fading male stars too: Lon Chaney Jr., in his last film role, as a gravel-voiced cowboy (a side-effect of radio therapy for throat cancer), and ex-West Side Story star Russ Tamblyn as Bill, an amorous cowboy who bites off more than he can chew with the girls, and is branded like a mule for his trouble!

 

 

 

Although Adamson’s picture was shot in August 1969, it wasn’t released until march 1971, and was awarded its censored ‘X’ certificate when submitted in January of 1972 by London based Grand national Pictures Ltd.

The UK video debut for The Female Bunch was courtesy of Intervision. When Motion Pictures On Video re-released the film in late 1986, new and dynamic sleeve art was commissioned —which was something of a staple for MPV, although who designed this particular sleeve and the label’s release of another ex-Intervision title Lies, remains something of a mystery…

Al Adamson’s life was cut short in circumstances which wouldn’t have been out of place in one of his own films. Brutally bludgeoned to death by Fred Fulford, a handyman,  Adamson’s body was placed in his own jacuzzi and encased  in cement! Fulford was found guilty of murder in 2000 and sentenced to 25 years.

 

aka : —

cast : Russ Tamblyn, Jenifer Bishop, Lon Chaney Jr., Nesa Renet, Leslie McRay [Leslie McRae], Jeoffrey Land, Al Cole, A'Lesha Lee, Sheryn Wynters, Gina Carol, Don Epperson, Mike Wendler, Megan Timothy, Sue Arnold, Lee James, Jacky Taylor, Hank Lowrey, Penny Cook