The Story Of The Dolls (1984)

1984 - The Story Of The Dolls (Geiselgasteig-Film-Productions Ltd/W.v. Schiber/First-Film Organization Ltd)

[West German production shot in the Philippines, original German title “Taifun Der Zärtlichkeit”; also released on US VHS as “The Dolls”]

Director/Writer Hubert Frank Producer/Production Manager Luis Mayr Executive Producers Wolfgang von Schiber, Hoi Wong Cinematography Franz Xaver Lederle Music Gerhard Heinz Editor Gabriela Bergmann Assistant Director Frecy D. Iniego Makeup Dorothy Perseke Camera Assistant Pavel Hispler Assistant Editor Doris Wutz

Cast Tetchie Agbayani (Lee), Max Thayer, Josephine Manuel, Carina Schally, Brigitta Cimarolli, Vanessa Vaylord, Sabine Mucha, Leo Hermosa, Mario S. Layco (Pedro), Jean Saburit

Phantom Soldiers (1987)

1987 - Phantom Soldiers (Regal Films)

[released on French VHS as "Commando Phantom"]

Director “Irvin Johnson”/Teddy Chiu Story/Screenplay Rod Davies, Jim Gaines Cinematography “Victor Anders” Music James Fabre Art Director Edward Lambert Production Design Alfred Lowry Editor Edgar Vincent Production-in-Charge Joy Tunners Production Manager George Will Production Assistant Leah Bianca Liason Officer John Seymour Location Manager Albert Winston 1st Assistant Director Rod Davies 2nd Assistant Director Martin Casey 3rd Assistant Director Andy Wilson Script & Continuity Connie Leslie Dialogue Coach Max Thayer 1st Unit Cameramen Thomas George, Robert Sullivan 2nd Unit Cameramen Jim Black, Andrew Newman 3rd Unit Cameramen James York, Adrian Hayes Camera Assistants Ronald Porter, Nelson Holmes, Sandy Welch, John Harold, Stephen Howard, Tom Banner Boom Operator David Robertson 1st Assistant Editor Mark Vincent 2nd Assistant Editor Fred Coger 3rd Assistant Editor David Gates Stunt Coordinator Dhan Habel Assistant Stunt Coordinators Ryan Smith, Dick Shaw, Jayson Edward Set Designer David Alpen Construction Coordinator Adam Sean Standby Carpenters Robert Rivard, Russell Watson, Mark Whitaker Standby Painters Nelson Dixon, Stephen Smith, Patrick Bradbury Gaffer Al Anders Costume Supervisor Brian Powers Wardrobe Designer David Herbeck, Jake Davidson Wardrobe Assistants Evan Thomas, Alex Seamann Best Boy Electric Felix Bass Electricians John Whitman, Ross Shawn, Conny Windwood Key Grip Lincoln Spencer Best Boy Grip George Jardell Grips Martin Burke, William Drew, Sam Selbert, David Tyler Special Effects William Marbach Special Effects Assistants Alexander Burger, Pete Axthelm, Sammy Taylor Armory Ross Leyton, Frances Saint, Richard Simmon Loader David Wyland Focus Puller Thomas de Frank Field Sound Mixer Edwin Lindsay Studio Sound Mixer Rick Thomas Music Editor John Conway Sound Effectmen Anthony Cohen, Christopher Dickey, Ray Elliott Casting Ed Davidson Field Cashier Annabel Bentley Transportation Manager Lyon Osward Generator Man Philip Barclay, Stephen Danbury Property Master Joseph Dwyer Property Assistants Pinn Fox, Sidney Jones Makeup Artist Katrine Ames Assistant Makeup Artist Elisa Williams, Jennifer Wainwright Hair Dresser Lynn James Stills Willy Anders Caterer John Parker Vietnamese Dialogue Interpreter Veronica Lili

Cast Max Thayer (Daniel Custer), Jack Yates (Colonel Hammer), “Corwyn”/Corwin Sperry, Jim Gaines (Red Legs), Richard King (KY), David Light (Hammer’s Aide), Mike Monty (Colonel Barker), David Anderson (Captain McFarland), Edward Burnett (Cook), John Fulch, Howard Fineman (Radio Operator), Dave Swanson (Navy Lieutenant), Willy Tang (Taxi Driver), John Alexander (Interrogator), Dave Owen (Jail Guard) Green Beret Team Michael Welborne, Don Holtz, Jeff Griffith, Jim Moss, Robert Clinton, Warren Smith FDA Agents Richard Steels, Thomas Manning, Joseph Coenza, Bill Powell Bar Goons Ted Slate, Peter Prescott, David Gates, Archer Speers Pilots Gerard Smith, Guy Cooper, Bob Aaron, Larry McNeil Phantom Soldiers Darell Adams, Joseph Arena, Martin Burke, Ron Kennedy, William Phanon, Andrew Eckmann, Gary Faulkner, David Friedman, Michael Hudson, Renee Daniels, Kenneth Seggerman, Sam Seibert, Ronald Wilson, Richard Elman, Rudolph Adam Jr, Christopher Dickey [uncredited] Eddie Gaerlan (Colonel)

Max Thayer on Phantom Soldiers from his interview on the Nanarland website:

I was called back to the Philippines by Teddy Page for “Phantom Soldiers” in ‘88. This picture has been reviewed online but it’s another one I never saw. If you have any further information regarding this movie please let me know because I think I did some good work on it and I would like to get a copy. Teddy Page told me he suggested me for the lead in “Phantom Soldiers” but the head of Regal Studios wasn’t sure. “No Retreat No Surrender 2” happened to be playing in Manila and they walked around the corner to see it and, voilà !, I was Philippines bound again. I don’t know why Teddy Page isn‘t credited for directing “Phantom Soldiers”. Irvin “Magic“ Johnson is a famous basketball star and maybe Teddy was having some fun trying out a nom de plume. It was my last visit to those lovely islands.

No Dead Heroes (1987)

1987 - No Dead Heroes (Cineventures Inc/Maharaj-Miller Film)

[Filmed in 1985 as "Blood Machines", distributed with the assistance of West Indies producer Anthony Mahiraj. Released on French VHS as "Commando Massacre", on Danish VHS as "War Machine", and on German VHS as "Geheimcode Leopard"]

Director/Producer “J.C. Miller”/Danilo Cabreira Story/Screenplay “J.C. Miller”/Danilo Cabreira, Arthur N. Gelfield [Nick Nicholson also helped with the script] Executive Producer Marciano Jao Cinematography Freddie C. Grant Music Marta M. Wellman Editor Edgar Vine [is it Edgardo “Boy” Vinarao?] Rerecording Mixer Mark Ruta Set Director Arthur Gelfield Art Directors Donnie Gonzalez, Ramon Nicdao Assistant Director Joel Freeman Production Manager Antonio Ramm Stunt Coordinator Val Morris Casting Directors Paul Vance, Daniel Zale Dialogue Coach Nick Nicholson Field Cashier Albert Arte Special Effects Jun Rambell Sound Effects Editors Cabrales Brothers Makeup/Prosthetics Cecille “Bann”/Baun Assistant Makeup Violy Puzon, Babes Gales Script Supervisor Asset Bernabe Schedule Master Rene Gracilla Stills Roger Bles Gaffer Angel Ares Assistant Editors Bagani Celis, Tom Rao Propsman Roy Bern Property Custodian Jess Gamon Transportation Captain Ding Samonte Wardrobe Manny Long Wardrobe Assistants Voltaire Ramiro, Raffy Evangelista, Fred Brown, Blanca Grepe Meal Checker Jessie Aguilar Utility Freddie Gallope, Greg Ray Caterer Greggy Reyes, Lo Leng Assistant Cameraman Roy Sangco Field Soundman Rudy Teope Loader Jojo Mariano Boomman Genex Vale Lifter Tom Dox Electrician Edd Quin Crew Rudolph Bill, Al Alvarez, Jose Llames, Abe Valdez, Gilbert Green Generatorman Jim Kell

Cast Max Thayer (William Sanders), John Dresden (Harry Cotter), Toni Nero (Barbara Perez), Nick Nicholson (Ivan Dimanovitch), Mike Monty (Frank Baylor) [listed as “Mike Monte” in the opening credits], Dave Anderson (General Arthur Craig), Dann Oliver (Montagnard), Rex Smith (Montagnard), John Carr (Camp Commanding Officer), Danny Bell (Vietnamese Officer), Paul Vance, Bill James Haverly Green Berets Steve Rogers, Ronnie Patterson, Warren McLean, “Erik”/Eric Hahn, Gerald Tosco, Joseph Collins, Harry Lausman

Review from the Ruthless Reviews website:

Matt Cale is our hero...

Tagline:

Mission: Terminate the KGB Jungle Experiments.

Goal: Destroy the Human Killing Machines.

Order: Leave No One Alive!

Entire Story in Fewer Words than are in this Sentence:

Crazed KGB agent brainwashes Green Beret; hundreds perish.

Homoeroticism:

Disappointingly, none to be found. The only thing that came close was a camera shot through a beefy man's legs. Still, in a Death Wish sort of way, the message is sent that if you love a woman, she will eventually get shot.

Corpse Count:

This film was a fucking bloodbath! A whopping 237 people were killed for my entertainment. Here's the breakdown: 101 Yellow Bastards, 93 Latin Devils, 25 Atheistic Russkies, and 18 Innocent, Noble Americans.

How Bad Was it Really?

If budget, effects, acting, script, and story aren't a concern, it's not half bad. Among the more insipid elements:

The KGB agent (Ivan Mitovich) has the sort of accent you'd find in Montgomery, Alabama.

The exteriors were clearly shot in the director's backyard.

The soundtrack is so inappropriate that during scenes of extreme violence, the film could have been mistaken for a wacky comedy.

A sign posted in the Soviet Union says "USSR," despite the fact that "CCCP" would have been the more accurate designation.

After Vietnam vet Richard Sanders says to the head of the CIA, "Fuck you, Baylor, I'm not one of your pawns anymore," he actually picks up a pawn from a nearby chess board and throws it at the director's chest.

The editing is so poor that characters are often cut off in mid-sentence.

Sanders is fucking a double agent from El Salvador less than 24 hours after watching his entire family murdered before his eyes. The next day, he says that he loves her.

That same sex scene is one of the least erotic and most pointlessly overlong in cinema history. And if I'm not mistaken, that's Gloria Gaynor on the soundtrack.

In all, I've rarely been exposed to a film of this supreme incompetence. It's so cheap and so badly dubbed in parts that it took all of my power to stay away from the stop button. Thankfully, I just might be the only person alive to have seen this piece of shit.

Post-Mortem One-Liners:

The cigar-chomping KGB cracker fires off, "Nobody spits in my face goddammit! Nobody!" after putting a bullet in an American POW's heart.

Stupid Political Context:

Despite the ultra-cheap surroundings, the typical Cold War rhetoric spilled out. Russians are uniformly portrayed as sadistic tyrants who hate God and love to watch free people suffer and die. And of course, all Latin American activities are being directed from Moscow. Communists also enjoy raping old women, butchering young children, and burning the houses of the non-compliant. The fierce American hero of the film even states at one point, "We go to sleep, Communists will steal this world as sure as thieves in the night." But what's with the CIA director who looks like Hugh Hefner?

Novelty Death:

A POW is burned with cigars and has his fingernails pulled out until he dies of shock; a Vietcong soldier is shot in the crotch with an arrow before falling to his death; and a man is shot in the chest while walking across a bridge, pausing only to stabilize himself on the railing with his left hand, before jumping over the side.

What You Learned:

Greasy, pot-bellied Latin American thugs ejaculate after only 30 seconds of fucking, while virile American studs are able to last for hours. And to think that I had always dismissed the rumors of a Guatemalan grandfather...

Deadringer (1985)

1985 - Deadringer (Silver Star Film Company?)

[released on French VHS as "Laser Force" and "L'Arme Absolue", and on German VHS as "Kommando Doppelganger"]

Director Teddy “Page”/Chiu Writers Timothy Jorge, Paul Vance Producer K.Y. Lim

Cast Max Thayer (Frank/Dave), Christine Lassiter (Cathy Marlowe), Mike Cohen (John Marlowe, the Godfather), Mike Monty (Charlie), Nick Nicholson (Steve), Gaby Ferro, Frank Juhas (Bearded hotel clerk), Paul Vance, [uncredited] Teddy Chiu (Bartender)

Nick Nicholson on Deadringer [from Nick's interview on the French website Nanarland]

… it was always best to do your own stunts. Robert Patrick got his job for Terminator II as he had picked up this attitude from us while shooting with Cirio. He is a member of "Pigs in Space" (Our local acting group). In "Deadringer", I was asked to crawl up the back of the car, then a guy in the front seat would shoot at me. The gunshot would be simulated by using a .45 bullet (Just the lead) fired from a slingshot. We tried it three times and the slug just flattened out on the glass. Then Gapo (the SFX guy) said we would have to do it live. By this time I just said "Fuck it! Let's do it!" and we did. I got 100 pesos [US$ 5] for the stunt and Max spent the rest of the day laughing his ass off! It was pretty risky for any actor here as we didn't have any set safety standards that anybody had to follow.

The one incident that will remain in my mind forever was while we were shooting Deadringer. We were at the entrance of the Mt. Makiling rain forest, and we were shooting a scene where Max was inside a small building with the cops outside. They SFX guys were supposed to have a smoke grenade to simulate tear gas. I was studying my script when fellow actor Willie Williams asked me if I saw the grenade that the SFX guys were getting ready to use. I told him no, and he said I should take a look. I went over and had a look, and saw that it was what we called a Willie Peter or White Phosphorous, a very deadly weapon. I asked the SFX guy if he really planned on using it, he said no, they would just throw it in thru the window, and use a smoke machine. I told him that I hoped that was all he would do as the grenade could kill everybody in the small building. I went back to where I had been sitting, reading my script. Willie and I just sat reading while the lead SFX guy was digging holes to put blast mortars in for our respective death scenes. All of a sudden there was a loud snap bang! Anybody who has been in combat knows the sound I mean. Willie and I looked at each other, then we saw a greenish white glow coming from inside the building, and white smoke billowing out of a window. Max and others came out. Max was wearing my jungle floppy hat, and burning phosphorous had hit the brim and burned thru, and burned his face and neck. Christine Lassiter had her hands burnt. Our stillman Jun Agravante got it worse than anybody else. His whole back and the calves of his legs had third degree burns. I went inside the building, surprised that everybody had survived and saw the reason why. The grenade had just cooked off and blew in half. The top portion was stuck in the ceiling, and the bottom half was laying on the concrete floor sizziling with burning phosphorous. Had it exploded they way it had been designed to do, everybody would have been dead!