directed by Stephen Gyllenhaal
New World Video, 1985
I usually hate movies where we waste twenty minutes at the beginning "getting to know the characters," presumably so we'll care about their misfortunes once the action gets rolling (one of the few movies that makes this tactic work is Steve DeJarnett's Miracle Mile). The great thing about Certain Fury is that we're barely five minutes into the first reel before being plunged into the middle of an ultra-gory courtroom shootout between two spandex-clad, shotgun-wielding hookers and a small army of cops. Awaiting their own court appearances and caught in the crossfire are Scarlett, an illiterate prostitute (Tatum O'Neal, Oscar winner for Paper Moon) and pampered rich girl Tracy (Irene Cara, Oscar winner for the theme to Flashdance). The cops think they were in on the escape attempt that led to the complete massacre, and these two opposites are soon on the run and doing anything it takes to survive, from swimming in sewers to beating up pimps dealing cocaine.
Director Gyllenhaal (who previously wrote the James Spader/Eric Stoltz/Lori Laughlin rural bloodbath The New Kids, reviewed in Teenage Rampage—ed.) so you know he's cool (you don't expect something like that at the beginning of the movie, nor something that graphic—I mean there's brains and skull fragments splattering on the walls) but he keeps things moving quickly from outrage to outrage, intercut with scenes of Tatum and Irene running through the streets while Chariots of Fire-style music plays. Black Mama, White Mama they ain't, but they're cooler than The Defiant Ones, 'cause they're girls.
-- Rich Osmond
You may have noticed that the last two reviews (and the one following on the opposite page) were written by none other than St. Louis' own favorite son, Rich Osmond—owner and proprietor of one of our favorite zines, "Teenage Rampage." Be sure to check out the brand new issue #2, in which Osmond continues to serve up some great teen exploitation videos with a heaping side salad interview with Jack Hill. This is definitely one not to be missed. Send your hard-earned $ to Rich Osmond at P.O. Box 6052, St. Louis, MO 63139-0052.