Revenge of the Cheerleaders (1976)

Okay, this is my third consecutive review of a cheerleaders movie after The Cheerleaders and The Swinging Cheerleaders. We're back in high school for this one. Two of the writers of The Cheerleaders-Ace Baandage and Richard Lerner who also directed this one-are involved and they provide some pretty sexy scenes and also some good dance sequences. But the rest of the movie is pointless with a plot of a possible merger with another school and many unfunny scenes of a drug-infused lunch and a chase at the end. Carl Ballantine is pretty funny in his brief scenes and it's interesting seeing David Hasselhoff at the beginning of his career. And seeing a pregnant Cheryl "Rainbeaux" Smith-who previously was in The Swinging Cheerleaders-and her actual baby at the end was also nice to see. Too bad about her tragic end. Really, though, except for the sex and dance scenes, I don't really recommend Revenge of the Cheerleaders except for what I cited...

Unexpectedly strange sex romp has a gang of horny teens resisting shifty land-developers who plan to raze the local high school and replace it with a shopping mall. This probably should have been a garden variety pea-brained libido comedy, and it does, of course, subsume the compulsory parade of birthday suits and ribald chuckles. A differentia of abstract/surreal touches, however, certify this flick as a "stand alone" oddity...malt-shop analingus...a golf course sand-trap portal to the local high school...an ignominious subito dancing scene...the waitress who refused Jack Nicholson toast in FIVE EASY PIECES...future KNIGHT RIDER stud David Hasselhoff(who probably doesn't talk much about this one). Subtleties, all, but it's just enough to keep the viewer slightly cross-eyed with a crooked grin.All things considered, this is a novelty more weird than legitimately good, but it might be worth a look(if only for the presence of the late, great Rainbeaux Smith, preggers to the max during production).5.5/10

Bizarre doesn't begin to describe this hellaciously bad movie. A curio of it's time, today the film offers almost no entertainment value except as a method of torture to future international celebrity Hasselhoff. Plot, such as it is, concerns a gang of sleazy cheerleaders trying to interfere with school business. This film does not take place in any world that viewers will be familiar with. Aside from the expected older actors playing teens, the story and script are so completely unbelievable that this is nothing more than a reason to show some crude drug jokes and display some supple young flesh. For these reasons alone it will appeal to certain "midnight movie" fans. Cheap is the word that comes to mind in every aspect of the movie. A hefty, blonde-wigged nurse (portrayed by an actress who's had a few bit parts in legitimate films) tries to inject some campy laughs into the mess, but fails. This atrocity was unearthed from certain obscurity when supporting player Hasselhoff hit it big on "Night Rider" and "Baywatch". And why? Because midway through the film, his character is shown in a group shower and for a few frames David, jr. makes an appearance. This is not going to turn many people on since the Hasselhoff from this film is light years away from the tan, built TV star they are all familiar with now. Still, it is amazing to note that in 1970's drive-in-style comedies, female AND male nudity was trotted out in surprisingly large doses while now the human body is all but shut away while viewers are asked to watch explosions, gunplay, knives plunging into people and other malicious acts. Sex, however, is considered taboo! (Which is why a movie like "American Pie" can come along and break records....it returns to a sort of innocent piece of sexual trash like this movie was in it's day...although "Revenge..." is definitely way down on the totem pole!) Another striking thing is the bodies themselves. People weren't as bent on physical perfection and surgically enhanced looks. The girls are naturally presented (one even has hilarious tan lines!) and the guys are just lean, pale "dudes". The movie has curiosity value, but only a VERY patient person will make it through the whole thing unless they were alive during that time. Bad....

I saw this film at about 3am with a cinema full of rabid "bad film junkies" during a movie marathon for a local trash film festival. It was the perfect thing at that time of the morning, but I cant imagine watching it at any other time of my waking life. Plot - awful. Acting - campy. Singing/dancing routines - appalling. I wouldn't even degrade the porn industry by labeling it as such. This is 100% unadulterated crap, beyond anything that bears that stigma... I LOVED IT!!!!Apparently (we were told before it unspooled before our unsuspecting eyes) it is on high recommendation from Quinten Tarantino...I'll never look at David Hasselhoff the same!!!! :)