Run! Bitch Run!
September 3, 2010 by Editor
Filed under Film Reviews
Run! Bitch Run! (2009)
Directed By: Joseph Guzman
Review Written By: Horse
Mondo Film & Video Guide Contributor
IMDb.com Link
This is easily the second best title I’ve seen since writing here (behind Destined to be Ingested) and another that screams to me, “I have to see this”. Press pack says “in the tradition of I Spit on Your Grave and Ms. 45”, both of which I own and like to some extent. I watch I Spit once every 5-10 years, only because it is hard to sit through as the rapes are so fucking brutally real looking, but the paybacks are legendary. I even have an uncut custom of Ms. 45 along with the edited Image DVD, which I watch with about the same frequency since it’s not my favorite genre and I have to be in a certain mood for them.
There’s always been a sick fascination with the genre for me, probably cuz I just don’t get rapists. How does someone get pleasure in that? I’ve never thought of raping anyone, but have been in a couple/few drunken sessions with girls whose bodies weren’t quite as into it as our heads, and it was painful for both of us. This makes me believe one thing, rapists are sorry little-dicked sacks of shit that should all be killed on sight! I still get pissed that my girlfriend of 15-17 years ago wouldn’t tell me who raped her so I could fuck him up. I had to break up with her over that. Of course had she told me, I’d probably just be getting out of jail now since I was going to see if it were possible to tear a person apart with my bare hands. Anyway, I’m getting way off track here so let’s try and get back on it.
The first problem I have with this film is that it calls itself a “soon to be cult-classic”. You can’t call your own film that! None of the great cult classics were intentional, it just happens when films find their audience on video. Do you think Ed Wood was trying to make crap? Did Uwe Boll know how bad House of the Dead was coming out, and thought “wow, someday this will be looked at as so bad it’s great?” NO, it just happens, and the cult will give it the title “classic”. So it’s got a strike against it before I even spin, but the title makes up for that and I go in neutral.
As you may know or can easily tell from looking at the cover, this is a throwback in the tradition of Grindhouse, or a rip-off of Grindhouse, depending on how you look at it and feel that day. Looks like it is supposed to be set in the 70’s, and doesn’t skimp on the film staples of that era, namely gratuitous nudity. I think every female in this got topless at some point, most bottomless, and big props that all girls are all natural. Nothing takes me out of a period piece quicker than shit that shouldn’t be there, like fake tits and tattoos in the 1970’s. One girl has a little tattoo, but it’s not distracting enough to really count. Blood flows pretty freely as well, although most gore is implied and off-screen, due to budget and homage, I’m sure.
There’s more nudity in the first 5 minutes than most full films. We also meet the baddies, sleazy pimp Lobo (Peter Tahoe) and lead whore/psycho bitch Marla (Ivet Corvea). Lobo is getting head from another girl while Marla kills a trick who calls her a whore. Then we meet the girls; way too up-tight Catherine (Cheryl Lyone) and more free-spirited Rebecca (Playmate Christina DeRosa), selling bibles door to door as travelling Catholic schoolgirls. Rebecca isn’t shy about prancing around naked in front of her friend, but Catherine is freaked out by this. In fear of falling into another play by play review, I’ll quit that now and shift gears.
The film is shot beautifully for what it is. It doesn’t take the retro look as far as Grindhouse, but I’m sure some grain has been added which makes even this non-anamorphic DVDR screener look like an older film playing. The music is another highlight, although it comes close to crossing into porno sounds a few times. Most of the music sounds like outtakes from Grindhouse or other Robert Rodriguez scores, with that sleazy southwestern groove. Some might be a bit too close to Grindhouse; it sounds so much alike I had to check that out and make sure it was different (I won’t go into a Vanilla Ice “ours goes ding ding ding ding ding” spew, but could easily make a joke referencing that). Plot-wise there isn’t much if anything new being served up, nearly every part felt familiar in some form.
While some parts of this film are just sick and vicious, the rapes really aren’t nearly as hard to sit through as the films it mimics. Hell, compared to I Spit on Your Grave, it’s down right tame and almost family-friendly. Budget seems to be an issue during the revenge part, as I started to think everyone was going to get killed off-screen, but Lobo’s comeuppance is shown in graphic detail and is every bit as painful to watch as the bathtub scene in Spit for me and any sane man. It’s also the first time I’ve seen it done, can’t say it’s the first time ever on film since I don’t know that for sure, but the first time for me.
Another thing worth mentioning is the dialogue. There’s some great and funny shit thrown in. As much as I want to hate Lobo, he really comes off pretty charming and funny when not raping or killing. A highlight is when his dim-witted side-kick is reading one of the bibles, and Lobo says “Clint, stop reading that bible, it’s unhealthy”. Maybe I find this funnier than others because I’m anti-religious, but I almost laughed to tears. I also got an unintentional laugh after the first rape (when Marla rapes Rebecca). Bitch must cum like a dude, cuz Rebecca comes up with a glazed face, including heavy glaze around the mouth. This probably shouldn’t be funny, but just hit me that way. Even funnier is when Marla grabs the dimwits nuts and says “if you’re not gonna use these, can I have em?” I should mention Marla is pretty much the definition of insatiable, after killing the guy she fucks herself with a toilet plunger handle, and then rapes the girl, then fucks Lobo while Clint rapes the other girl, and is doing drugs the whole time. Damn bitch damn!
All in all, this flick isn’t great but isn’t bad at all either. It drags for a bit but when it gets going, its good throwback fun. Definitely worth checking out if you’re a fan of anything mentioned so far in the review. While not original (but what is these days – it’s all remakes, sequels and rip-offs), it does find ways to keep the viewer watching and engrossed. Some great nudity (Cheryl Lyone walking buck-naked through the woods is up there with the best nude scenes of memory.), clever dialogue, an awesome title and the overall feel make it recommendable. Run! Bitch Run!… to the store and check this out!
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