Review by Peter Syslo
MY FRIENDS NEED KILLING (1976) is another selection from the obscure film catalog provided by Shocking Videos (www.revengeismydestiny.com). Once again, the company has provided a high-quality transfer and a smooth-as-silk DVD-R which operates just as any manufactured DVD would. Throw in the high-quality printed cover artwork and you have a nice, straightforward package for a fan of these types of films. MY FRIENDS... is a prime example of one of these lesser-known films, which exploits the idea of the psychological effects of the Vietnam War on its veterans. The film is more serious in tone (than other exploitative films) but I think that the serious nature “worked” and created a darkly entertaining film.
MY FRIENDS... is written and directed by Paul Leder. The film stars Greg Mullavey, Meredith MacRae, Clayton Wilcox, Carolyn Ames, Roger Cruz, Elaine Partnow, Laurie Burton, Bill Michael, Savannah Bentley, and Eric Morris. The original music is by Mark Bucci.
MY FRIENDS... is about a Vietnam Veteran named Greg (Mullavey). He has persistent nightmares about the war and it seems like he hasn't adjusted well to civilian life. He does have a loving and understanding wife (MacRae) but he is constantly tormented by memories of Vietnam . What happened was that he and a few members of his platoon abused and killed some villagers. So, one night, Greg decides to send letters to each of his ' Nam buddies, under the guise that he wants to reconnect with them. Wrong! Greg contacts each of them, visits them, and then proceeds to kill each of them. Greg's wife isn't aware of what he is doing, until she doesn't hear from him for a few days. Greg's wife and his psychiatrist try to find Greg and try to prevent his revenge and further descent into psychosis. Will they reach him in time?
MY FRIENDS... was an interesting and exploitative film. It exploited the toils of the Vietnam war and the psychological after-effects of its chaotic violence. It seems that Greg had a breakdown when he and his platoon killed the innocent villagers. When his brain couldn't compute why it happened, something changed inside of him and the only way he could better the situation and relieve his guilt was to kill his platoon members. It really was an intense premise and it kept me glued to the screen. You pretty much know the direction of the film, within the first 20 minutes, but it is entertaining to watch it play out and the exploitative quality is irresistible. I don't think that I have ever seen a Vietnam-inspired film like this (I could understand why it wouldn't “fly” for a general audience) and I enjoyed the bold nature of the storyline.
Like I said, the picture is pretty straightforward and there aren't many twists and turns – you generally know how this is mapped out. But, the kill scenes and Greg's psychotic nature keep the picture moving along and maintain its engaging quality. It is a simple plot, but I thought that it was an effective thriller/exploitation film. There is a fair amount of blood in the kill scenes, which include: gunshot wounds; beating; stabbing; rape; and poisoning. Actually, that rape scene was the height of the insanity. Greg walks in on his friend and wife having sex, Greg starts beating the guy, and then he starts interrogating him, saying things like, “where are the men hidden”. Greg obviously snapped at this point and he was “flashing-back” to the war. After he injures his friend a little more, Greg climbs on top of the guy's wife and rapes her. Afterwards he kills them both. It's not as violent and brutal as I am describing it, but it is still shocking and very exploitative. All of the kill scenes build towards the ending of the film - which was especially good. When it all boils down, Greg does have that villain quality where you do feel sorry for the guy – it is sort of like that “King Kong” factor (all beasts just want to be happy and be loved, that is why they are so angry).
Gnawing through the flesh: MY FRIENDS was an exploitative yet thoughtful thriller. It was an original story involving Vietnam , although it was fairly predictable (aside from the ending). It is interesting to watch Greg embark on each leg of his murderous journey and the killing happens in unique ways, which gives each scene its own exploitative identity (poisoning, shooting, etc.). The acting was pretty good, overall, and the whole picture does have more of a serious tone. It does have that quirky appeal of 1970s cinema (you have to see how the psychiatrist dresses) and the music is just great for the material. In a nutshell, the piece has the flavor of a drive-in movie, from that time period, but it is a little more than just pure exploitation. It doesn't necessarily blindside you with political subtext (I've stated before how that annoys me) but it does add enough “meat” to give the whole picture a point. So, the best way to describe it would be that it is a Vietnam-inspired psychological thriller which is also an exploitation film and a slasher film. It's a pretty good watch, a nice obscure find, and I give it an 8/10.