From the outset, it's clear that Savage Sisters is an action comedy, as John Ashley's character W.P. Billingsley, comfortably ensconced with an armful of beach bunnies, flippantly introduces us to a tale of revolution, piracy, and military ineptitude. There are occasions when the film almost slips into the realm of Jess Franco-style video nasty, but it always pulls away at the last moment, maintaining a frisky, lighthearted attitude to the end. Ashley is at his best as the unscrupulous Billingsley, who double crosses partners and changes sides at the drop of the hat, but the rest of the cast is also clearly having great fun. Sid Haig and Vic Diaz make a great villainous twosome, Cheri Caffaro displays surprising depth as revolutionary Jo, and Eddie Garcia and Leopoldo Salcedo score points as a pair of over the edge Filipino army officers. The script is credited to 'Harry Corner' and 'H. Franco Moon', but these are surely pseudonyms for someone much more accomplished--perhaps Ashley himself. Technically, Savage Sisters looks great, with well framed set-ups and carefully lit cinematography, and Les Baxter's marvelous and colourful score will have soundtrack fans salivating for a CD reissue. Popcorn movies don't get any better than this.
Review of Savage Sisters
