“Now I’m gonna show you some of the only good tricks mamma taught me”
They just don’t make them like this anymore. This is a film about a truck terminal run by a mother and daughter that specializes in chop shop, whorehouse and stolen goods trafficking all at the same time. As if that wasn’t enough madness all on its own, the Mafia is trying to move in on their territory and the ladies aren’t real keen on it. It’s a film that Troma would be proud of, only it’s played absolutely straight. The film is Truck Stop Women and believe me that it’s a film you won’t soon forget.
I remember first watching this flick on Channel 13 in Los Angeles on a weekday evening. Yes, this is the kind of entertainment you could get on basic TV in the 70’s. No wonder my childhood was warped.
This film has six breasts inside of three scenes in the first three minutes. This film is from the good old days when movies actually delivered on their promises.
Anna’s Truck Terminal is a small Trucking place in New Mexico run by Anna and her daughter Rose. They specialize in stealing trucks, casual sex, prostitution, stolen merchandise and just about anything else that can make a buck. They have been working this way for year with Anna teaching her daughter ALL of her trade tricks. Little Rose is all grown up now and wants more as all children do. Their relationship is strained, but worse now that they have a new problem, the Mob.
The Mob is moving West and intent on taking any action they come across for their very own. This doesn’t go over with Anna but Rose sees it as an opportunity.
This film has it all. Fun, truck chases, violence, and more naked flesh than you get in two movies nowadays. It even has a naked cameo from Russ Meyer and Satanic Sleaze vixen, Uschi Digard. One of the best things about this era is that the nudity, though abundant, is so damn natural. The film doesn’t stop because there are naked girls on screen unlike many films from the 1980’s and so on, definitely a different time.
The film stars Claudia Jennings, the exploitation darling from Gator Bait, The Single Girls, and Sisters of Death. Claudia plays Rose with a spoiled pout that is both sexy and slightly dangerous. You know Rose gets what she wants and god help you if she doesn’t. You know I love a girl in Go-Go Boots and even better if that’s all she’s wearing. Claudia does it all in this film, which rocks.
Lieux Dressler as Anna is the mother hen that’s just as dangerous as she is oversexed. A small southern fish in a large crime pool, she’s intent on holding on to a world that’s a lot bigger than she is.
The film also features Dennis Fimple (House of 1000 Corpses) as Curly, one of the thieves/ drivers that work for Anna. It’s a fun part and you can definitely hear traces of Grandpa Firefly in his performance.
The last of the main crew is Gene Drew as Mac. I swear, if you didn’t know better, you’d think he was Mark Boone Junior from Sons of Anarchy. He’s probably the most “real” character, therefore making him the most relate-able.
The man responsible for this madness is Mark L. Lester, the creative mind behind several guilty pleasures including, but not limited to; The Funhouse, Class of 1984, Class of 1999, and Bobby Jo and the Outlaw (the only film where Wonder Woman’s Lynda Carter gets naked). An interesting point, the film was funded in part by Politician Phil Gramm, Sr. Economic Adviser for John McCain’s Campaign. Oh I’m sure Palin would have loved that little fact.
This is a party movie if ever there was one. The drive-in flicks exploitation of this era was at an all-time high. These are the kind of films that you can order a pizza and drink some beer to. Film making that isn’t ashamed of what it truly is, a damn sexy good time.
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