The Exterminator (1980)

[AlexRobo]

Classic action thriller set in New York City circa 1979 and starring the late, great Robert Ginty as John Eastland, a Vietnam veteran who works at a goods warehouse with his old war buddy Mike Jefferson (Steve James, also RIP). They both get into a fight with a gang known as The Ghetto Ghouls who try and commit a theft from the place they work at and as retaliation, the thugs viciously beat and maim Mike, leading John to take a path of brutal revenge. He takes care of the whole gang, but also sets out to rid the city of other assorted scumbags too like child molestors and gangsters. This makes him a target of corrupt government officials who think that The Exterminator's antics will raise a question mark over the current President's capabilities...

Christopher George (also RIP) was also solid in it as James Dalton, the cop on Eastland's trail who was also in Vietnam. The relationship between John and Mike made the vengeance angle even more convincing and there are some fantastic set-pieces like the opening in Vietnam where Mike saved John, when Mike and John fight the Ghetto Ghouls, John taking out the remaining gang members and the suspenseful climax. This movie also suffered a fair bit at the hands of the censors because of a scene involving a meat grinder, a decapitation at the beginning and some very disturbing parts involving a pair of sick perverts. In a way, I'd almost rate this on a par with the first RoboCop movie as it involves the themes of retribution, justice and corruption.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2X5Vbrp-0o

[Joined]

Classic action thriller set in New York City circa 1979 and starring the late, great Robert Ginty as John Eastland, a Vietnam veteran who works at a goods warehouse with his old war buddy Mike Jefferson (Steve James, also RIP). They both get into a fight with a gang known as The Ghetto Ghouls who try and commit a theft from the place they work at and as retaliation, the thugs viciously beat and maim Mike, leading John to take a path of brutal revenge. He takes care of the whole gang, but also sets out to rid the city of other assorted scumbags too like child molestors and gangsters. This makes him a target of corrupt government officials who think that The Exterminator's antics will raise a question mark over the current President's capabilities...

Christopher George (also RIP) was also solid in it as James Dalton, the cop on Eastland's trail who was also in Vietnam. The relationship between John and Mike made the vengeance angle even more convincing and there are some fantastic set-pieces like the opening in Vietnam where Mike saved John, when Mike and John fight the Ghetto Ghouls, John taking out the remaining gang members and the suspenseful climax. This movie also suffered a fair bit at the hands of the censors because of a scene involving a meat grinder, a decapitation at the beginning and some very disturbing parts involving a pair of sick perverts. In a way, I'd almost rate this on a par with the first RoboCop movie as it involves the themes of retribution, justice and corruption.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2X5Vbrp-0o

[Post Count]

Classic action thriller set in New York City circa 1979 and starring the late, great Robert Ginty as John Eastland, a Vietnam veteran who works at a goods warehouse with his old war buddy Mike Jefferson (Steve James, also RIP). They both get into a fight with a gang known as The Ghetto Ghouls who try and commit a theft from the place they work at and as retaliation, the thugs viciously beat and maim Mike, leading John to take a path of brutal revenge. He takes care of the whole gang, but also sets out to rid the city of other assorted scumbags too like child molestors and gangsters. This makes him a target of corrupt government officials who think that The Exterminator's antics will raise a question mark over the current President's capabilities...

Christopher George (also RIP) was also solid in it as James Dalton, the cop on Eastland's trail who was also in Vietnam. The relationship between John and Mike made the vengeance angle even more convincing and there are some fantastic set-pieces like the opening in Vietnam where Mike saved John, when Mike and John fight the Ghetto Ghouls, John taking out the remaining gang members and the suspenseful climax. This movie also suffered a fair bit at the hands of the censors because of a scene involving a meat grinder, a decapitation at the beginning and some very disturbing parts involving a pair of sick perverts. In a way, I'd almost rate this on a par with the first RoboCop movie as it involves the themes of retribution, justice and corruption.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2X5Vbrp-0o

[Comment]

Classic action thriller set in New York City circa 1979 and starring the late, great Robert Ginty as John Eastland, a Vietnam veteran who works at a goods warehouse with his old war buddy Mike Jefferson (Steve James, also RIP). They both get into a fight with a gang known as The Ghetto Ghouls who try and commit a theft from the place they work at and as retaliation, the thugs viciously beat and maim Mike, leading John to take a path of brutal revenge. He takes care of the whole gang, but also sets out to rid the city of other assorted scumbags too like child molestors and gangsters. This makes him a target of corrupt government officials who think that The Exterminator's antics will raise a question mark over the current President's capabilities...

Christopher George (also RIP) was also solid in it as James Dalton, the cop on Eastland's trail who was also in Vietnam. The relationship between John and Mike made the vengeance angle even more convincing and there are some fantastic set-pieces like the opening in Vietnam where Mike saved John, when Mike and John fight the Ghetto Ghouls, John taking out the remaining gang members and the suspenseful climax. This movie also suffered a fair bit at the hands of the censors because of a scene involving a meat grinder, a decapitation at the beginning and some very disturbing parts involving a pair of sick perverts. In a way, I'd almost rate this on a par with the first RoboCop movie as it involves the themes of retribution, justice and corruption.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2X5Vbrp-0o

[Robo79]

I have this movie on blu-ray and DVD. The blu-ray edition from Arrow Films is excellent as it includes interchangeable covers, a two-sided poster, an introduction as well as an interview with director James Glickenhaus, a highly informative audio commentary by producer Mark Buntzman and a look at New York's 42nd Street which has changed since those late 1970s days and the host is B-movie veteran Frank Henenlotter. It's worth the purchase.

[Joined]

I have this movie on blu-ray and DVD. The blu-ray edition from Arrow Films is excellent as it includes interchangeable covers, a two-sided poster, an introduction as well as an interview with director James Glickenhaus, a highly informative audio commentary by producer Mark Buntzman and a look at New York's 42nd Street which has changed since those late 1970s days and the host is B-movie veteran Frank Henenlotter. It's worth the purchase.

[Post Count]

I have this movie on blu-ray and DVD. The blu-ray edition from Arrow Films is excellent as it includes interchangeable covers, a two-sided poster, an introduction as well as an interview with director James Glickenhaus, a highly informative audio commentary by producer Mark Buntzman and a look at New York's 42nd Street which has changed since those late 1970s days and the host is B-movie veteran Frank Henenlotter. It's worth the purchase.

[Comment]

I have this movie on blu-ray and DVD. The blu-ray edition from Arrow Films is excellent as it includes interchangeable covers, a two-sided poster, an introduction as well as an interview with director James Glickenhaus, a highly informative audio commentary by producer Mark Buntzman and a look at New York's 42nd Street which has changed since those late 1970s days and the host is B-movie veteran Frank Henenlotter. It's worth the purchase.