The Exterminator (1980)

User Rating:

5.0/10   

Director:

James Glickenhaus

Writer:

James Glickenhaus (writer)

Release Date:

19 September 1980 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Thriller | Crime | Drama

Tagline:

A one man army. A new kind of soldier in a new kind of war. [Video] [Australia]

Plot:

A man's best friend is killed on the streets of New York. The man (Robert Ginty) then transforms into a violent killer, turning New York into a great war zone and Christopher George is the only one to stop him.

Plot Keywords:

New York | Vietnam | Revenge | Bullet Proof Vest | Child Rape

Cast

Samantha Eggar	...	Dr. Megan Stewart
Christopher George	...	Detective James Dalton
Robert Ginty	...	John Eastland
Steve James	...	Michael Jefferson
Tony DiBenedetto	...	Chicken Pimp
Dick Boccelli	...	Gino Pontivini
Patrick Farrelly	...	CIA Agent Shaw
Michele Harrell	...	Maria Jefferson
David Lipman	...	The State Senator from New Jersy
Cindy Wilks	...	Candy
Dennis Boutsikaris	...	Frankie
Roger Grimsby	...	Himself
Judy Licht	...	Herself
Stan Getz	...	Himself
George Cheung	...	Vietcong Leader

Runtime:

Norway:101 min | UK:99 min | USA:104 min (director's cut) | 101 min (original uncut version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

New Zealand:(Banned) (1981-1984) | New Zealand:R18 (re-rating) | Australia:(Banned) (1983-1984) | Finland:(Banned) (1981) | Finland:(Banned) (uncut) (K-20) (video version) | Netherlands:16 | Finland:K-18 (heavily cut) (1984) | Finland:K-18 (heavily cut) (1985) | Finland:K-18 (director's cut) (2000) | UK:18 (cut) (2000) | UK:18 (re-rating) (uncut) (2000) | UK:18 (cut) (1985) | UK:18 (cut) (1991) | UK:X (original rating) (cut) | Sweden:15 | Australia:R | Finland:K-18 | France:-16 | USA:R | West Germany:18 | Iceland:(Banned) | Australia:MA (re-rating) (2005) | Norway:18 (video premiere) (1982) (uncut version) | Norway:18 (DVD release) (re-rating) (2001) (uncut version) | Norway:(Banned) (video) (1984) (uncut version) | Norway:(Banned) (1981-2003) (cinema release) | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

AVCO Embassy Pictures

Trivia:

A movie novelization by Peter McCurtin, who wrote two prose vigilante series titled respectively the Marksman and the Avenger in the 1970's, was published for this film.

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: When John Eastman feeds the guy into the meat mincer the guy is fully clothed but the minced meat slopping onto the floor has no clothing remnants in it.

Quotes:

John Eastland: If you're lying, I'll be back.

Movie Connections:

References Ricco (1973)

Soundtrack:

Theme for an American Hero

From Avenger to Vigilante we go

This 1980s exploitation action flick from director James Glickenhaus concerns a Vietnam veteran, John Eastland(Robert Ginty) who sets out to avenge a group of thugs that attacked his best friend, leaving him paralyzed. Justice is served swiftly to these menacing cretins. But Eastland, still wanting to provide for his ailing friends wife and kids financially, kidnaps a local mobster (who deals in meat market rackets of all things) and persuades him to tell him of the whereabouts and combination of this gangsters safe by threat of being lowered into a meat grinder. Yummy!

From this point I suppose Eastland has a taste for making an example out of scumbags and goes from avenger to vigilante as he goes on to kill several other of the dregs of his society.

The always entertaining Christopher George also appears in this film as a cop trying to track down our hero, "The Exterminater", which Eastland calls himself.

They must have had a pretty low budget here. The opening Vietnam scene, for instance, was obviously shot on a sound stage complete with plastic plants and the works. But that's okay, the acting here isn't too bad and the story and fast pacing make it a pretty enjoyable film.

One note about the Anchor Bay DVD release: The picture is halfway decent but there are a few places through the film where the sound goes mute. It only happens for a second or two and doesn't ruin anything but could be a bit distracting for some.

All in all, a pretty decent film for any of you who like violent exploitation.