Event

TRAINED TO KILL

Dir. Daniel Vance, 1973
92 minutes, USA

Lunkheaded Steve Sandor (Bonnie's Kids, The Ninth Configuration) plays a vet-on-the-edge in the early Vetsploitation flick. Back from the 'Nam, Special Forces commando Olie Hand (Sandor) is just trying to live a normal life on the farm with his racist dad (Richard X. Slattery, Love American Style, The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again), but his precarious sanity is threatened when their town is overrun with thieving carnies (no shit- carnies), led by Prophet (Rockne Tarkington, Black Sampson, The Ice Pirates), who's got almost as much of a ship on his shoulder as Olie. With a theme song that promises messing with Olie is "like being raped by the devil," costume design by Wrangler Jeans and a supporting turn by drive-in favorite Sid Haig (Foxy Brown, Death Car on the Freeway) as wicked carnie Pillbox, Trained to Kill USA is about as ruff, tuff and scummy (and occasionally fairly offensive), as they come.