The Acid Eaters
In the 60's in Italy there was a well-know adversting in which a man in the middle of a traffic jam, said that drinking
an artichoke bitter was "against the strain of modern life."
In
the United States, the director Byron Mabe and the producer David
F.Friedman said more or less the same thing, but instead of the bitter
they use LSD. In any case, two things unhealthy and especially with delirious effects.
From
a couple that has never problems with trash and visionary movies, see "The
Lustful Turks" or "Space Thing" always of 1968, comes this "The Acid
Eaters", a film nipped by many comments and reviews that we can read. It
's true, it's a very bad movie, crazy, almost unwatchable, full of
nonsense, topless women, robberies, murders, and there is also the
devil playing chess in a white pyramid. But from film entitled "The Acid Eaters" what can you expect? Indeed, the delirium and psychedelia could be much, much more!.
It's a real "B Movie", however, who has some very interesting aspects and a few moments of good cinema. Really. The
beginning is not bad at all, the ticking of a clock accompanies the
routine work of some people, interspersed with fast frame in which
appears a white pyramid.
From
the tick we passed to the roar of the bikes, with the protagonists that come
out of work, take the bikes and go to a lake accompanied by a
beautiful rock comment.
And
there, at the lake, between topless, we find a savage irony,
with an old lady (an obvious symbol of the status quo), which observes
the scene in a rowing boat passing close to the group. Still, passing a plane and then we see a sign "Taking A Trip? Go Lsd, the only way to fly!"
If
it had always this climate, "The Acid Eaters" would be a great movie,
however it slowly turns towards with a couple of murders, improbable
adventures and a white pyramid in which there are the most delirious
narrative moments that ends with the protagonists who return to work. A
crazy movie film, but it is part of the list of must-see movie for fans of a
certain film and for the similarity with a well-known album by the "Ramones".
The soundtrack is always excellent and is written by William Allen Castleman
that with Mabe and Friedman works in several other films.
We find as protagonist Ernie Frank Orsatti a well known stunt and agent as well and son of Ernie a great baseball player. With
him, the former wrestler Buck Kartalian that we will see in other "B
Movies", and in minor roles in major productions such as "Planet Of
The Apes," "Cool Hand Luke", "The Outlaw Josey Wales" and Pat Barrington of which we have already spoken for "Orgy Of The Dead."
Fact Sheet
Original title: The Acid Eaters
Alternative Titles: The Acid People
Year: 1968
Country: USA
Director: Byron Mabe
Cast: Buck Kartalian, Ernie F.Orsatti, Pat Barrington, Judy Wood, Sharon Carr, Lila Lamont Cranston
Duration: 62 '
Production House: III Lions
