I’m a sucker for underground DIY flicks with attitude. So, Christopher Bickel’s Bad Girls from last year was right up my alley. The multi-hyphenate filmmaker was able to squeeze an amazing amount of mayhem out of his $16k budget. Relentlessly paced and featuring a wicked sense of humor, this low-budget neo-exploitation flick keeps its foot on the gas.
Our leads are Val (stubborn Morgan Shaley Renew), Mitzi (practical Sanethia Dresch), and Carolyn (bubbly Shelby Lois Guinn). Calling these girls “bad” is an understatement. The picture starts off with them robbing a strip club and doesn’t let up as they murder, rob, and fuck their way to the Mexican border, usually while under the influence of LSD. Our protagonists don’t take shit from anyone, especially men. Woe be unto any condescending male that crosses their path. Along the way, they kidnap two rock stars, hardcore vocalist Bard Gainsworth (Cleveland Langdale) and dreamy frontman Zerox Rhodesia (Micah Peroulis), and allow the dweeby Rusty (Jonathan Benton) to tag along. On their tails are the high-strung Special Agent Cannon (Mike Amason channeling Loomis from Halloween through a misogynistic filter) and the perpetually hungry Special Agent McMurphy (Dove Dupree). Our two factions eventually meet, of course, but before they do, we’re treated to rivers of blood and mountainous piles of cocaine and acid.
Bad Girls was written by Bickel and Shane Silman and presents its story through a heightened lens. Realism is eschewed for maximum thrills. The tendency of many neo-exploitation films to constantly wink at the audience is thankfully avoided here, with the filmmakers being confidant that their viewers will be smart enough to embrace irony without handholding. Characters are memorably colorful, bursting with blue dialog and eccentric personality traits. I enjoyed the structure of the piece, especially in the opening where action and visuals are unconventionally favored over talkiness. This approach propels the film out of the gate, like a shell from a shotgun blast. It also lets you know exactly what type of movie this will be.
Bickel is credited for the cinematography along with Stephen Nemeth. This is one slick looking flick, too. Shots are kinetic and committed to keeping eyes moving and minds engaged. I particularly enjoyed the different ways images were manipulated for the driving sequences with my favorite one being the fisheye shot that communicates the larger than life aesthetic possessed by our girls with swagger and taste. The lurid palette assists as well in crafting an off kilter experience.
Performances are fun with everyone seeming to be fully on board with the gonzo proceedings. Amason is probably my favorite. His constant deadpan exasperation is dryly humorous. I also really enjoyed Merritt Vann as a Desert Storm vet and proprietor of a combination donut and gun shop. The leads carry the picture, though, and capture our sympathies even as they gleefully revel in amoral activities with abandon.
Matt Akers’ music is a huge asset to the production. Whether it’s the bumping electronic score or riotous metal and punk tracks (some featuring lyrics by, you guessed it, Bickel), the sonic component is anything but in the background. It’s compliments the imagery perfectly and delivers tons of flavor. I was unfamiliar with the bands that also contributed to the soundtrack, but I will be looking into them immediately. Suffice to say I was hugely impressed with the music.
If you didn’t already grasp that Bad Girls is incredibly violent, let me reiterate that point. The effects look to be a combination of practical and CG. Keeping in mind the minuscule budget, I think the splatter looks great. Stabbings are gooey and gunshot wounds look grisly. The editing (Bickel again) stitches the story together admirably, maintaining clear storytelling while never losing a sense of style. 97 minutes blows by. Costumes (is there anything this Bickel guy can’t do??) and sets are immersive but in a comic-booky way that vibes with the overall tone and design aesthetic. Further illustrating how every aspect of the film was thoughtfully approached, I even need to compliment the sound design (yup, Bickel). The reverb effect used every time Cannon used his nasal spray had me grinning.
Christopher Bickel’s Bad Girls (available now on Blu-ray) is a double-barreled blast of punk as fuck filmmaking. I truly appreciated the artful approach to every aspect of the film. It’s clear that this is a labor of love. Far from looking like the work of amateurs, this is the work of a competent and confident artist that conveys a deep love for the medium unencumbered by mainstream shackles. Bad Girls is highly recommended for fans of The Manson Family, Natural Born Killers, and Machete.
Michael Cavender