TICKED-OFF TRANNIES WITH KNIVES (2010)
STUDIO: Breaking Glass Pictures
YEAR: 2010
REGION: 1
RATED: Unrated
GENRE: Exploitation, Revenge-Thriller
RUNNING TIME: 90 Min.
DIRECTOR: Israel Luna
PLOT: When the innocent and likable Bubbles Cliquot shows up for her nightly stage performance with a black eye, her transgender sisters suspect foul play from her latest boy toy. In an attempt to get Bubbles back to her bubbly self, the girls take her out for a relaxed night of cocktails at a local gay bar. After a few drinks, the ladies’ troubles seem far away, and Bubbles’ friends Emma Grashun and Rachel Slurr convince her to join them for a triple date with a pair of charming boys. Sadly, not even three tough-as-nails vixens could be prepared for the ambush that comes next. It turns out the blind date is set up by Boner, the baseball-bat-wielding, tranny-hating rapist who gave Bubbles her shiner. After luring them into an abandoned warehouse, Boner and his two beefy minions unleash all their hatred on the unsuspecting ladies, leaving them bashed and bruised, but not broken. After waking from her coma, Bubbles enlists the aid of her friends – the sharp-tongued Rachel and the fiercely protective Pinky La’Trimm – to bring her attackers to bloody justice.The ladies get in touch with their inner Zen before arming up with an assortment of bladed weapons and dressing in their finest dominatrix gear (if their knives don’t kill, their looks surely will). Not even a man as psychotic as Boner could imagine the well crafted and ingeniously planned bloodbath that ensues. (from breakinglasspictures.com)
FILM: With a name like TICKED-OFF TRANNIES WITH KNIVES it's gotta be good, right? Enter a new sub-genre of exploitation cinema - TRANSPLOITATION. The film begins as we meet tranny go-go dancer BubbleCliquot (Krystal Summers) and her transgender friends, all of whom have awesome stage name: Rachel Slurr, Pinky La'Trimm, Tipper Somore, Emma Grashun, fun stuff. They're a group of fun living trannies who are out to just have a night out on the town but all that abruptly comes to an end when they're confronted by a murderous trio of homophobes lead by Boner (Tom Zembrod). From this point the film is a throwback to the 70's-era rape/revenge-thrillers not unlike I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE (1978) or LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT (1972) ...only with trannies.
There's some Tarantino influence fully on display with plenty of tasty dialogue as well as a strong John Waters influence. The films is heavy on campy humor including a bit of a tribute to the infamous 70's porn DEEP THROAT that takes place at a hospital when Dr. Phil Latio arrives on scene delivering some deliciously lewd puns, fun stuff and obviously a film with it's tongue planted firmly in cheek.
Fun though it may be don't forget this a revenge thriller and there's a nasty bit o' violence perpetrated against this fun loving bunch of trannies. While most of it takes place off screen it is well shot and you feel it. I think the final third of the film is a bit weak when compared to what came before it mostly because the tone feels off when trying to transition from campy comedy and taking some well-deserved revenge against the perpetrators. The story feels a bit threadbare but when one comes to a film titled TICKED-OFF TRANNIES WITH KNIVES what do you expect!
DVD: TICKED-OFF TRANNIES WITH KNIVES (2010) comes to DVD by way of BREAKING GLASS PICTURES. The film is presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen with 2.0 stereo audio. Ticked-Off Trannies with Knives is a good looking indie feature with a vibrant color palate, it's been digitally manipulated to give it the grindhouse look of a well-worn print similar to PLANET TERROR (2007) - missing reels, artificial print damage, scratchy audio - you know, that old chestnut. I was sent is a screener of the film that contained none of the special features which appear on the final DVD which was a damn shame as after viewing the film I had questions.
Special Features:
- Bloopers
- Nacho and Chuey Show
- Chapter 4: The Red Pen
- Behind The Scenes Featurette
- Commentary with Director Israel Luna and Stars Willam Belli and Krystal Summers
VERDICT: A fun, campy and excessive film that sends-up the revenge-thriller exploitation flicks of the 70's/80's and is mostly successful. I think film is definitely front-loaded and the final act of the film drags on a bit but still a tasty b-movie blast. The DVD is available now from Breaking Glass Pictures.
*** (3 out of 5 stars)
- McBASTARD
