Norman T. Herman Movies

Comedian Marty Feldman directed and co-wrote this satire of the less-scrupulous side of organized religion. Brother Ambrose (Marty Feldman) is a monk who has spent nearly his entire life within the walls of his monastery and knows little of the outside world. However, when he learns that the monastery has fallen on economic hard times and may be forced to close, he takes it upon himself to raise the funds to save his home. Ambrose ends up on Hollywood Boulevard, where he solicits donations from passers-by and gets a crash course in life in the fallen world from Mary (Louise Lasser), a smart-mouthed hooker. Ambrose and Mary soon encounter Armageddon T. Thunderbird (Andy Kaufman), a fire-and-brimstone televangelist who agrees to help Ambrose by making him a partner in his house of worship, The Church of the Divine Profit. However, Thunderbird's methods don't agree with Ambrose, and eventually he turns to God Himself (Richard Pryor) for help. In God We Trust was Feldman's second and last directorial assignment; the supporting cast also includes Peter Boyle, Wilfrid Hyde-White, and Severn Darden. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Three outlaws hit the road until the road hits back in this supercharged action thriller. Larry (Peter Fonda) is a stock car driver whose reckless nature has caused him a long run of bad luck. Larry and his friend and mechanic Deke (Adam Roarke) need money if they're to get a new car and get back in competition, so they map out a plan to hold up a grocery store after 150,000 dollars has been dropped off for payroll and working cash. The heist goes as planned, except for one little hitch -- Larry spent the night before with his occasional girlfriend Mary (Susan George), and she has planted herself in Larry's car and isn't about to budge. With Mary along for the ride, Larry and Deke try to outrun the cops and make their way to freedom, though lawman Franklin (Vic Morrow) is determined to shut them down. Much loved by both gearheads and action film fans for its hair-raising stunt work and solid performances from the leading cast, Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry was a surprise box-office hit in 1974, grossing nearly 30 million dollars in its initial release. Roddy McDowall appears uncredited as the manager of the supermarket. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

The slimy denizens of the Everglades organize a particularly nasty rebellion in this enjoyable entry from the "nature-run-amok" horror subgenre which favored drive-in venues of the mid-'70s. The story takes place amid the festivities honoring the birthday of crotchety, wheelchair-bound Southern patriarch Jason Crockett (Ray Milland), a chemical-industry magnate whose pesticides are responsible for much of the toxic pollution found in the swamplands. The revelry ends quickly, however, when thousands of local fauna decide to crash the party. Under the apparent telepathic guidance of the less-than-menacing swamp bullfrogs, armies of snakes, insects, and snapping turtles tear their way through the cast. Competent direction, great use of swampland ambience, and spooky sound effects help provide a suitably large dose of the creepy-crawlies. ~ Cavett Binion, Rovi

Angel (Don Stroud) is the biker who joins a commune of hippies near a small town out West. When the town rednecks attack them in a dune buggy convoy, Angel calls up some of his bad biker buddies to exact revenge. Tremaine (Luke Askew) is the commune leader targeted extermination by the looney locals. Tyne Daly plays a hippie chick and Aldo Ray is the lazy local sheriff who refuses to calm things down in this cycle drama. Music provided by Randy Sparks and Jim Helms. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi

Shelley Winters, who once played the spoofish "Ma Parker" on Batman, brings the same larger-than-life approach to her portrayal of real-life Ma Barker in Bloody Mama. Presiding over her outlaw gang, consisting mainly of her goonish sons, Ma goes on a Depression-era rampage of bank robbery, murder and kidnapping. Obviously filmed in a hurry-watch as the Barker mob drives past modern shopping centers-- Bloody Mama strives for an entertaingly sleazy aura, especially when dealing with the incestuous subtext of Ma's relationship with her boys. And look who plays the Barker brood: Clint Kimbrough, Robert Walden and Robert De Niro! Bloody Mama was scripted by Robert Thom, whose previous collaboration with producer Roger Corman was the cult classic Wild in the Streets (former 1950s ingenue Diane Varsi appears in both films). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This gang-directed documentary tries to find common ground between the rebellious teenagers of Sweden, Japan, Italy, and the United States. Italian homosexuals are more open than in other countries, while the relaxed attitudes towards pre-marital sex among Scandinavians is redundantly mentioned. Teens from the U.S. smoke pot and experiment with LSD, while Japanese and Italian teens fall victim to prostitution. Mike Curb provides the music to this low-budget exploitation feature that promises but fails to deliver. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi

Hot rodder Richard Hartunian storms off after a spat with girlfriend Leigh Snowden. Shortly afterward, the car in which Leigh is driving is involved in a crack-up, injuring her and killing the driver. Since the car had been run off the road by a reckless driver, Hartunian is the Number One Suspect. Only on the eve of the Big Race is our hero exonerated. Also appearing in Hot Rod Rumble are Brett Halsey (future star of the immortal Speed Crazy), Wright King (late of Johnny Jupiter), and stand-up comic Joey Forman. The film was originally released on a double bill with Allied Artists' Calypso Joe. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Mara Corday stars in Undersea Girl as skin-diving journalist Val Hudson. While swimming in Yokohama Bay, Val comes across the body of a murdered fisherman, who carries nearly $2000 on his person. The money is part of a $2 million cache which was being transported by a naval vessel during WW II; the ship was sunk by the Japanese and considered irretrievably lost -- at least until now. Joining Val in her search for the rest of the money are her boyfriend, Navy lieutenant Brad Chase (Pat Conway); police lieutenant Mike Travis (Dan Seymour); and mystery man Sam Marvin (Ralph Clanton). A hint to the outcome: one of the treasure-seekers is a low-down, dirty crook. Originally produced by Nacirema Productions, Undersea Girl was distributed by Allied Artists on a double bill with the low-budget western The Persuader. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi