{"id":96685,"date":"2024-05-14T22:12:29","date_gmt":"2024-05-15T05:12:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=96685"},"modified":"2024-05-15T19:32:12","modified_gmt":"2024-05-16T02:32:12","slug":"born-losers-the-1967","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=96685","title":{"rendered":"Born Losers, The (1967)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;If we allowed citizens to take the law into their own hands, our streets would become jungles &#8212; armed jungles.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Born-Losers-Poster.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Born-Losers-Poster-202x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"202\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-96686\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Born-Losers-Poster-202x300.png 202w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Born-Losers-Poster-86x128.png 86w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Born-Losers-Poster-182x270.png 182w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Born-Losers-Poster.png 612w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 202px) 100vw, 202px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nA Green Beret veteran (Tom Laughlin) joins forces with a young rider (Elizabeth James) in fighting against a vicious motorcycle gang.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Gangs<\/li>\n<li>Jane Russell Films<\/li>\n<li>Motorcyclists<\/li>\n<li>Tom Laughlin Films<\/li>\n<li>Veterans<\/li>\n<li>Vigilantes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nShot over a period of three weeks, this mostly self-financed film was Tom Laughlin&#8217;s cinematic debut for the character of Billy Jack, who he would resurrect in four more films: <a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=86784\"><em>Billy Jack<\/em> (1971)<\/a>, <em>The Trial of Billy Jack<\/em> (1974), <em>Billy Jack Goes to Washington<\/em> (1977) and <em>The Return of Billy Jack<\/em> (1986) (not listed in <em>GFTFF<\/em>). The screenplay &#8212; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0061420\/trivia\/?item=tr3450527&#038;ref_=ext_shr_lnk\">&#8220;based on a real incident in 1964 when members of the Hell&#8217;s Angels motorcycle gang were arrested for raping five girls in Monterey, California&#8221;<\/a> &#8212; was written by co-star Elizabeth James, and made specifically to capitalize on the motorcycle gang movie trend.  <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Born-Losers-Motorcycle-Gang.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Born-Losers-Motorcycle-Gang.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"672\" height=\"368\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-96696\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Born-Losers-Motorcycle-Gang.png 672w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Born-Losers-Motorcycle-Gang-300x164.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Born-Losers-Motorcycle-Gang-128x70.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Born-Losers-Motorcycle-Gang-493x270.png 493w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 672px) 100vw, 672px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>However, the film also very much wants to be a western of sorts, as evidenced by a variety of iconic settings (open landscapes, bars, town centers); villains versus Laughlin&#8217;s good-guy (a &#8220;sheriff&#8221;); Laughlin&#8217;s cowboy hat and laconic nature (until he&#8217;s pushed to action); and motorcycles serving in place of horses. (I got specific vibes of Peckinpah&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=83966\"><em>Ride the High Country<\/em> [1962]<\/a> due to James&#8217;s pixie haircut <em>a la<\/em> Mariette Hartley.) <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Born-Losers-Big-Sur.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Born-Losers-Big-Sur.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"672\" height=\"368\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-96688\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Born-Losers-Big-Sur.png 672w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Born-Losers-Big-Sur-300x164.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Born-Losers-Big-Sur-128x70.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Born-Losers-Big-Sur-493x270.png 493w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 672px) 100vw, 672px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>But the most direct cinematic reference is the strategic poster of rebellious James Dean, which provides the backdrop for later exploitative confrontation scenes. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Born-Losers-Dean-Poster.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Born-Losers-Dean-Poster.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"672\" height=\"368\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-96695\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Born-Losers-Dean-Poster.png 672w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Born-Losers-Dean-Poster-300x164.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Born-Losers-Dean-Poster-128x70.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Born-Losers-Dean-Poster-493x270.png 493w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 672px) 100vw, 672px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>James is super cute and sexy in her white bikini, glasses, boots, and head scarf &#8212; though the female rider in me (when I rode, I wore a full-on armored suit) was screaming at her internally for not wearing more protective gear of all kinds on the open road&#8230; <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Born-Losers-James-Motorcycle.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Born-Losers-James-Motorcycle.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"672\" height=\"368\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-96697\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Born-Losers-James-Motorcycle.png 672w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Born-Losers-James-Motorcycle-300x164.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Born-Losers-James-Motorcycle-128x70.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Born-Losers-James-Motorcycle-493x270.png 493w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 672px) 100vw, 672px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>There&#8217;s not much else to say about this film other than to be fully prepared for vile characters committing gross acts of violence and intimidation, repeatedly. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Born-Losers-Intimidation.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Born-Losers-Intimidation.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"672\" height=\"368\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-96702\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Born-Losers-Intimidation.png 672w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Born-Losers-Intimidation-300x164.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Born-Losers-Intimidation-128x70.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Born-Losers-Intimidation-493x270.png 493w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 672px) 100vw, 672px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>However, with Billy Jack on the horizon, rest assured justice of some kind will be served. Watch for Jane Russell in a cameo role as the mother of an impacted girl; apparently she got upset enough at Laughlin that she channeled this into her scene of anger at authority figures, and it shows. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Born-Losers-Russell.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Born-Losers-Russell.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"672\" height=\"368\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-96698\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Born-Losers-Russell.png 672w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Born-Losers-Russell-300x164.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Born-Losers-Russell-128x70.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Born-Losers-Russell-493x270.png 493w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 672px) 100vw, 672px\" \/><\/a> <\/p>\n<p><strong>Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Fine location shooting across California<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Born-Losers-Cinematography.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Born-Losers-Cinematography.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"672\" height=\"368\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-96699\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Born-Losers-Cinematography.png 672w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Born-Losers-Cinematography-300x164.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Born-Losers-Cinematography-128x70.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Born-Losers-Cinematography-493x270.png 493w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 672px) 100vw, 672px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nNo, though you&#8217;ll likely enjoy it if this is your cup of tea. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0061420\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tvguide.com\/movies\/born-losers\/review\/2030113310\/\">TV Guide Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/thespinningimage.co.uk\/cultfilms\/displaycultfilm.asp?reviewid=3673\">Spinning Image Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;If we allowed citizens to take the law into their own hands, our streets would become jungles &#8212; armed jungles.&#8221; Synopsis: A Green Beret veteran (Tom Laughlin) joins forces with a young rider (Elizabeth James) in fighting against a vicious motorcycle gang. Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Gangs Jane Russell Films Motorcyclists Tom Laughlin Films Veterans Vigilantes Review: Shot over a period of three weeks, this mostly self-financed film was Tom Laughlin&#8217;s cinematic debut for the character of Billy Jack,&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=96685\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-96685","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/96685","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=96685"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/96685\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":96718,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/96685\/revisions\/96718"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=96685"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=96685"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=96685"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}