ROOSTER: Spurs of Death (1983)

Director: Brice Mack Starring: Gene Bicknell, Vincent Van Patten, Jeff Corey, Ty Hardin, Jimmy Madden

Editor's Note:  Awhile back, I asked a friend of mine from the BMMB Message Boards to take a look at a film that I dearly love,yet cannot seem to find the muse to write about...... - HKC 10/13/05

Guest Reviewer:

Cockfighting was once the sport of kings, noblemen, a tradition as old as civilization itself.  But as is often the case, certain things fall out of favor over time.  Slavery, for example, or wicker furniture.  A general consensus develops and diversions once considered acceptable are now deemed as reprehensible, tacky even.

Deeky

Such is the case with cockfighting.  Shunned the world over, especially since the advent of televised bowling, cockfighting is now practiced solely by Rednecks and Filipinos.  And that's where Stoke and Wyatt come in. Stoke and his son Wyatt are heading to a cockfighting tournament in Kansas.  It'll be Wyatt's big debut as a cocker.  (Yes, "cocker" is how these guys refer to each other, making this sport sound much gayer than it really is.)  Wyatt wants to prove he's a man.  Nothing does that quicker than tossing hostile chickens at one another.  And Stoke, he hopes to win enough money to buy the affections of his cheating wife.  So Stoke, Wyatt and their mute farm hand head to Kink's (he's the Midwest's leading cockfight promoter, sort of a Don King of Midwest cock rings).

Stoke and Wyatt....um,...."bonding".

And what's waiting for them?  A midget with a gun and whole lot of heartache.  Along the way Stoke details his "weakness for knockers," Wyatt meets a hooker with a heart of gold, and the mute, well, mostly he just nods.  There are also various subplots about nefarious bookies trying to manipulate the odds, dirty cops on the take, and Stoke's troubled marriage.  Oh, and the midget.  The midget, cheerfully nicknamed Chicken, has the hots for Kink's daughter.  It seems he too has a weakness for knockers.

Let's Git It On!!!!

All of this leads up to the exciting finale of the cockfighting tournament.  It’s kind of like The Karate Kid, but with chickens.  The end of this film is fraught with intrigue (yes, intrigue), lust, and violence.  Plus that midget with the gun I’d mentioned earlier.  But I don’t want to spoil it for you… See this movie.  If not for all the slow-motion cockfighting footage then for the primo dialogue.  Like Stoke’s argument with his wife where he defines her role in the relationship:  “You’re just an egg-layer, Gayle.  You’re my hen!”  A look into the life of a cocker doesn’t get any better than this.

HKC:  "I love this film, and honestly believe if given the proper release,it could quite possibly become a contender for a spot on the list of all-time great cult films.  Basically it possesses just the right amount of weirdness, unintentional humor,and poverty row production values to make it endearing...seek out a copy today."