Night of the Juggler Directed by Sidney J. Furie/ Robert Butler (1980).
There are many note able cult stars, beginning with James Brolin in the gruffest ex-cop/divorced Father role. His daughter Kathy Boyd is played by Abby Bluestone who appeared in only one other film Little Darlings (1980). She basically has the worst birthday of her life starting with morning hotdogs and then an afternoon abduction arm drag, face first through the city.
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| Just look at all the smut oozing from the Deuce theaters! |
Cliff Gorman (who looks as if he has a glass eye) is a total spazz in the titular role as "The Juggler." He proclaims how he "Juggles the books", hence the film title. In the extras, they mention in the novel, written by William P. McGivern that he cuts jugular neck veins and that's how this psycho acquired his name. Gorman sometimes channels Caeser Romero as The Joker, cackling and hootin it up!
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| Night of The Joker? |
I remember Gorman as the Hollywood Blvd cop with the heart of gold who "schools" Angel (1982) in how to be a narc. Gorman's character Gus Soltic is a racist child molester (just like the current President)!
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| I signed the Epstein birthday card too |
Richard Castelano or Clemenza of "Godfather fame" gets a prominent part as a dopey Italian grizzled cop. I like when he almost pukes after hearing the ingredients of a frozen yogurt bar!
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| So That's what's in Larry Cohen's THE STUFF, WHO KNEW? |
Think of all the 42street infused films and add this one to your next watch along. They truly showcase the Deuce Marquees and the dark flavor of 1980 era NYC. It’s really cool that this lost film is now available in top notch condition! I believe Juggler is in league with other scuzzy classics like Cruising (1980) or Vice Squad (1982).
Dan Hedeya as Sgt. Otis is at his most unhinged as a shotgun toting maniacal bastard cop! He looks so much like Nixon, it’s a trip! Oh and he course played Nixon in Dick (1999)!
He’s not even the main threat because this city is crawling with so much vermin its suffocating!
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| I heard that MAGA Batman villain Roger Stone has a tatt of me on his back |
There’s soo much going on during the chase scenes, it never slows down. Who knows if they had permits but it all makes for supreme authenticity.
Sharon Mitchell the short haired porn maiden from many docs and Maniac (1980) is one of the booth girls at a peepshow. I’d like to hear the background story of the "porn chic era" on the Rialto Report if it exists.
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| No more Tokens? I'm outta here! |
James Brolin is in full throttle Amityville Horror (1980) mode racing through the pre-Giuliani scorched NYC streets. He has yet to appear in that aforementioned haunted house shocker yet but he literally broke his foot during production. I like how Brolin’s character is consistently called a “punk”! More punk’s should grow beards and look like the band who wrote "Dog Police" at least in my world!
Cliff Gorman’s racist character makes a statement about red-lining and they show real bombed out locations harnessing the specter of gentrification. There's a timeless message that's getting all the more prophetic in 2025. One of the first times I heard of this underground gem that’s returned from the depths of obscurity is on templeofschlock in 2015. Let's not forget, Mandy Patinkin plays an ass-kicking Puerto Rican cab driver, I love that actor who later starred in Alien Nation (1988) and Princess Bride (1987).
Finally the last cult star who shows up to chaperone Mr. Boyd to the rescue of his daughter is Julie Carmen in one of her first acting roles. I loved this movie, having never seen it before I was super impressed. I blind bought it having heard of it's cult status and it never disappointed. I'm certain it's available to stream on Prime but I urge you to not support Mr. Space rocket penis Beeswax man and DO support brick and mortar record stores that carry it and Kino Lorber. KL have been delivering the trashiest goods, long may they reign!
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