I read about this film a few years ago and have forgotten its title. I've never watched it but I am curious to find more about it. I don't remember much about it... But I do remember it was a late '70s or early '80s film about a group of people attacking a apartment or tenement building and fighting thugs level by level, floor by floor as they worked themselves up the building levels. anyh idea what the title might be of this gritty urban/gang warfare flick?

This sounds like Roberta Findlay's TENEMENT, which came out on DVD a year or two ago. It should be still in print.

That's definitely the plot of TENEMENT, although I do remember reading somewhere (perhaps here) that TENEMENT ripped off its premise from another exploitation movie. So there may be more than one movie that fits this description.

TENEMENT is the most likely answer, but its plot is very similar to two Canadian exploitation movies: BLACKOUT (1978) with Jim Mitchum and Robert Carradine and SIEGE (1983) with Tom Nardini. Both films are also about residents of an apartment building who are systematically attacked by street gangs.

Thanks for all the help, guys!

I'm pretty sure the movie I'm thinking of is indeed Roberta Findlay's TENEMENT, but thanks for mentioning the other titles... They seem very interesting as well.

Some info on them here on Canuxploitation.com:

Blackout (1978)

Siege (1982)

Anyone seen Tenement? Is it worth picking up? Some outstanding scenes in it?

I liked TENEMENT, but it's difficult to recommend, because it's so brutally violent (it got an X from the MPAA). TENEMENT is well-made, considering its budget and subject matter, and if you like lean, claustrophobic gorefests with "no redeeming social value" (as the MPAA told the director), this is for you. Even though the performances aren't Oscar-caliber, Findlay builds up the victims' personalities so that their tragedies carry some weight.

As the opening song suggests, "Tenement is the place to be!"

This discussion reminds of another film that fits into this subgenre:


I've never had the opportunity to see it, but it was directed by John Flynn (Rolling Thunder), was produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, and stars Jan-Michael Vincent which sounds like quite a match to me. Cast also features Danny Aiello, Art Carney, Theresa Saldana, Frank Pesce, and Rudy Ramos.

Interesting echoes also of Cronenberg's SHIVERS. So what was it with Canadians and apartment complexes?

Indeed! There's the title of the thesis paper!

Hey, I have the DEFIANCE 1-sheet in my apartment. It's not on DVD, but it's playing on pay cable this month, so record it if you can. It's, unfortunately, not letterboxed.

Marty,

Thanks for the heads-up! Any idea which channel?

On a sad note, I see that Flynn passed away earlier this year:
Ain't It Cool tribute

As for a DVD, it's an AIP/Filmways title--maybe the revamped Fox/MGM will see fit to issue it. :)
Perhaps as a double bill with other Vincent titles in their stable, be they UA or Fox, such as Vigilante Force or Damnation Alley. :D

Looks like it was the Encore Action channel, and it's on again this month.

Awesome! Thanks for the heads up as I have always wanted to see this one.

DEFIANCE was the film that supposedly provoked that crazy fan to brutally attack and stab Theresa Saldana. It's not a very good exploitation film, but I guess it now has some kind of historic relevance.

I have some frame grabs from SIEGE on pg. 20 of the "What cult films have you been watching lately?" thread from December of last year.

Yeah, there are several posts about the film on page 20, and I wrote a little about it on page 22.

I disagree with Marty's opinion. I think TENEMENT was rather poorly made, to the point that much of the violence is unintentionally funny. The acting is bad, and I don't think Findlay did a good job of personalizing the characters enough to make the audience care about them. I, however, would recommend the film to a fan of exploitation movies because TENEMENT is loaded to the brim with sleaze, bad taste, and exploitive elements. Also, the DVD contains an entertaining interview with Findlay; she's enough of a character to make the audience sympathetic to the film's shortcomings.

The German trailer for SIEGE is on You Tube:

NEW YORK 1991 aka SIEGE

Could there really be one more to add to this bunch?:



I see it's directed by none other than Alligator's Lewis Teague. Is it a decent film?

The movie described could also be ENEMY TERRITORY, a Charles Band/Tim Kincaid production that was released around the same time as TENEMENT, but with a better cast: Gary Frank, Ray Parker Jr., Tony Todd, Stacey Dash, Kadeem Hardison and a totally out-of-control Jan Michael Vincent. Ernest Dickerson was the DP.

Is it a decent film? In 5 words, "Yaphet Kotto as Ivanhoe Washington".

I actually remember this as a slightly more polished version of Bill Lustig’s Vigilante, and less enjoyable for it. Although that poster reminds me of the poster-sized pencil drawings of Manhattan that are sold in the touristy mid-town spots.

Jonathan, this is going off topic a bit, but I was wondering if you could tell me why the MPAA seal is blacked out in the poster. I read about phony "R" ratings in Sleazoid Express, and I'm curious if this might be an example.

FIGHTING BACK is an urban vigilante drama that transcends its exploitation roots, thanks to a strong performance by Tom Skerritt as a South Philly deli owner who becomes sick and tired of his neighborhood's climbing crime rate and organizes a neighborhood watch program. It is not a low-budget, audience-pleasing drive-in flick, like VIGILANTE, but is a standard drama. It's generally absorbing, but not nearly as much fun as VIGILANTE or a DEATH WISH movie.

FIGHTING BACK is rated R.

No, it's just because the moviegoods.com store, where a lot of the better jpegs of hard-to-find posters come from, is based in Canada, and they don't use the MPAA rating system. So on almost all their merchandise the MPAA logos have been covered or obscured for Canadian playdates.