Flesh and Bullets: Is It Trash?

Blu-ray Distributed By: Vinegar Syndrome / August 18, 2015

In director Carlos Tobalina’s sex-filled re-imagining of Alfred Hitchcock’s STRANGERS ON A TRAIN, a duo of unhappily married men, both of whom have bloody pasts, meet in Las Vegas and hatch a scheme to murder each other’s ex wives. However, in the process of preparing for their deadly plot, they begin to become romantically attached to each of their targets. Will they be able to pull off the perfect murders or will love get in the way?

One of the few non-X rated films Tobalina directed, FLESH AND BULLETS is a sleazy mash up of grindhouse trash and melodrama, featuring X rated stars Mai Lin, Sharon Kelly, and Bill Margold. Also B-movie greats, Cornel Wilde, Yvonne De Carlo, and even Robert Z’Dar in one of his first roles!

Is Flesh and Bullets a Hidden Treasure or Dumpster Fire?

Jimbo’s Take  (3.5 / 5)

What happens when a porno director attempts to transition into “legitimate” filmmaking? Well, you get something like Flesh and Bullets; a movie that retains the quality and craftsmanship of a porno but without the explicit sex and cock shots (Although there’s still plenty of female nudity). Your first instinct may be to ask, “Then what’s the point?” But to turn a blind eye may deprive you from an otherwise anomalous comedy experience.

A lot of adult movies find “inspiration” in the parody of big Hollywood films. Director Carlos Tobalina clearly seeks to emulate Hitchcock’s Strangers on a Train, but instead manages to produce something more akin to a tragically failed spoof. And the movie is made infinitely more entertaining because of it.

The performances are woefully tragic to the point of hilarity. Veteran actors like Cornel Wilde, Yvonne De Carlo, and Caesar Romero are underutilized in bit parts (despite being given top billing), and even they fall prey to the script’s teeth grinding poor lines. They all just look and sound so stupid. And speaking of the script, I’m not sure the ladies will appreciate Flesh and Bullets. Pretty much every female character is a whore or whore-ish. But try not to let that bother you. Instead laugh at the neanderthal like director’s backward sensibilities.

In most movies these attributes would be causes for concern. But when we’re talking about trash, these are qualities to be exalted. If you peruse the user reviews on Amazon.com, you’ll see folks really don’t like this movie. That’s natural if you watch Flesh and Bullets with a critical eye. My recommendation: Don’t!  Gaudy, bad, cheap, and dumb are just some adjectives to describe Flesh and Bullets. But I would also add hilarious, not boring, and enjoyably absurd (especially the finale).

Blu-ray, DVD, or Streaming? (3 / 5)

There’s a surprising amount of options if you want to get your hands on this absurd film.

For those of you that prefer streaming, (at the time of this post) Flesh and Bullets is available in high definition for FREE with an Amazon Prime account.

The version I currently own is only available as part of Vinegar Syndrome’s 5 Films/5 Years – Vol. 2, which also includes The Muthers, The Hang Up, The Dungeon of Harrow, and Murder On The Emerald Seas. The HD image looks rather incredible considering how obscure the title is (The same cannot be said for all the films in the collection). And the audio was decent enough for this release (I’m not expecting 7.1 surround). Unfortunately, this release includes zero extras.

If you want bonus features with the movie, your only choice is the DVD which includes a theatrical trailer and and alternate edit sourced from VHS titled Wife Contract.

Hidden Treasure/Dumpster Fire?

Vinegar Syndrome (as they always do) gives Flesh and Bullets enough TLC to make it a worthy and enjoyable addition to any trash collection. Good alone, but better with buddies. Jimbo says: Good Trash!

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