The Hang Up (Vinegar Syndrome Drive-In Collection DVD)

Is The Hang Up a Hidden Treasure or Dumpster Fire?

Blu-ray Distributed By: Vinegar Syndrome / July 1, 2015

The Hang Up follows the forbidden affair between a tempted LAPD vice cop and a beautiful, but mysterious, young prostitute. Set against a world of pimps, pushers and sexual deviates, The Hang Up is a powerful indictment of law-enforcement hypocrisy. With a wonderful mix of love ins and sleazy betrayal The Hang Up is a creative commentary on the sexual revolution and human nature.

Jamie’s Take (1.5 / 5)

From the same asshole who directed Sweet Trash, and on the same Vinegar DVD as a double feature, The Hang Up is marginally better than Sweet Trash. That’s like getting pee on your shoe as opposed to someone taking a dump on your shoe.

The opening sequence is funny and I thought I was watching a drag queen movie. Two vice cops, dressed like women, take down a drug operation. Meanwhile our main protagonist, Sgt Robert Walsh (played by Tony Vorono who is actually decent in this film), goes on and on about how he hates whores, pimps, etc. Even at night his hot landlady, who gets undressed in front of him while he sits totally nude in bed, doesn’t do anything to him, closing the door on her face.

It isn’t until he meets a young prostitute, Angel, that he starts to fall in love with and goes to hippie communes and wants to start a life with this young little whore until he catches her with her pants down (literally). In one odd sequence that had me cracking up, he screams at her that he’s going to rape her and chases her out a window as he’s banging away at this slut.

The ending left me laughing and asking, “What the fuck did I just see?” The Hang Up could use a remake and I could see Nicholas Cage in this role, directed by Abel Ferrera. But as it stands, The Hang Up is boring and while there are a few moments that I found a little captivating, it’s not worth seeking out.

Jimbo’s Take (1.5 / 5)

Jamie and I stuck it out through this Vinegar Syndrome DVD Drive-In double feature, which included Sweet Trash. More on Sweet Trash HERE.

The other Trashmen were not interested in sitting through these two John Hayes films. This alone should send up warning flares. Fortunately, both Sweet Trash and The Hang Up are mercifully short (Sweet Trash: 78 mins/The Hang Up: 75 mins) making them slightly more digestible.

Where Sweet Trash was easily summarized into a 3-minute promo video, it takes almost 7 minutes to do the same for The Hang Up. That’s over double the amount of entertainment quality in this John Hayes film! But doubling the amount of entertainment compared to Sweet Trash is a very low bar.

What this movie does well is create a consistent narrative about a cop who falls in love with the wrong woman. As the world is closing in around him, he’s forced to make choices that will forever change his life. And to the credit of the two main leads, I believed in their performances and felt these two star-crossed lovers could be the trash-encrusted equivalent of Romeo & Juliet.

Female nudity is plentiful and there’s enough softcore action for aspiring perverts. It’s all very gratuitous, but since the plot revolves around the sins of the flesh, the exploitation aspects of The Hang Up are somewhat motivated organically.

And unlike Sweet Trash this film offers viewers a more satisfying conclusion, bringing our protagonist to a different place than where he started. But ultimately, the film meanders a little too long and John Hayes seems more interested in making skin flicks for perverts. The Hang Up has a story that is timeless, but the execution never transcends drive-in garbage.

However, that may be a plus depending on your tastes.

Vinegar Syndrome has recently re-released The Hang Up as part of their 5 Films/5 Years Limited Edition Blu-ray that can be purchased direct from their website or HERE.

Hidden Treasure/Dumpster Fire?

Jamie:	(1.5 / 5)
Jimbo:	(1.5 / 5)
Average:	(1.5 / 5)

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