''High Velocity'' is a

1976 Events January * January 3 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force. * January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea. * January 11 – The 1976 ...

action film Action film is a film genre in which the protagonist is thrust into a series of events that typically involve violence and physical feats. The genre tends to feature a mostly resourceful hero struggling against incredible odds, which include l ...

that was the only film of director Remi Kramer, who also co-wrote the screenplay.

Plot

An American business executive is kidnapped by a revolutionary guerrilla group in an unnamed Asian nation. Unwilling to meet the terrorist's demands or to use the security forces of the nation, the victim's employer and his wife hire two fun-loving American

expatriate An expatriate (often shortened to expat) is a person who resides outside their native country. In common usage, the term often refers to educated professionals, skilled workers, or artists taking positions outside their home country, either ...

Vietnam veterans to rescue him. Together with their local friend and guide, the trio find out that they are up against an unexpected and deadly enemy.

Cast

Ben Gazzara Biagio Anthony Gazzara (August 28, 1930 – February 3, 2012) was an American actor and director of film, stage, and television. He received numerous accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award and a Drama Desk Award, in addition to nominatio ...

as Cliff Baumgartner *

Britt Ekland Britt Ekland (; born Britt-Marie Eklund; 6 October 1942) is a Swedish actress, model and singer. She appeared in numerous films in her heyday throughout the 1960s and 1970s, including roles in '' The Double Man'' (1967), '' The Night They Raided ...

as Mrs. Andersen *

Paul Winfield Paul Edward Winfield (May 22, 1939 – March 7, 2004) was an American stage, film and television actor. He was known for his portrayal of a Louisiana sharecropper who struggles to support his family during the Great Depression in the landmark fil ...

as Watson * Keenan Wynn as Mr. Andersen *

Alejandro Rey Alejandro Rey (February 8, 1930 – May 21, 1987) was an Argentine-American actor and television director. Career Early work Rey was born in Buenos Aires and studied acting under Hedwig Schlichter and Milagros de la Vega. He became known a ...

as Alejandro Martel * Victoria Racimo as Dolores *

Joonee Gamboa Joonee Gamboa (born Jose Espineli Gamboa Jr.; August 7, 1936) is a Filipino actor. As veteran actor, he appeared in more than 145 movies and television shows. Life and career Gamboa won the Best Supporting Actor in the 1977 Metro Manila Film F ...

as Commander Habagat * Rita Gomez as Nancy * Joe Andrade as Manong *

Liam Dunn Liam Dunn (November 12, 1916 – April 11, 1976) was an American character actor. Life and career The New Jersey native's early career was spent in television in series such as ''Bonanza'', ''Room 222'', ''Alias Smith and Jones'', ''Mannix'', ...

as Bennett *

Richard O'Brien Richard Timothy Smith. known professionally as Richard O'Brien, is a British-New Zealand actor, writer, musician, composer, and television presenter. He wrote the musical stage show ''The Rocky Horror Show'' in 1973, which has remained in conti ...

as Beaumont *

Stacy Keach, Sr. Walter Stacy Keach Sr. (May 29, 1914 – February 13, 2003), known professionally as Stacy Keach Sr. was an American actor whose screen career spanned more than five decades. Biography Keach was born in Chicago, Illinois. He was of English des ...

as Carter * James Bacon as Monroe * Jojo Juan as Celia * Hernan Robles as a gaol guard * Kim Ramos as an officer

Production

''High Velocity'' was the only completed film of First Asian Films of California who contracted with

Filmways Filmways, Inc. (also known as Filmways Pictures and Filmways Television) was a television and film production company founded by American film executive Martin Ransohoff and Edwin Kasper in 1952. It is probably best remembered as the production c ...

Productions (Philippines) to supply local facilities and crews. Japanese producer Takafumi Ohashi selected Remi Kramer who had previously received a 1971 Clio Award, directed several

Marlboro Man The Marlboro Man is a figure that was used in tobacco advertising campaigns for Marlboro cigarettes. In the United States, where the campaign originated, it was used from 1954 to 1999. The Marlboro Man was first conceived by Leo Burnett in 1954. ...

commercials and designed the

film title design Film title design is a term describing the craft and design of motion picture title sequences. Since the beginning of the film form, it has been an essential part of any motion picture. Originally a motionless piece of artwork called ''title art ...

for ''

The Doris Day Show ''The Doris Day Show'' is an American sitcom which was originally broadcast on CBS from September 1968 until March 1973, remaining on the air for five seasons and 128 episodes. The series is remembered for its multiple format and cast chang ...

''. Kramer co-wrote the film with Michael Joaquin Parsons (?-September 15, 2013), who had been involved in the Philippine film industry since the 1960s. The cinematographer,

Robert Paynter Robert William Paynter BSC (12 March 1928 – 20 October 2010) was an English cinematographer.Obituary ''London Daily Telegraph'', 23 October 2010Telegraph/ref> After leaving the Mercers' School in the City of London at the age of 15, Paynt ...

was English and the stunt director, Clem Parsons was Australian. Paynter shot the film in

Panavision Panavision is an American motion picture equipment company founded in 1953 specializing in cameras and lenses, based in Woodland Hills, California. Formed by Robert Gottschalk as a small partnership to create anamorphic projection lenses dur ...

using Panavision Silent Reflex (PSR) camera, with Superspeed 35, 50, 75, and 100-millimeter lenses to cope with the extensive low light levels at night in the jungle and Manila's Chinatown. Filming began in 1974 with production completed in 1975. First Asian Films of California then planned a US$4 million film about General John J. Pershing''The Chicago Tribune May 14, 1975 but the film was never produced.

References

External links

* 1976 films 1970s action adventure films 20th Century Fox films American action adventure films Films about kidnapping Films scored by Jerry Goldsmith Films set in Asia Films about mercenaries Films shot in the Philippines American war adventure films 1976 directorial debut films 1970s English-language films 1970s American films {{1970s-action-film-stub