Customer Reviews

Dead Beat [VHS]

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The other three customer/reviewers here are apparently unaware that this movie is based on the true story (mid-60s) of the Pied Piper of Tucson (Charles Schmid) who is far more weird than the movie's main character and who murdered three women while posing as the Elvis of Arizona. Charlie applied ManTan w/ a trowel, drew a huge "beauty" mark on the right side of his face, dyed his hair black and piled it to the sky and since he was only 5-3 he also wore huge boots stuffed full of newspaper, cans, etc. so he could be as tall as the high-schoolers he was running w/. He was 23. The movie is good in a whacked out kind of way, but the "true" story is far whackier. The Pied Piper got a double death sentence and 50 years for his three murders, got a reprieve when the death penalty was deemed unconstitutional in '71 and was then murdered in prison a few years later b/c other prisoners couldn't stand how pretentious he was! The part in the movie where the main character has a "special" amp built (actually a tape player) so that it appears he is a guitar god is also true.

I picked up this movie years ago from a soon-to-be-defunct video store, and it has stuck with me ever since. Its one of those truly bizarre forgotten classics that still might wind up at a midnight movie somewhere. Bruce Ramsay is over the top as Kit, who as other reviewers have noted is based on the real life Charles Schmid, a murderer more bizarre than is believable. In fact, that was my primary problem with the film when i first saw it- I thought, "wow, this is really too far out". When I found out it was true, it blew my mind and I watched it again- and loved it.
Is it a perfect film? Nope. It goes not far enough in many cases, and if everyone had gone as far as Bruce Ramsay did in his performance then you would have had an electrifying, John Waters/Russ Meyer classic on your hands. But everyone seemed to be holding back just a bit, leaving Ramsay to look even more bizarre (as I am sure, was the case with Schmid). Getty and Gregson were great, Sara Gilbert, a little underwhelming- but the film clearly belongs to Ramsay. He should be the King of Freaky Movies, but I guess he is making french canadian films now (that i have never heard of). A shame. This one is worth re-releasing, or buying a cheap VCR for.

Extremely wacky, screams 'B' movie, way cheesy, definitely not your typical lady killer (I had no idea Richard Grieco had a twin). Now personally, I don't sleep with men that wear more makeup than me, but I have to say, he did have some terrific lines for bedding the babes. Don't expect something you would see at Sundance or Cannes, but you should get a great big kick out of this movie.

This movie was filmed in Tucson AZ in 1994, and I was an extra for the movie. It didn't do well at the box office and went straight to video. It starred Natalie Wood and Robert Wagener's daughter. This movie was loosely based on the true story of Charles Schmidt, the Pied Piper of Tucson, who killed several teenagers in the early 1960's including two daughters of a prominent Tucson doctor. At the time the movie was being made, I did not know this. You just showed up for your call time and did scenes out of order. I bought the movie (VHS)almost 10 years later, because I wanted to know what it was about; beginning to end. And of course wanted to see myself in the movie. It does have a sad ending, as did the real life story.

this is a really John Water-esque type movie about a jealous and crazy cool cat boy and a crazy girl who loves him and is always into trouble and who's Mom in the movie is Blondie's Deborah Harry and Roseanne's tv daughter Sara Gilbert also co star's . This film is set in the late 50's early 60's and is a great movie to own .

If you like B-movies and artsy fartsy movies, this one is for you. Lets just say that it was funny without trying to be. one of those movies you need to not think too hard about and just accept it for how it is.Starring Balthazar Getty. First movie i ever saw with natasha gregorson wagner (she was in lost highway with Balthasar getty as well). Meredith Salanger (the actress form the 80's in Dream a little Dream with...). Sara Gilbert (Darlene from Roseanne) and the other lead guy whose name always escapes me, LOL. He is supposed to be the cool guy that everyone wants to befriend, but B.Getty was much cooler.