Director: William Grefe
Writers: William Grefe (story)
Gary Crutcher
CAST---
Chris Robinson ... Tim Ochopee
Alex Rocco ... Thomkins
Steve Alaimo ... Crail Denning
Susan Carroll ... Susie
Mark Harris ... Bob Wilson
Rey Baumel ... Sidney Calvin
Paul Avery ... Psycho Simpson
Marcia Knight ... Gloria Calvin (as Marcie Knight)
Runtime:108 min
Writers: William Grefe (story)
Gary Crutcher
CAST---
Chris Robinson ... Tim Ochopee
Alex Rocco ... Thomkins
Steve Alaimo ... Crail Denning
Susan Carroll ... Susie
Mark Harris ... Bob Wilson
Rey Baumel ... Sidney Calvin
Paul Avery ... Psycho Simpson
Marcia Knight ... Gloria Calvin (as Marcie Knight)
Runtime:108 min
STANLEY (1972)
Director William Grefe, a Florida boy like Jorge and I, once saw a film called "WILLARD", and decided
that he should make a movie just like it. Except, his wouldn't use rats, because that would be too blatant
of a rip-off, his would use snakes. Rattlesnakes to be more specific, and he'd set it in the swamplands of
the Florida Everglades.
Released in 1972, "STANLEY" is the story of a Vietnam vet named Tim who lives a hermit's life in a
shack deep in the swamps. His only company is a shit load of snakes that he's caught and befriended.
His favorites are Hazel and Stanley, a pair of rattlesnakes he wears around his neck like Mister T wears
chains. He makes an honest living providing snakes for the local doctors to milk so they'll have plenty of
anti-venom, and bringing fresh snakes to the local strip joint featuring some of the oldest and wrinkliest
strippers you'll ever see on film. You see, the main stripper, Gloria, used to date Tim's dad, and she
uses snakes in her boring-ass act. The main villain in the film is Thomkins (played by Alex Rocco, who
was Moe Greene in "THE GODFATHER") who wants Tim's help catching snakes to kill and turn into
belts. Tim turns him down, and soon Thomkins' goons are paying a visit to Tim's area. They get into a
few fights, and Tim gets out of them with the help of Stanley. He finds out that two of the goons were
responsible for his father's death and he doesn't help them when they fall into a quicksand pit.
When Tim returns home, he finds that the third goon, a drugged-out-of-his-mind psycho hippie called
Psycho, has shot and killed Hazel and smashed their baby snakes to death. Tim and Stanley get their
revenge on Psycho, and drift into town to continue to deal out justice. It turns out Gloria is biting the
heads off of the snakes Tim brings, so he drops a hundred snakes on her and her husband's bed. He
also evens the score with Thomkins by throwing a ton of snakes into the pool just as the man dives in for
his morning swim. In the end he kidnaps Thomkins' hot young daughter and ends up going crazy when
she wants to leave the lap of luxury that is his shack in the swamps. One thing leads to another and Tim
and Stanley have a fight, ending with one of them bitten (guess which one).
This film is notable for two reasons. Chris Robinson, who plays Tim, is actually working with live,
venomous rattlesnakes at all times! He's got the damn things crawling all over his bare chest, and he's
kissing them and squeezing them close to him, and they don't bite him! In fact, according to him, they
never bit him once! I find that hard to believe, seeing how unpredictable rattlers can be. Second of all,
they actually kill real snakes! This is most shocking when it comes to the brutal death of the baby
rattlers. Beyond that, it's basically "WILLARD" with snakes, and though enjoyable it does drag a bit here
and there and the film continued way past where it should have ended, too. This one is coming out on
remastered DVD soon, so keep an eye out for it if you're into snake-filled revenge movies. If not, then
slip into those snake-skin boots and go rent "WILLARD".
- Jose Prendes
that he should make a movie just like it. Except, his wouldn't use rats, because that would be too blatant
of a rip-off, his would use snakes. Rattlesnakes to be more specific, and he'd set it in the swamplands of
the Florida Everglades.
Released in 1972, "STANLEY" is the story of a Vietnam vet named Tim who lives a hermit's life in a
shack deep in the swamps. His only company is a shit load of snakes that he's caught and befriended.
His favorites are Hazel and Stanley, a pair of rattlesnakes he wears around his neck like Mister T wears
chains. He makes an honest living providing snakes for the local doctors to milk so they'll have plenty of
anti-venom, and bringing fresh snakes to the local strip joint featuring some of the oldest and wrinkliest
strippers you'll ever see on film. You see, the main stripper, Gloria, used to date Tim's dad, and she
uses snakes in her boring-ass act. The main villain in the film is Thomkins (played by Alex Rocco, who
was Moe Greene in "THE GODFATHER") who wants Tim's help catching snakes to kill and turn into
belts. Tim turns him down, and soon Thomkins' goons are paying a visit to Tim's area. They get into a
few fights, and Tim gets out of them with the help of Stanley. He finds out that two of the goons were
responsible for his father's death and he doesn't help them when they fall into a quicksand pit.
When Tim returns home, he finds that the third goon, a drugged-out-of-his-mind psycho hippie called
Psycho, has shot and killed Hazel and smashed their baby snakes to death. Tim and Stanley get their
revenge on Psycho, and drift into town to continue to deal out justice. It turns out Gloria is biting the
heads off of the snakes Tim brings, so he drops a hundred snakes on her and her husband's bed. He
also evens the score with Thomkins by throwing a ton of snakes into the pool just as the man dives in for
his morning swim. In the end he kidnaps Thomkins' hot young daughter and ends up going crazy when
she wants to leave the lap of luxury that is his shack in the swamps. One thing leads to another and Tim
and Stanley have a fight, ending with one of them bitten (guess which one).
This film is notable for two reasons. Chris Robinson, who plays Tim, is actually working with live,
venomous rattlesnakes at all times! He's got the damn things crawling all over his bare chest, and he's
kissing them and squeezing them close to him, and they don't bite him! In fact, according to him, they
never bit him once! I find that hard to believe, seeing how unpredictable rattlers can be. Second of all,
they actually kill real snakes! This is most shocking when it comes to the brutal death of the baby
rattlers. Beyond that, it's basically "WILLARD" with snakes, and though enjoyable it does drag a bit here
and there and the film continued way past where it should have ended, too. This one is coming out on
remastered DVD soon, so keep an eye out for it if you're into snake-filled revenge movies. If not, then
slip into those snake-skin boots and go rent "WILLARD".
- Jose Prendes
N / A
OVERALL
BLOOD
BREASTS
BEASTS
