Ma Barker's Killer Brood

Starring:Lurene Tuttle, Tristram Coffin, Paul Dubov, Nelson Leigh, Myrna Dell, Victor Lundin, Don Grady, Gary Ammann, Donald Towers, Michael Smith, Don Spruance, Ron Foster, Rex Holman, Eric Morris (III), Byron Foulger, Eric Sinclair, Robert Kendall, Irene Windust, John McNamara, Dan Riss
Director: Bill Karn
Studio: Alpha Video
Product Type: DVD

Average customer rating:

"I'm about to divorce you the quick way."

Ma Barker's Killer Brood / Gang Busters
Starring: Ma Barker's Killer Brood-Gangbusters
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0001UZWMK
Release Date: 2004-05-04

Description

Tired of being poor, Katherine Barker encourages her kids to steal -- starting with the church collection plate! By the time they're adults, Mama's not only planning the clan's capers, but joining them on jobs: "Shoot him, Herman, shoot him!" Under her homespun tutelage, Ma Barker's Killer Brood rob an armored car, kidnap a bank president, set fire to a quack plastic surgeon, and even throw a party with Baby Face Nelson, Machine Gun Kelly, and "Johnny" Dillinger as guests. Though it plays havoc with the facts, Ma Barker's Killer Brood is how things should have been; after seeing this hilariously over-the-top B movie bio-pic, it's impossible to think of Ma Barker as anyone other than character actress Lurene Tuttle (Psycho) who's baking cherry pies one minute, then mowing down Feds with a machine gun the next! As a G-man puts it: "If you didn't know the old witch, you'd swear she was somebody's sweet old grandmother!" Crime films just don't come crazier than this! Plus, after twice disguising himself as a one-armed man -- and getting arrested both times! -- "Master Criminal" John Omar escapes from prison only to be buried alive in Gang Busters, an oddball "true" anti-crime epic which chooses for its subject not Public Enemy No. 1, or Public Enemy No. 2, or even Public Enemy No. 3, but Public Enemy Number Four! And remember, kids: "Some punks never learn!"

Customer Reviews:

"I'm about to divorce you the quick way.".......2006-12-24

Something Weird Video put together this 2-film package--both directed by Bill Karn--and the DVD a great find if you're into low-budget, tawdry old gangster films. First there's "Ma Barker's Killer Brood"--the title film, and the bigger title of the two films packaged here. The second feature--Gangbusters--isn't as well known, but it's entertaining nonetheless, and both films are over-the-top, campy cheesy fun.

The film "Ma Barker's Killer Brood" follows the myth that Ma Barker (Lurene Tuttle) raised her four sons to a life of crime. The film begins with Ma Barker organizing local, petty crime sprees that lead to them being thrown out of town. Ma Barker--whose childhood was "too much bible and too little beef"--is depicted as the evil genius behind the Barker gang--whacking her sons around if they show any hesitation or the slightest shred of humanity. She even outfoxes Machine Gun Kelly (Victor Lundin) and his moll, Lou (Myrna Dell) while sealing Dillinger and Baby Face Nelson's loyalty to her through her home cooked cherry pies. The film is great lurid fun--even though it takes huge liberties with the facts and basically repeats the popular mythic version of Ma Barker as the criminal mastermind behind the gang--a myth that was supposedly encouraged by J. Edgar Hoover to justify her death after a big shootout with the FBI. In spite of the fact the story takes great liberties with the truth, there are still some correct elements here--including the kidnapping of a banker and the murder of Doc Moran who performed plastic surgery on Fred Barker and Alvin Karpis.

The second film, "Gangbusters" is about "Public Enemy number 4" John Omar Pinson (Myron Healey)--master criminal and escape artist. Pinson often masquerades as a one-armed man (and this really looks ridiculous). The film begins with a depiction of Oregon as a state horribly overrun by crime--and the watchtowers of the Oregon State Prison seem to loom over the entire state. The film's intro includes a heavy moral message that we viewers mustn't admire Pinson's exploits, and this is particularly funny since the entire film makes the point that Pinson has remarkable talent when it comes to eluding the police, breaking out of jail and inspiring loyalty from his fellow thugs. The plot follows Pinson's crimes and his elaborate jail breaks. "Gangbusters" is flawed in spots, and words skip at several points in the film.

Special features include trailers and "Gun Girls"--a 30 minute short film that's great fun. It's one of those delinquent 'bad girl' features, and if you enjoy those, then you'll love "Gun Girls"--displacedhuman

Average customer rating:

Not in keeping with actual events, and sappy as well.

Ma Barker's Killer Brood
Starring: Lurene Tuttle , Tristram Coffin , Paul Dubov , Nelson Leigh , and Myrna Dell
Director: Bill Karn
Manufacturer: Alpha Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Crime | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

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Similar Items:

Dillinger
Bonnie and Clyde
The Petrified Forest
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The St. Valentine's Day Massacre

ASIN: B00009NH8L
Release Date: 2003-07-22

Customer Reviews:

Not in keeping with actual events, and sappy as well........2005-07-15

Supposedly based upon the life of Ozark matriarch Ma Barker and her four felonious public enemy sons, this meanly made low budget example of drive-in movie schlock actually treats several incidents in the real-life career of the notorious Barker/Karpis Gang which was very active during 1931/35 from the Midwest into Southeast U.S., but so contorts the truth in order to create a lurid melodrama that a viewer is alienated from the proceedings, especially in light of obvious cut-rate production values. Al Karpis was the confirmed master hand behind the Gang's string of sinful successes whereas the factual Ma Barker, although enjoying holding open house for various fugitives, only travelled with her family and was patently incapable of organizing more than luncheons, whereas in this poorly scripted travesty Lurene Tuttle as a tommygun wielding sadistic sociopath performs a raft of maniacal actions, including running over a policeman twice, all while planning the Gang's adventures and serving up heist advice to respectful triggermen such as John Dillinger, Machine Gun Kelly and Baby Face Nelson.

Classic Gangster Movies (Ma Barker's Killer Brood / Gangs, Inc. / Gangster Story)

Average customer rating:

Classic Gangster Movies (Ma Barker's Killer Brood / Gangs, Inc. / Gangster Story)
Starring: Classic Gangster Movies
Manufacturer: Bfs Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000069HRP
Release Date: 2002-08-27

Description

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