3/07/2019

DIRK BENEDICT IN 'UNDERGROUND ACES' W/ MELANIE GRIFFITH

Urban landscape opening credit shot YEAR: 1981
Dirk Benedict was two years between, before and after BATTLESTAR GALACTICA and THE A-TEAM when he starred in this CAR WASH clone where a group of misfits are supposed to park rich people's vehicles in the parking lot beneath a plush hotel — only to race them around, now and again...

The rest of the picture involves the gang of mostly minorities like Robert Hegyes as a Latin lover; black dudes Randy Brooks, the always optimistic T.K. Carter with an otherwise non-speaking, barking/howling human voice-box Michael Winslow; and handsome Italian Rick Podell as a selfish mechanic boyfriend of ingenue Melanie Griffith as the latter predictably edges toward Benedict, the new guy/resilient con man and soon enough, leader of the pack...

Underground Aces Scores: **
One of those comedies where the characters have more fun than the audience, the worst story involves a shy young Sheik who they spend so much time helping romance engaged blonde bombshell Audrey Landers, there's barely time for other random hijinks: all while dodging a security chief named Fred Kruger...

Meanwhile, miscast ladies' man Hegyes finds his perfect girl before acquiring a distinct persona to fit within the overall eclectic ensemble...

In fact, pretty much everyone on board goes through cliché motions in a limited space with hardly any comedic breathing room, unlike its classic (and even more contained) mentor, CAR WASH. And if UNDERGROUND ACES had the decency to call itself ONE BRIDE FOR ONE SHEIK, fans of exploitation drive-in flicks wouldn't have been taken for such a ride. Everything else aside, it is a cool title.
Dirk Benedict and Melanie Griffith in Underground Aces
Audrey Landers in UNDERGROUND ACES
Robert Hegyes and Sid Haig in UNDERGROUND ACES
Gina Gellego and Robert Hegyes in UNDERGROUND ACES
Robert Hegyes, Melanie Griffith and Dirk Benedict in UNDERGROUND ACES
Dirk Benedict, Robert Hegyes and Randy Brooks in UNDERGROUND ACES
Melanie Griffith and Dirk Benedict in UNDERGROUND ACES
Dirk Benedict in UNDERGROUND ACES
T.K. Carter in UNDERGROUND ACES
Robert Hegyes in UNDERGROUND ACES
Michael Winslow in UNDERGROUND ACES
Kario Selem ruins UNDERGROUND ACES and is horrible!
Randy Brooks in UNDERGROUND ACES
A wasted Sid Haig as the dumb Sheik's bodyguard in UNDERGROUND ACES
Melanie Griffith in UNDERGROUND ACES

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