Wheels of Fire, Rape in an Apocalyptic Landscape.

Lynda Wiesmeier, the July 1982 cover, and centerfold model in Playboy will grace this blog today. With the opening of "Mad Max: Fury Road" last month, "Wheels of Fire" from 1985 is a perfect selection.  Sort of The Philippines version of "The Road Warrior," our film today is a violent look into a world where roving, motorized gangs rule the planet.  Clad in black leather hooker boots, black leather short-shorts, and nothing else, Ms. Wiesmeier comes through with a difficult portrayal of a post-apocalyptic beauty.  Unfortunately for her character, she probably sets the record for the number of times being raped, of any movie character.  Lots of nudity, machine guns, flame-throwers, mutant cannibals, and gang rapes grace our cinematic masterpiece.

As our film begins, Trace (Gary Watkins), a Mad Max type figure, is on the run with his sister Arlie (Wiesmeier) and her BF.  They do pretty well destroying their pursuers until they decide to split up.  After taking different roads, Trace does a nice job finishing off his pursuers by utilizing a machine-gun and flame-thrower.  Meanwhile, Arlie and her BF stop for pre-marital sex in the middle of the desert and are captured.  The gang has no interest in the BF, who is all too happy to cough Arlie up to the fiends.  Arlie is stripped, and tied to the hood of a futuristic hot rod and driven to the compound of the warlord, Scourge (Joe Mari Avellana). The defiant Arlie is then held down by two biker chicks while Scourge rapes her.  Scourge hands her to his right-hand man, who also rapes her.  Still defiant, our playmate is then tossed to the soldiers who then gang-rape her.  Eventually Arlie is broken, and we next see her begging to be raped in order to get food.

Trace eventually gets an urge to rescue Arlie.  He continues to mow down Scourge's men, and rescues another blonde damsel, Stinger (Laura Banks). These two take their time getting to know each other, while Arlie continues to get raped.  Then they engage in pre-marital sex in the desert...and Arlie continues to get raped.  The clumsy Stinger then falls in a hole and is captured by mutant cannibals.  Because Stinger is good for pre-marital sex, and Arlie is merely his sister...Trace mounts a rescue operation for Stinger..while Arlie continues to get raped.  After more adventures with Stinger, Arlie finally heads to Scourge's compound, where Arlie continues to get raped.  Machine-guns, flame-throwers, cool hot-rods, and motorcycles will all be part of a final epic battle.

Will Trace be in time to save his sister?  Is the post-apocalyptic landscape merely a metaphor for the treatment of women by modern, organized civilization?  From Arlie's perspective this is a brutal film. SPOILER ALERT [her demise will rival that of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid]. Made in Asia, budget wise, "Wheels of Fire" is impressive.  Lots of neat souped up car battles and chases, hair spray, and body make-up separate this film from your average low-budget film.  Available in great quality on YouTube, this is a great companion piece to the new "Mad Max" film.