A gang that stole $300,000 in gold rescues former partner Jack Davis (Paul McCarthy-Boyington) from a chain gang because he’s the only one who knows where the loot wound up.
Turns out Davis ditched it in a well on the coastal town of Galveston, some 500 miles from the prison work site.
So the gang, including leader Tom Nixon, Claude Barbee (co-director Justin Meeks), “Blockey” Jackson and a black scout named Goody Spotswood set out to get it back, figuring to finance their trip with holdups along the way.
Along the way they also pick up young Willie Carson, who was working as a ventriloquist for an abusive traveling salesman; are joined by Pearl, a whore with an itch to try thievery; and lose aging Tom to some sort of ailment.
That leaves Barbee in charge of what becomes known as the notorious Claude Barbee gang, and their exploits take on legendary proportions after they rob a church and kill two people in the process.
Another heist — of a candy store — earns Claude the nickname “Sweet Tooth.”
Before long, a reward-hungry sheriff Everheart is on their trail along with his trusty sidekick Deputy Peak. An aging bounty hunter is after the gang, too.
But it’s the mysterious presence in the night, who butchered Claude’s horse and keeps returning to claim his gang members, that causes nightmares for Sweet Tooth.
Luce Rains as Sheriff Everheart, determined to bring the Barbee gang to justice in Kill or Be Killed (2015)
Review:
Tongue firmly planted in cheek at times, directors Duane Graves and Justin Meeks serve up a Western that’s a blend of Spaghetti, comedy and horror.
There’s a particularly broad dash of Spaghetti. There are sudden outbursts of surprising violence. And we get bit characters like Michael Berryman as a doctor with a fondness for amputations and Pepe Sena as a lodger who likes to drug his guests, kill them, then cut off their fingers to get the rings they’re wearing.
But the focus is on the Barbee gang, which is neither as clever or deadly as its reputation. The leader worries about his fearsome reputation being tarnished by a nickname like Sweet Tooth and allows himself to be tricked by a whore.
“Blockey” is supremely loyal to Barbee and won’t enter a “den” of wickedness like a whorehouse. But a young teenage girl — well, that’s too tempting a treat to pass up. Then there’s “Slap” Jack Davis, who winds up wounded so often he’s like a human bullseye.
The story doesn’t quite jell as nicely as you’d like. Some of the action scenes are crudely shot. And the film, also known as “Red on Yella, Kill a Fella,” falls far short of classic. But in the 21st century, you could do far worse if you’re looking for a different sort of Western to watch.
Gregory Kelly as Frank ‘Blockey’ Johnson, the gang member whose fondness for young girls causes trouble in Kill or Be Killed (2015)
Paul McCarthy-Boyington as ‘Slap’ Jack Davis, the oft-wounded gang member with a map to the hidden loot in Kill or Be Killed (2015)
Directed by:
Duane Graves &
Justin Meeks
Cast:
Justin Meeks … Claude “Sweet Tooth” Barbee
Paul McCarthy-Boyington … “Slap” Jack Davis
Gregory Kelly … Frank “Blockey” Jackson
Deon Lucas … Goody Spotswood
Bridger Zadina … Willie Carson
Larry Grant Harbin … Tom Nixon
Arianne Martin … Pearl
as Arianne Margot
Luce Rains … Sheriff Everheart
Timony T. McKinney … Deputy Peak
Edwin Neal … Bargsley
Michael Berryman … Dr. Pepperdine
Pepe Sena … Rudy Goebel
Gayland Williams … Ivy Goebel
Sonny Carl Davis … Bert
Tina Rodriguez … Phoebe
Runtime: 104 min.
aka:
Red on Yella, Kill a Fella
Arianne Martin as Pearl Nava, the whore who joins the Barbee gang, temporarily, in Kill or Be Killed (2015)
Deon Lucas as Goody Spotswood, scout for the gang, making an alarming discovery in Kill or Be Killed (2015)
Memorable lines:
Bridger Zadina, the young ventriloquist who joins the gang to provide diversions in Kill or Be Killed (2015)[/caption]Bastard Bud to Perla: “Fetch a horn and make us some money. Go ahead, git.”
Perla: “All those years whoring for Bud, and I got nothing but a curious itch. So, uh, I started studying a new line of work.”
Claude Barbee: “Outlawin’ ain’t no place for a woman.”
Perla: “Well, let me be blunt. You see, I got things you boys are lackin’. Things that can be mighty distractin’. Call me Pearl.”
Pearl, laughing: “I’m sorry. Sweet Tooth? It’s not very intimidating for a road agent.”
Claude “Sweet Tooth” Barbee: “No it’s not. Spent all these years tryin’ to make a name for myself, then they got and make a mockery out of me like that.”
Blockey after Willie is found dead and Pearl disappears with the map to the hidden gold: “That strumpet is as crooked as the path to hell.”
Claude Barbee: “Now, listen, Pearl might be a leg-spreadin’ thief, but she sure as hell ain’t no murderer.”
Larry Grant Harbin as Tom Nixon, leader of the gang that frees Jack Davis in order to find their hidden loot in Kill or Be Killed (2015)
Deputy Peak, studying Goody’s dead body: “There’s that circular mark again. What do you make of it?”
Sheriff Everheart: “Don’t. Seems to favor the dead though.”
Peak: “Let’s hope it ain’t contagious.”
Claude Barbee: “Hey, Jack, you ever think maybe God’s playin’ some cruel joke on us?”
Jack Davis: “How do you mean?”
Barbee: “Well, it seems like such a tangle. Take good time to fashion each one of us, drop us off down here in this world, just to bob around year after year, collecting — well, whiskey, women — then make some mad hatter to pick us off one by one. Stakes us out in the middle of this wheatfield — cold, hungry, betrayed. Seems little sick, that’s all.”
Sheriff Everheart, with the outlaws cornered in a barn: “You’ve come to the end of your saga, Sweet Tooth!”
[caption id="attachment_45580" align="aligncenter" width="625"]
Timothy McKinney as Deputy Peak, catching his boss off guard in Kill or Be Killed (2015)
Pepe Serna as Rudy Goebel, offering nourishment to strangers then poisoning them in Kill or Be Killed (2015)
Michael Berryman as Dr. Pepperdine, the physician with a fondness for amputations in Kill or Be Killed (2015)
Arianna Martin as Pearl Nava, using her charms as a diversion during a holdup in Kill or Be Killed (2015)
Luce Rains as Sheriff Everheart, taking aim after catching up with the Barbee gang in Kill or Be Killed (2015)
Justin Meeks as Claude ‘Sweet Tooth’ Barbee, determined to reach Galveston in spite of trouble all around in Kill or Be Killed (2015)
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