Night of the Juggler review full-throttle 1980s pulp shocker crammed with nonstop gonzo mayhem

"Nonstop gonzo mayhem is on show in this pulp shocker from 1980, beginning with an amazingly reckless, fender-mangling, passerby-endangering car chase which more or less takes up the first 20 minutes. It's a gritty New York sleazesploitation crime thriller with some gobsmackingly over-the-top punch-ups and shootouts; some of the attitudes to ethnicity and sexual politics can only be described as of their time. Those who prefer 21st-century standards of good taste had better look away now."

"A racist paedophile (Cliff Gorman) has kidnapped the 15-year-old daughter of divorced ex-cop Sean Boyd, played by James Brolin. This sweaty creep is demanding a million-dollar ransom, but he's got the wrong girl. He thinks that his prisoner whom he dresses up in a diaphanous blue gown belonging to his dead mom, and at one point kisses tenderly on the lips is the daughter of a property magnate that he blames for moving so-called undesirables into his Bronx apartment building."

"So Boyd has to track down this loathsome perv to save his daughter while Boyd himself is also being hunted down by a corrupt cop who he once exposed. This is the pop-eyed Sgt Barnes, played by Dan Hedaya, who fires at Boyd in the city street with a shotgun, causing window-shattering chaos, but because he's a cop doesn't seem to get into any trouble."

Night of the Juggler (1980) delivers nonstop, gonzo sleazesploitation thrills set in gritty New York. A racist paedophile kidnaps the 15-year-old daughter of ex-cop Sean Boyd, who must race through violent car chases, punch-ups, and shootouts to rescue her. Boyd is hunted by a corrupt, shotgun‑wielding cop he once exposed, creating crossfire tension. The film includes lurid sequences in peep‑show booths and provocative sexual and ethnic attitudes that reflect its era. The production showcases frenetic action, outrageous set pieces, and memorable supporting turns, including a young Mandy Patinkin as a hotheaded cab driver. UK cinema and 4K UHD release dates are noted.

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