Willy & Scratch (lost Robert J. Emery western crime film; 1974): Difference between revisions

From The Lost Media Wiki
Jump to: navigation, search
(No difference)

Revision as of 16:15, 22 September 2021

Willyandscratchposter.png

Theatrical poster for Willy and Scratch

Status: Lost

Comment: Lost Crime Western Film

Tags: Exploitation Claudia Jennings Mike Hatfield


Willy and Scratch is a 1974 crime western film directed by Robert J. Emery and produced through American Picture Corps. The film stars Paul Vincent, Claudia Jennings and Mike Hatfield. The film was produced in Florida and began filming around 1972 in the Sarasota area.

Sypnosis

Two outlaws arrive in an uninhabited ghost town with a stolen payroll to hide out from their gang after double crossing them, where the only other resident is an old man. Awaiting till the dust clears and they can make away with the stolen money, they encounter a brother, husband and his wife (Claudia Jennings), with their own sinister motives. They scheme to steal the money for themselves, but the outlaws manage to thwart their efforts and kidnap the wife. An all out brawl ensues when the rest of the gang arrives to claim the money, with only one of them being the victor.

Production and Theatrical release

Western shots were filmed in the abandoned Floridaland amusement park for 11 days and the remaining footage was shot in 4 days in the Brookesville - Inverness area. The film was finally released in 1974 and played the Drive-in circuit through the Southern US.

Censorship

Article feature on Robert J. Emery

The film was notable for having significant amounts of violence, (including a scene where actor Mike Hatfield had a pitchfork jammed through his throat and a rape scene with Claudia Jennings). Upon release, the film nearly received an X-rating. 11 seconds were trimmed from the Pitchfork scene to secure an R-rating.

Status

An afternoon TV screening of Willy and Scratch from the mid-80s

As of today, elements for this film are presumed to be endangered and it is unknown if there are any current surviving prints. There were several afternoon TV screenings of the film throughout the 80s but no tape recordings have surfaced online, though scans of TV listings have been shared. On April 30, 2020, Joe Bob Briggs tweeted about the film's status[1], inquiring on anyone to come forward. The film has still not resurfaced.

External Link


References

  1. [1] Joe Bob Briggs puts a call out for the film. Tweeted on April 30th, 2020