DVD Review: Sidewalks of Bangkok (D+)

Sidewalks of Bangkok (1984)
Directed by Jean Rollin
Starring Francoise Blanchard, Jean-Claude Benhamo, Jean-Pierre Bouyxou and Brigitte De Borghese
France: 16
Grade: D+

Review by Bobby Nashville

Director Jean Rollin is supposed to be the king of French soft-core vampire porn, so when I saw the provocative cover to this DVD, I admit that I was intrigued. French vampires and a little nudity can certainly go a long way in my book.

Unfortunately, this movie just didn't live up to my expectations, and by the way, there are no vampires in this one. I guess Rollin was looking to change things up for a picture. Its a straightforward "cops and spies" tale and from what I've read, it was a big departure for Jean Rollin.

Where does Rollin go wrong with Sidewalks of Bangkok? Well, in an attempt to pay tribute to the film Mask of Fu Manchu, Rolling goes a bit overboard with the private eye thing here. The plot (if you can call it that) centers around a French agent named Rick that was supposedly shot in Paris. He had a tube full of a biological chemical that could be turned into a chemical weapon, and its turned up missing. Rick's lover in Bangkok has the tube, and the agents go on a chase after her. Here's where it gets interesting: the chase leads the viewers through the strip clubs, kinky massage parlors and mud wrestling pits of Bangkok. There's lots of nudity (hooray!), but not enough action or goofy dialogue to make this a classic bad film.

Somewhere between weird and boring you will find the Sidewalks of Bangkok, a slightly kinky tale of espionage and erotic dancing. I've heard that the classic Jean Rollin films of the 1970s are far better examples of this cult director's work, so I promise to give him another shot down the road.

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