Fred Olen Ray

Fred Olen Ray has been directing low budget movies since 1979. He is obviously a fan of, and is well versed in, the history of low-budget, exploitation cinema. He's even written several books on the subject (in addition to getting involved in a lot of other projects, like the release of a music CD). The one thing that I will never understand is why almost everything I have ever read about the guy has been negative. I don't get it. There were tons of low budget film directors turning out crappy, unwatchable movies all throughout the 80s and 90s. Why pick on Fred?

For the record, I like this guy. I maintain that if you were to go to the video rental place down the street and select from a whole row of nothing but low budget cheapies, you would increase your odds of finding an entertaining movie if you selected something with his name on it. I think that the criticism directed at him is really unfair. Yes, he did turn out some really bad clunkers along the way, but his winning percentage is way higher than most low budget directors. Plus, he has created some incredible cult classics, like Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers and Dinosaur Island. Doesn't he deserve some credit for this?

I can name a number of reasons why I generally like this guy's movies. First of all, he pulls together some of the most amazing casts that you're ever likely to find in a movie. I think that only John Waters can compete with Fred in the bizarre casting arena. He generally fills his movies with B-movie has-been icons, people that he obviously admired when he was younger and who haven't been seen in years. How can you fault a guy who casts people like Sid Haig, Michael Berryman, Dick Miller, Gunnar Hansen, Kitten Natividad, Huntz Hall, and the list just goes on and on. And Fred put together his own offbeat acting troupe which he uses in most of his movies. They include the hilarious Jay Richardson, Ross Hagen, and other wonderful and wacky characters. Fred has cast the wonderful Michelle Bauer in many many of his movies, plus other Scream Queens like Linnea Quigley and Brinke Stevens.

Fred's movies are usually filled with in-jokes. If you are well versed in the history of low budget films, you'll get the jokes and laugh. If you're not in the know, then it will go over your head. But picking out references to other movies is half the fun. Also, Fred pokes fun at himself in a lot of his movies, proving that he doesn't take what he's doing all that seriously, and is just trying to have some fun. I think Fred has a great sense of humor. At least, I think he writes funny stuff. I connect with his sense of humor. Fred's movies succeed the most when they're comedies. Attempts at making "serious" movies tend to fall short of the mark.

Fred has put out tons of movies and I haven't seen them all, but his movies are in the grand exploitation tradition. However, he never does anything that's leeringly exploitive or nasty. All of his movies are really good-natured and fun (except for a few really horrible clunkers, but even those tend to have some redeeming moments).

Personally, I'm glad that there are still people like Fred around carrying on the grand tradition, and I think his efforts should be praised, not scoffed at. It's people like Fred who provide us with an alternative to the kind of pandering crap that is constantly pumped out by the major studios. I'm not much impressed by what someone can do with a 60 million dollar budget. If you can make a really great, entertaining movie with $250,000, than I'm impressed. And Fred can do it. So give the guy some credit.

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