While volumes have been rightfully inked on the life, times and music of Johnny
Ca$H what has been written on his cinematic legacy is scant. Then again so was
his film career so this makes perfect sense, right?
Well, back in 1961 Johnny was in a pretty cool, trashy flick called "Five Minutes To Live" AKA "Door To Door Maniac." This AIP (bow to the east & pray heathens) movie was originally issued in 1961 as "F.M.T.L" then re-issued in 1966 as the title it's best known as today "D.T.D.M." Keeping that in mind, here's my take on this little known bizarro world gem:
The internationally unknown genius that directed this here movie, Bill Karn is a stylistic melange of Ed Wood (you can actually see sets wobble in scenes here if you watch closely),K.Gordon Murray and Ron Ormond. Call him a hack or violent visionary, whatever you call him this movie works.
Somewhat of a re-write of the classic Bogart vehicle "The Desperate Hours" with Johnny Cash taking Bogie's role as a hostage taking psychotic gangster. The first we see of JC on screen is him gunning down a cop with a submachine gun, wicked grin on his face and an amphetamine glazed look in his eyes. But, I'm getting way ahead of myself here.
Told in flashback Film Noir style by gangster Fred Derilla (Vic Tayback) this film is about a botched robbery/ransom plot gone awry. Derilla arrives at a local bank with the plan to get some loot ($70,000?!?) out of the bank prez (Donald Woods of "13 Ghosts" infamy) while Johnny Cabot (Cash) and his cohorts (including the C&W guitar legend Merle Travis!!!) hold hostage the wife of the said prez.
Twist here being that the Prez don't really give a shit about wifey as he is going to split and go to Vegas with his mistress. Derilla gives him 5 minutes to hand over the loot or else back at house JC is gonna kill his wife. Once the banker sees he is serious about offing the little lady he pleads for more time. Derilla gives him five more minutes or ELSE!
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Article comments
1 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
HW, Great stuff!
I've only saw bits of this here flick in various documentaries (and i believe there's a snippet in the video to Hurt as well), but have never got to see the whole deranged debacle. Thank you for your excellent consideration of this flick, and also for providing links to where one might buy said opus.
Good stuff, man.
2 - Bill Sherman
Something Weird has become one of my favorite DVD companies in the past year: an invaluable source for classic exploitation Cinema.
I've never seen Cash's drive-in debut, though, (didn't he also do at least one Christian exploitation pic?) I'll definitely have to check it out. . .
3 - HW Saxton Jr.
Duke,Thanx fer the ever so kind words.
I was in a "Country" mood so I dug out
this and "Hillbillys In A Haunted House"
the other day. Johnny Ca$h is the main
reason to watch this. I don't know if
it's his pill consumption or what here.
But he sure puts the "Meth" back into
"Method" acting.Very believable psycho.
Can't recommend "Hillbillys In A Haunted
House" as highly.Though it does feature
both Van Doren & Mansfield showing off
their rather ummmmmmm,large talents here
in sweaters three times too small.
Singer Sonny James does a great version
of the old kids song "The Cat Came Back"
that is worthy of a cover version by The
Cramps and a couple of great,unreleased
Merle Haggard tunes.
Cash was in a "Christian" flick but I
don't know the name of it.He was also in
a movie starring Doodles Weaver(of Spike
Jones band infamy)that's called:"Road To
Nashville".It's just basically a talent
showcase for Country performers ca. 1966
but features cool tunes from Webb Pierce
Porter Waggoner,Lefty Frizell,JC & more.
Thanks again for reading y'all.