Cult-Tastic: Criminal Minds

Bloody Mama (1970) / Big Bad Mama (1974) / Crazy Mama (1975) / The Great Texas Dynamite Chase (1976) / The Lady In Red (1979) / Big Bad Mama II (1987) /  Dillinger And Capone (1995) / Shakedown (2002)

Bloody Mama (1970)  Shelley Winters blasts her way through a blunt narrative of cruelty and violence, leading a terrific cast on a murderous, bank-robbing, kidnapping spree in the 1920s. Roger Corman supplies commanding visuals amid wry commentary and brutality.

Big Bad Mama (1974) Though less a cohesive narrative than a series of contained action and dramatic sequences, the persuasive 1930s setting provides the bedrock for a funny, breezy, sexy tale as a determined Angie Dickinson and her daughters get deep into crime. The ending is surprisingly poignant.

Crazy Mama (1975) Jonathan Demme's endearing, confused, road trip comedy actioner, features an acute sense of music and cynical social view to contrast with the tacky visuals of 50s America. Humor over violence as a determined Cloris Leachman turns criminal to buy back the family farm.

The Great Texas Dynamite Chase (1976) Claudia Jennings and Jocelyn Jones provide spirited performances as a crime duo robbing banks to achieve security and freedom. Though it takes an odd sex-com diversion mid way, the action is swift and the narrative ensures a rousing payoff.

The Lady In Red (1979) A smart John Sayles script, Lewis Teague's fluid direction and Pamela Sue Martin's gutsy farm girl turned Dillinger moll power through a gritty, violent narrative as strong on drama as social commentary. A low budget gem that delivers a persuasive feminist strength.

Big Mama II (1987) 13 years after her seeming death, Angie Dickinson returns to bank robberies and kidnapping with two new daughters in a weak retread, though this time with revenge in mind. Robert Culp provides welcome comedy, even if the whole is made with sledgehammer finesse.

Dillinger And Capone (1995) Alternative history sees Dillinger survive the cinema shootout and forced out of hiding by Capone to perform a final heist. Martin Sheen and F Murray Abraham are solidly cast and the story elegantly mounted yet lacks energy and empathy.

Shakedown (2002) A deadly virus, bank robbers, a religious fanatic determined to end the world and the FBI face-off in a bizarre combination of plot lines. Then a devastating earthquake hits. Though not quite living up to the wild setup, enough action to maintain interest.