This Stuff'll Kill Ya!

This Stuff'll Kill Ya! is a 1971 American exploitation film directed by the indomitable Herschell Gordon Lewis. Lewis is known for his innovative exploitation and gore films of the 1960s and 1970s and this movie is another intriguing entry in his repertoire. The film stars Jeffrey Allen, Tim Holt, and Gloria King, each of whom bring a rich rawness and energy to their roles.

Set against the atypical backdrop of the Deep South, This Stuff'll Kill Ya! introduces us to a unique blend of drama, crime, and darkly satirical social commentary. This narrative combines rusticity and spiraling criminality to create a movie-going experience that is both scandalously entertaining and superbly gritty.

Jeffrey Allen plays the character of Reverend Roscoe Boone, a charismatic yet morally corrupt preacher who maintains a devoted congregation in a tiny, God-fearing town. Behind his veil of religious piety, Roscoe is also a moonshiner running an illegal alcohol operation. This is where the drama unfolds, as we get drawn into the hypocritical world of the revered man of God whose thirst for power, control, and money far supersedes his supposed adherence to spiritual morality.

Pitted against this vile personification of corruption is Agent Timothy Simpson, played by the robust Tim Holt. Simpson is a committed law enforcer sent from the big city to investigate the rise in illegal alcohol production in the rural town. His character is depicted as an earnest individual determined to uphold the law, thereby offering a striking contrast to Allen's Roscoe.

Completing the trifecta of main characters is Gloria King who plays the role of Sister Jessie. Sister Jessie is a woman deeply embedded in the local community and an ardent member of Roscoe's congregation. However, her unwavering faith begins to waver as she grows increasingly aware of the clouds of deception and moral decay around her.

The storyline unravels the intricate deceptions, dangerous machinations, and the unfolding clash between good and evil in the small rural town. The film's notable features are the backwoods location, which serves as a parallel character of sorts, and the grim portrayal of life in the American south characterized by a distressing lack of moral and legal oversight.

The stunning cinematography feeds into the raw grittiness of the narrative, enhancing the somber atmosphere that pervades the film. The scenes almost give the viewer an uncannily tangible feel of the characters' environment - the grim forest locale, the illicitly buzzing distilleries, the austere church halls, and the sparsely populated town squares.

This Stuff'll Kill Ya! is a film that takes on a multi-dimensional approach to storytelling - it's not just a crime saga or a simple dramatic feature, but more of a provocative social commentary. The narrative, the characters, and their defiantly unethical paths are reflective of a society marred by socio-political ills, toxic religiosity and rampant corruption.

For those who are accustomed to and appreciate exploitation films, This Stuff'll Kill Ya! presents a robust exploration of the genre. It's not just about the overt depiction of criminal activities or the unabashed exposure of moral corruption, it's how these elements combine that forms the movie's unique allure.

The performances by the lead actors, Jeffrey Allen, Tim Holt and Gloria King, although devoid of the gloss and veneer of mainstream Hollywood, bear a rawness that instills a sense of authenticity to their characters and to the narrative as a whole.

In conclusion, This Stuff'll Kill Ya! is an immersive journey into the dark corners of rural America and the art of exploitation filmmaking. Adopting a starkly realist style, it delves into the intricate aspects of human nature, societal decay, and deception masked by religiosity. Like many of Herschell Gordon Lewis's films, it's not for the faint of heart. But for connoisseurs of the director's unique brand of cinema, This Stuff'll Kill Ya! showcases his knack for crafting explicit narratives that disturb, provoke, and captivate in equal measure.