Review: Johnny Firecloud

Johnny Firecloud
Director: William Allen Castleman
Stars: Victor Mohica, Ralph Meeker and David Canary

Johnny Firecloud is a Native American born on a reservation that borders a town full of racist rednecks. After returning to town from Vietnam Johnny believes that he would get a little more respect since he was considered a war hero by the army.

There’s no such luck for Johnny, as he soon finds his elderly Grandfather is still being harassed by the local patrons of the bar he’s employed at. Johnny doesn’t like this and soon unleashes his Firecloud fist of fury on the hecklers at the bar.

Although he wins the fight he doesn’t get out before he’s arrested by the local sheriff who we come to find out is a puppet for the towns king pin, a wealthy rancher. This wealthy rancher doesn’t like Johnny and arranges for him to spend a couple of nights in jail.

Johnny gets out of jail, long enough to be lured to the wealthy ranchers house by his horny daughter looking to have a firecloud of her own extinguished. Johnny is caught on the cusp of sexual relations and is strung up and whipped in the barn. The local sheriff stops by and arrests Johnny on Suspicion of Rape. Of course the charges are bogus, but the sheriff is nothing more but a pawn to the wealthy rancher.

While Johnny is in jail he is visited by his grandfather who says since he’s the chief at the reservation he’ll make a pact for Johnnies release with the wealthy rancher. Johnny dismisses this as drunken rambling.

His grandfather tries in vain to get Johnny released, but only pisses off the bar patrons into string the old man up a tall oak tree and hanging him to his death. Johnny sees the whole thing go down from his cell window. He’s understandably pissed and makes an escape and starts on a track of bloody revenge.

After watching this it’s hard to believe this was released by 20th Century Fox and produced by none other than trash cinema king David F. Friedman. The part of Johnny Firecloud is played by Victor Mohica who went on to play the token Mexican in many of TV shows. The local sheriff is played by David Canary, and in a bit of an odd take plays a gay character. Although this exploitation movie is full of rape, lynching, and racism Canary’s character is treated with respect and dignity, very odd for a movie of its time, and exploitive nature.

Unfortunately little screen time is given to the character Nenya played by real life Native American knock out Sacheen Littlefeather. What screen time she does have is good, especially towards the end of the film when she’s has to fight off some crazy rednecks.

The special effects are nowhere to be found until the end of the movie; once it gets started the viewer is treated to a couple of surprising gore bits that just lends itself to the overall gritty feeling of the movie.

Johnny Firecloud can be found on an Image Something Weird Video Double Feature DVD with the equally enjoyable flick Bummer. You can buy it on Amazon.com here for a ten spot and makes for a great evening of trash cinema viewing.