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Action Cult Classic

A vengeance-fueled chase pits a tormented vet and a widow against a violent biker gang in the sun-scorched Southwest.

MOTORPSYCHO!

1965 · 1h 14m · NR · Action / Crime / Thriller · IMDB TMDB

A veterinarian whose wife is raped by a motorcycle gang led by a sadistic Vietnam veteran. After the gang kills an old man, his wife teams up with the veterinarian to hunt down the gang. 

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Quick Answer

What is Motorpsycho! about?

Motorpsycho! is a 1965 American action-crime-thriller directed by Russ Meyer about a veterinarian and a widow who join forces to pursue a sadistic biker gang after a brutal assault.

Programmer's Pick

Russ Meyer trades in his usual buxom bombshells for brawny biker menace and sunbaked vengeance. If you like your exploitation with motorcycles, sweat, and a side of revenge, this is a ride you won’t soon forget.

— SassyFlix Programmer

Overview

Motorpsycho! throws viewers headlong into the wilds of 1960s bikersploitation, following the havoc wreaked by a trio of outlaw motorcyclists whose crimes escalate from harassment to sexual violence. When the gang targets a small-town veterinarian and his wife, the attack leaves destruction in its wake. Fueled by trauma and rage, the veterinarian aligns with a Cajun widow—herself a victim after the bikers kill her husband—to track down the men responsible. The gang’s leader, a Vietnam War veteran unraveling under his own instability, adds a volatile edge to the chase. With desert backdrops, seething revenge, and raw exploitation energy, this is a film that doesn't blink at the ugly side of counterculture rebellion.

Details & Specs

Director
Russ Meyer
Writers
W.E. Sprague, James Griffith, Hal Hopper, Ross Massbaum, Russ Meyer
Release
1965
Runtime
1h 14m
Country
United States of America
Language
English
Genres
Action, Crime, Thriller
Also Known As
Motor-Psycho - Wie wilde Hengste, Motor Mods and Rockers, Rio Vengeance, Motor psycho

Why This Matters

Produced just before Russ Meyer's cult classic Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!, this film explores parallel themes of sex and violence, but with a male motorcycle gang. It is also notable for featuring one of the first portrayals of a disturbed Vietnam veteran in cinema.
— SassyFlix Curator

Cast & Crew

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Director: Russ Meyer Writers: W.E. Sprague +4 more
Haji Haji Ruby Bonner Alex Rocco Alex Rocco Cory Maddox SO Steve Oliver Brahmin Lane Carroll Lane Carroll Gail Maddox JC Joseph Cellini Dante Timothy Scott Timothy Scott Slick Coleman Francis Coleman Francis Harry Bonner SL Sharon Lee Jessica Fannin Steve Masters Steve Masters Frank AA Arshalouis Aivazian Frank's Wife Russ Meyer Russ Meyer Sheriff GC George Costello Ambulance Doctor FO Fred Owens Rufus, Gas Station Attendant RS Richard S. Brummer Ambulance Driver

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Why Cult

Bikersploitation Roots

One of the early entries in the outlaw biker subgenre, it lays down a template of violence, sexuality, and two-wheeled chaos.

Vietnam Vet Villain

The gang’s leader brings post-war PTSD and a deranged streak, making the threat more unpredictable and charged.

Revenge Pact

A veterinarian and a widow, both brutalized by the gang, team up for a raw, personal vendetta across the desert.

Meyer Action

Russ Meyer delivers his brand of exploitation with tight pacing and sweaty tension, swapping cheesecake for mayhem.

Scene Gallery

Threat File

Trigger

Biker gang's violent rampage

Threat

Sadistic motorcycle gang led by unstable Vietnam vet

Effect

Assault, murder, and terrorization of locals

Countermeasure

Pursuit by veterinarian and widow

Setting

Southwestern desert towns

Questions from the Vault

When was Motorpsycho! released? +

Motorpsycho! was released in 1965.

Who directed Motorpsycho!? +

Motorpsycho! was directed by Russ Meyer.

How long is Motorpsycho!? +

Motorpsycho! has a runtime of 74 minutes.

What genre is Motorpsycho!? +

Motorpsycho! is an action, crime, and thriller film.

Trailers & Clips

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