Action Cult Classic

A fugitive turns revolutionary in a tropical dictatorship, backed by a fierce female commando squad.

SAVAGE!

Men call him Savage, women call him all the time.

1973 · 1h 21m · R · Action / Drama · IMDB TMDB

Low-budget adventure starring former baseball star James Iglehart as Savage, who is kidnapped by South American rebels. After a time, he sees their position and is joined by a female commando squad in battling the repressive government officials.

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Quick Answer

What is Savage! about?

Savage! is a 1973 Philippines/United States action drama directed by Cirio H. Santiago about a criminal who, appalled by military brutality, switches sides to join a revolution against a repressive government.

Programmer's Pick

James Iglehart trades the baseball diamond for jungle warfare, leading a ragtag revolution with the help of a knife-thrower and an acrobat. If you like your action sweaty, scrappy, and a little bit subversive, this blaxploitation adventure swings for the fences.

— SassyFlix Programmer

Overview

Savage! drops viewers into the turmoil of a military dictatorship in an unnamed Central or South American country. James Iglehart stars as Jim Haygood, a criminal whose allegiance to the government is tested by the regime’s violent methods. Initially tasked with suppressing rebel forces, Haygood becomes disillusioned by the authorities' cruelty and joins the rebels, adopting the name 'Savage.' His transformation is bolstered by the support of two American performers—a knife-thrower and an acrobat—who become his allies in the fight. With its low-budget grit and a blaxploitation flavor, the film sets up a tense tableau of shifting loyalties, danger, and rebellion, all against the backdrop of a sun-drenched authoritarian state.

Details & Specs

Director: Cirio H. Santiago
Writer: Ed Medard
Release: 1973
Runtime: 1h 21m
Country: Philippines, United States of America
Language: English
Genres: Action, Drama
Also Known As: The Technician, Black Valor

Why This Matters

This film marks the beginning of the prolific collaboration between producer-director Cirio H. Santiago and Roger Corman, resulting in over 40 Philippines-based exploitation films that capitalized on lower production costs and featured recurring American actors from the New World Pictures stable.

— SassyFlix Curator