DOWN TWISTED

1987 / Director. Albert Pyun. Movie # 5

Whenever Albert Pyun's talents are brought into question I draw attention to movies like DOWN TWISTED. Right through the 80s and 90s he made a whole heap of zingers and this one was a whole lot of fun. In some territories the film is know as THE TREASURE OF SAN LUCAS, which is an equally apt title. It's about a regular girl who lives a quiet life. One night while on the way to the library she finds herself caught up in series of criminal dealings when she is mistaken for her roommate who was supposed to deliver a locker key to dangerous smugglers. Tied up on a yacht with a businessman who was also caught up in the mix-up, they jump ship and swim to shore. Now stuck somewhere in South America with crooks on their trail they must find a way to safety and prove themselves innocent. Nothing is what it seems and the story takes all kinds of twists and turns, keeping the viewer on their toes. This is a whole lot of fun and watching it reminds me a lot of ROMANCING THE STONE. It's a quality movie and hugely overlooked. In fact its never received any kind of DVD release and finding it on VHS is near impossible. Such a shame too because it deserves to be remembered alongside some of the more prominent comedy-action-adventures of the 80s. Pyun's control is showcased with fantastic action sequences, inventive cinematography and his knack for a killer soundtrack. DOWN TWISTED also features Courteney Cox in her film debut. If you pay any attention to Albert's career you find that he's been responsible for a lot of successful Hollywood careers. He obviously has an eye for talent. 

If you live in Melbourne then keep your eyes peeled for upcoming screenings of Albert's films. DOWN TWISTED will definitely be on the lineup!

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