Mondo Macabro
R1
DVD
Directed by H. Tjut Jalil (as Jalil Jackson).
Written by Karr Kruinowz.
The Lady Terminator is a clear Terminator
rip-off, but since it has been made within the Indonesian cultural milieu it is
more than just another second rate copy. It takes all the elements of the
Terminator, filters them through the weird world of Indonesian cinema, throwing
in some exploitation to boot, and then what results in strangely compelling.
Lady Terminator however should only be watched for its “cult” value, if you
expect quality cinema you have another thing coming. The acting is appalling,
the dialogue is outrageous and the 80’s outfits, haircuts and sets are truly
scary.
The plot is something to consider. Living
in luxury at her castle by the sea, the South Sea Queen regularly entertains
and kills her male lovers. Why she does so is open to debate, but she does
complain that no man can satisfy her. It is not really surprising considering
that either a snake or eel lives in her vagina and bites off their dicks at the
height of passion. But all is not lost, potential lover 100 arrives and this
time it is a white man with 10/10 looks and an attitude to match. He gives her
what she needs, brings her to orgasm but knowing about the snake, pulls out in
time and grabs it. For some inexplicable reason it turns into a magical dagger !
She is furious that she cannot continue
her killing spree and to avoid being stabbed by the mystical dagger, screams
revenge, vowing to return to kill his great grand-daughter in 100 years.
Precisely why she chooses to return in 100 years and take it out on his great
grand-daughter is never explained. She then returns to the sea to plot her
vengeance.
One hundred years later, American anthropology student Tanya is planning her Ph.D on the legend of the South Sea Queen and persuades a
local fisherman to take her to the locale where it is rumored the South Sea
Queen had her castle. Suddenly a giant
wave destroys the ship while she is investigating way below. Without
explanation she is transported to a room in which she is tied to a bed with
green silks and is penetrated by the mystical snake/eel and turned into an incarnation
of the South Seas Queen.
She is thrown up on a beach and then goes
on a sex and killing spree. Doning the leather outfit
of Arnie in the Terminator she enters a
The Rock Singer in question offers us an
especially meaningful Rock performance with lyrics which I defy you to decipher ! The Lady Terminator attacks her at the concert
and she is saved by a hunky beefcake policeman who becomes the love interest of
the tale.
Lady Terminator cannot be shot and so the
film explodes into violence. Guns, tanks, rocket launchers,
helicopters and more. This is true madness. At the same time Erika’s
Uncle has given her a mystical dagger but it seems she forgets to use it until
the very last few minutes of the film, when of course it works, and she and the
hunky policeman are saved.
The film, however appalling is given an
impressive transfer by Mondo Macabro,
and the extras, as usual, are pretty good. The essay by exotic horror expert
Pete Tombs gives some reason to this madness and the alternative scenes add
clothing to various nude scenes. These special scenes were used to pass censor,
but then changed back afterwards for the theatrical release!
This is a real cult gem, you have to be
in a special mood to enjoy this insanity, when you feel like a film which is
totally beyond any common sense with piles of mindless comic book style
violence, 80’s sets, hairdos and music and a blatant rip-off of the Terminator
then the night is right !