Not so Basic Instincts: The Banker

What can I say? Sure I think Robert Forster is the hottest thing since low-fat cheese and yeah he just happens to be in the last two erotic thrillers I reviewed but that has nothing to do with why I chose The Banker as my next film. It just so happens that he made a few of these movies back in the day and I just tend to own them because like I said, he’s hot.

But there’s a lot going for The Banker besides Forster’s rippling muscles underneath tanned flesh. Seriously. There’s also Duncan Regehr, Jeff Conaway, Leif Garrett (just wait until I review Party Line, Leif’s best movie ever) and Richard Roundtree. I know, you want to know about the girls… Well, there’s the lovely Deborah Richter, there’s Teri Weigel (a porn star who can actually act) in a glorified cameo as Hooker #1 and Shanna Reed in the Anchorwoman in Peril role. It also has a wealthy murderer who isn’t against killing his victims with a crossbow! And Forster’s character sleeps in a tree house. And I don’t mean an Architectural Digest tree house; I mean his nephew’s tree house! In short, it’s got it all! Well, except a lot of sex, but more on that later…

The Banker is about this cunning killer who picks up prostitutes, has sex with them and then stalks and kills them. It’s not like these girls are the brightest lights on the Christmas tree, but there is this low rung reporter who is desperate for juicier fare and is all about giving the victims some respect, which in turns gets her more viewers. The killer is totally eluding the police (i.e. Robert Forster) and this same nosy reporter (i.e. Shanna Reed) just happens to be Forster’s ex and she stays hot on his heels in the hopes of getting a good lead for her story. Meanwhile, these two pimps (Jeff Conaway, Leif Garret) get into all kinds of trouble and are somehow connected to the Banker (although that part is never really explained), and that helps Robert get closer to the killer.

What does all this mean, you ask?

Nothing really. It’s a convoluted plot, I’ll give you that much. But basically this DTV thriller is good stuff, and always keeps its tongue in its cheek. It’s breezy sleaze and a great way to kill a weekend afternoon! Forster remains the likeable hero that he is famous for and Shanna Reed is good as his love interest, if slightly annoying in her kulots. Duncan Regehr is something else though; he puts on Indian paint and basically pretends like he’s a real life version of The Most Dangerous Game with his big old crossbow. I’m guessing he has a small penis.

There’s really not much in the way of erotica though, so be prepared for about 30 seconds of skin, thanks to Teri Weigel and one other girl (and that other girl is with Jeff Conaway which makes the whole thing disturbing to me). So as far as erotica goes, it’s not a great entry, but is still it’s worth a shot for Forster who remains a friendly face in indie films.

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