American Me (1992)

 American Me (1992)

A Mexican-American Mafia kingpin is released from prison, falls in love for the first time, and grows introspective about his gangster lifestyle.

Director: Edward James Olmos


Basis

The film opens depicting events from the Zoot Suit Riots, where thousands of white American sailors and servicemen based in California attacked Latinos and others who took part in so-called "pachuco" culture, mostly targeting those who wore "zoot suits" (seen as symbols of Latino pride and considered by the rioters to be unpatriotic and extravagant in a time of war). This grew into heightened tension between European-Americans and Mexican-Americans in Southern California, setting the stage for the later gang conflicts depicted in the film.

The character of Montoya Santana is modeled after Rodolfo Cadena, who was a high-ranking and founding member of in the prison gang La Eme, known popularly as the Mexican Mafia. In real life, Cadena unsuccessfully attempted to steer La Eme into left-wing activism before being stabbed to death by members of the rival Nuestra Familia. In the film, Santana is stabbed and killed by his own gang.

The character of J.D. was based on Joe "Pegleg" Morgan, a Croatian-American gang member and prisoner who preferred the company of gangsters and along with Cadena helped found La Eme, becoming a high-ranking, respected, and feared member of the Latino gang even though he was of Croatian descent. Morgan died from liver cancer in 1993, while he was incarcerated at California State Prison, Corcoran.

Edward James Olmos (the movie's writer/director/star) attempted to visit Morgan in hopes that he would gain his approval of the movie. Morgan refused to see him and filed a lawsuit against Olmos and Universal Studios alleging inaccuracies in the film. It has been alleged that at least two people were killed on account of Mexican Mafia displeasure with the script, including former Mexican Mafia members and affiliates who had served as advisers during the making of the movie.

At the time of his death, his wife filed a $500,000 lawsuit against Edward James Olmos and the filmmakers, claiming the film did not request her permission for basing one of the characters on Morgan.  The result of the lawsuit is not known at this time.  (Wikipedia)

Creep Van (2012)

 Creep Van (2012)


Creep Van is set in Detroit where Campbell Jackson (Brian Kolodziej) has just got a new job at a car wash, trying to turn his life around & get a girlfriend Campbell decides he needs a set of wheels. Low on cash Campbell is short of options but when he sees a white 1970's van for sale at a very reasonable price he decides to buy it, calling the number he hears a girls screams on the other end & doesn't know what to make of it. Campbell forgets about the van but the current owner of the vehicle is a serial killer & know's that Campbell heard the screams of his latest victim, the killer thinks that Campbell must be silenced & goes after him & those around him in order to keep him quiet for good... (IMDB Paul Andrews)

Shriek of Terror (1991 Mexico)

 Shriek of Terror (1991 Mexico)

aka Alarido del terror
aka Chaneque

Hugo Stiglitz is a treasure hunter who leads an expedition that includes Roberto Ballesteros, an important scientist, and Edna Bolkan, a beautiful anthropologist, into the jungle. The group arrives at an ancient tomb and after opening it, they take the bones found inside. But the remains in the tomb seem connected to a high priest who was sacrificed. By violating the tomb, the group has unwittingly awoken a diabolical being named Chaneque, who will commit the bloodiest murders in order to retrieve the stolen remains. (alittleboysblog)

Suburb Murder (1992 Hong Kong)

 Suburb Murder (1992 Hong Kong)

Kang had a rough life. His mom ran out on him and his father when he was young, and his father was an abusive dick who confined young Kang to a boarding school. Needless to say - Kang fell in with the wrong crowd, and began a life of petty crime. After the murder of his girlfriend and best-friend, Kang freaks out and murders a couple and brutally rapes the girl. The whole film is told in flash-back, as Kang is being held on suspicion of the double-homicide... (IMDB  EVOL666)

The film is very loosely based on one of the most sensational of Hong Kong murder cases. In 1985, two teenagers, Kenneth McBride and Nicola Meyers, were savagely tortured and killed on a hillside on Hong Kong island. They were students at a posh English-language school, and the police worked overtime to find their killers, a gang of local hoodlums, of whom most were under 18. This film is an attempt to find a rationale for why they were killed.