Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		3.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.5

Truck Stop Women Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf August 13, 2016

Maybe I’m alone here, but it’s strange that 1974’s “Truck Stop Women,” which is intended to titillate and provide good old boy fun, opens with a bloodbath, watching mafia enforcers gun down a bathing target and his topless partner. It’s quite the introduction, but co-writer/director Mark L. Lester isn’t messing around with this ode to skin and sin, creating a B-movie party with plenty of bare breasts and a sizable body count. “Truck Stop Women” is a lot of things, but tonally cautious isn’t one of them.

A Southwestern brothel/truck stop is the setting for Lester’s romp, pitting the local merchants against encroaching mafia types looking to control the road. The screenplay shows early interest in a plot, keeping tabs on both sides of the conflict as they test defenses with pronounced attitude, but soon “Truck Stop Women” takes off in an episodic direction, sampling misadventures with drivers and the ladies paid to love them. Lester knows exactly what type of movie he’s making here, concentrating primarily on nudity, with most of the female stars here in some stage of undress. There’s also a lively vibe to the picture, offering crunchy truck stunts and scenes of intimidation, keeping action is view once a narrative is abandoned.

Truck Stop Women Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.55:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "Truck Stop Women" should please fans looking for B-movie clarity, with detail preserved throughout, making it easy to spot set decoration and costuming, and facial particulars are handled well. Colors retain their appeal, delivering interesting hues with neon truck stop lighting, greenery, and period clothing. Skintones are natural. Grain is filmic, while delineation is secure. Source encounters its share of speckling and scratches, but nothing distracting.

Truck Stop Women Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Clarity isn't threatened, but age is apparent during the 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix, finding dialogue exchanges struggling at times to push through crisply. Music runs rather hot throughout, often competing with the human element of the film. Precision isn't there, but soundtrack cuts make an impression. Atmospherics are fine, detailing roaring engines and group activity.

Truck Stop Women Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features writer/director Mark L. Lester.

• Interview (9:15, HD) with Lester covers low-budget filmmaking challenges, his creative philosophy, and a battle to get "Truck Stop Women" out of drive-ins and into traditional theaters.

• A Theatrical Trailer has not been included.

Truck Stop Women Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Obviously, "Truck Stop Women" isn't high art, but it's not an exploitation triumph either, often lacking direction as scenes randomly connect instead of flow together. It's amusing at times, and Lester's commitment to sleazy events is commendable. Lowered expectations should do the trick, allowing "Truck Stop Women" to work its minor drive-in cinema magic.