The Strange Case of the B movie actress Lost
Karin
You have to love Germany who releases a forgotten and
ultra-obscure 1980's gem like this, trash cinema at it's best. I guess
the sole reason
for Alley Cat to have become something of a cult movie for psychotronic
film lovers, and surely only for a very small part of this crowd then,
is Karin Mani. Yes, and her physical beauty. Sorry.
I'm deeply sorry for what i'm about to say now and all people sensitive
for disgusting
male chauvinism, stop reading NOW....
I'm sure the main reason for this film being made was
Karin Mani's pair of mindblowing boobs, sorry but that's the truth,
she was a gorgeous
brunette with a nice overbite (just like Gene Tierney, my favourite
actress from the 1940's) and besides her sweater puppies she seems to
have mastered some martial arts fighting moves, like judo. This film
fits in with the ever so popular Death Wish formula, and like a female
Charles Bronson she beats the crap out of rapists attacking jogging
women and avenges the killing of her relatives (grandparents).
at the
diner
at the dojo
Karin's movie career was unfortunately very brief and IMDB gives little
info about her. She did some small parts in TV series and in film she
seems to have made only 2 roles, the main role in Alley Cat and a very
small but VERY memorable part in the 1985 Avenging Angel,
the 2nd
film in the crappy female revenge 1980's Angel saga. I had this to say
about Avenging Angel (seen more about in my Horror section page 3):
"In the beginning of the film a police woman with
nice boobs (seen only briefly, sadly, but no more nudity after that)
gets killed whereby the
killers get hold over her list containing the names of corrupt policemen
bought by the mob ....
No, no, sorry, there's no extras with 30 minutes of topless footage
of that police woman Janie played by Karin Mani but
after looking up IMDB
i saw she's the star of her own trashmovie, the martial arts exploitation
action Alley Cat from 1984. Her beauties, though seen only for some
seconds, are the best thing about Avenging Angel really, or is it just
me? "

No, it wasn't just me. My God, she was spectacular and
she ranks up there with Barbi Benton carrying the 8th and 9th wonders
of the world.
She's certainly a contender for Miss 8th & 9th Wonders of the World
along with Mathilda May in Life Force, Natasha Henstridge in
Species or Barbi Benton in Hospital Massacre and Deathstalker
She wasn't a Playboy model though as Barbi, and Karin don't seem to
have modelled at all. A strong integrity perhaps, and she married some
actor, Paul Flattery, in 1986 and disappeared from the film scene. Who
was she? Something of an enigma this female fighter goddess and i
really, really would've loved to see a restored blu-ray of Alley Cat
with tons of extras including an interview with Karin Mani Flattery.
She's not totally lost after all, she's on Facebook, so let's make it
happen ....

Did she practise martial arts? Karate? Judo? Did she
model? Why so few films ? Questions, questions.
OK, the story:
Karin Mani plays the role of Billie, Belinda Clarke,
and i have no idea what she does for a living, but she trains some martial
art and she jogs
a lot at night dressed in a track-suit. During a run through the park
she stops a rape and gives the perps a beating.
The rapists are henchmen under the leader Phil the Scarface (Michael
Wayne) and the gang attacks and kill one of Billies grandparents, so
her revenge is coming. However, the rapists are let loose by the court
and a furious Billie is jailed for contempt of court. OK, that's so
unfair
but still highly necessary for the WIP film regular and much beloved
genre element - The Shower Scene, and boy, is Karin Mani luscious.
Billie in jail
A Sleazy exploitation crime action it may be with lots
of nudity, including the beautiful Britt Helfer as a hooker, and with
lots of bad acting.
But, Karin Mani is perfectly OK as an actress and her boyfriend Johnny
The Cop (Robert Torti) is likeable, Michael Wayne as the Bad Guy
is almost OK too, and Johnny's disgusting corrupt colleague cop Boyle
(Jon Greene) is delightfully nasty.
The film is very badly written and ineptly directed and often too darkly
shot, and the 3 guys stated as directors surely is a witness of a
troubled shooting. But the glorious presence of Karin Mani forgives
everything and makes this female revenge B action a delight to watch.
Yeah, for a creep like me that is. Most "normal" people would
think this film is nothing but absolute garbage, so a warning if you're
normal
Enigmatic Karin Mani had a hypnotic screen presence
(for most males anyway) and it's a mystery that not any sequel with
her as Alley Cat
was made. Aaaah, just think about it, Karin punishing and kicking bad
guys en masse .... and taking a shower now and then.
Alley Cat? She's called that by Phil The Scarface after his henchmen
has called her a tigress, after being beaten up badly. Phil will turn
her
into just a harmless alley cat. He doesn't succeed to well with this
task however. Powerful Billie is not to be stopped.
This bare bones German 2017 DVD edition is presented
in widescreen 1.85:1 and with a DD 2.0 stereo english audio. No extras.
region 2 PAL