Triple B (film series)

The Triple B Series (standing for Bullets, Bombs, and Babes) is a franchise of twelve sexploitation action films released between the mid-1980s and late 1990s. The films follow the exploits of a mostly female office of the DEA primarily based out of Hawaii. Many of the films employ a buddy cop format. The movies were unique for their time period in focusing on a pair of female law enforcement officers versus two men, which was the standard approach to the subgenre.

During the course of its original run, the series had no official title, with the "Triple B" appellation being applied by fans of the franchise and later adopted by the producers. Also occasionally referred to as the "Lethal Ladies Series," the backronym L.E.T.H.A.L (Legion to Ensure Total Harmony and Law) was later applied to the department of the DEA for which the protagonists work, with its backstory expanded upon in the final two installments of the series, Day of the Warrior and Return to Savage Beach. This pair of films are marketed under the "L.E.T.H.A.L. Ladies" label in some territories. ^[1]

Most films in the series focus on a team of women with proficiency in various black ops (most notably aviation and firearms training) taking on a variety of criminal organizations, usually drug dealers or arms traffickers. They are usually aided by a male protagonist, who often serves as comic relief or foil to the heroines. Seven of the films feature a male protagonist with the surname Abilene, played by four different actors and revealed later in the series to be siblings. The two films in the series not directed by Andy Sidaris reverse the formula by focusing on a new male protagonist, Chris Cannon (Bruce Penhall), who is aided by female sidekicks. The movies invariably feature copious amounts of nudity, sex, gun fu, pyrotechnics, plot twists, and occasional deus ex machinas, with most concluding in extended shootout or hand to hand combat sequences. Many of the early films were shot on location in Hawaii, with later installments being filmed in New Orleans, Las Vegas, and Dallas.

All but two films in the franchise are directed by Andy Sidaris. Seven of the ten Sidaris-directed movies starred Donna Speir as Special Agent Donna Hamilton, a high-ranking DEA agent working undercover as a cargo pilot in Molokai. Although many films feature returning characters, some actors appear throughout the series in different roles, often varying between heroic and villainous characters- Rodrigo Obregon appeared in ten films, only reprising a role once. There are varying degrees of effort to maintain series continuity between installments. For example, Donna's backstory remains consistent between entries, and three successive films - Do or Die,Hard Hunted, and Fit to Kill- are direct sequels to one another following the story arc of Donna's efforts to capture crime lord Kane. However, Kane is introduced as a Yakuza played by Pat Morita, only for him to be retconned into a London gangster played by Geoffrey Moore between movies, with plot elements and the returning character of Kane's second-in-command, Silk (played by Carolyn Liu across four films), indicating they are meant to be the same character.

Films

Film	U.S. release date	Director	Screenwriter(s)	Producer(s)
Malibu Express	March 1, 1985 (1985-03-01)	Andy Sidaris	Andy Sidaris	Andy Sidaris
Hard Ticket to Hawaii	March 27, 1987 (1987-03-27)			Arlene Sidaris
Picasso Trigger	February 25, 1988 (1988-02-25)
Savage Beach	October 1, 1989 (1989-10-01)
Guns	November 9, 1990 (1990-11-09)
Do or Die	June 28, 1991 (1991-06-28)
Hard Hunted	June 12, 1992 (1992-06-12)
Fit to Kill	October 27, 1993 (1993-10-27)
Enemy Gold	November 22, 1993 (1993-11-22)	Christian Drew Sidaris	Wess Rahn & Christian Drew Sidaris	Andy Sidaris & Arlene Sidaris
The Dallas Connection	October 4, 1994 (1994-10-04)		Christian Drew Sidaris
Day of the Warrior	October 1, 1996 (1996-10-01)	Andy Sidaris	Andy Sidaris	Arlene Sidaris & Christian Drew Sidaris
Return to Savage Beach	October 4, 1998 (1998-10-04)

Malibu Express (1985)

Main article: Malibu Express

Malibu Express is a 1985 American action film starring Darby Hinton, Sybil Danning, Lori Sutton, and Art Metrano. It was directed, written, and produced by Andy Sidaris and is the first installment in the Triple-B series. ^[2] The film features 1980s Playboy Playmates Kimberly McArthur, Barbara Edwards, Lorraine Michaels, and Lynda Wiesmeier. The film is described as an "erotic spy tale" by Eleanor Mannikka in her review in All Movie Guide. ^[3]

The film follows wealthy playboy/private investigator named Cody Abilene is hired by a government intelligence operative to investigate a lead into who is selling computer technology to the Russians. While investigating rich socialites, amorous naked vixens, and an ex-con with a penchant for blackmail, and keeping it all from his sexy lady cop friend Beverly Mcafee, Cody puts himself in the crosshairs of the traitorous tech spies who will gladly kill to stay in business.^{[ citation needed ]}

Hard Ticket to Hawaii (1987)

Main article: Hard Ticket to Hawaii

Hard Ticket to Hawaii is a 1987 American action film and the sequel to the previous year's film Malibu Express, although it features no returning characters. The film established what would become many hallmarks of the series, including introducing Donna Hamilton (who would serve as the series protagonist for the next six entries) and buddy cop dynamics between a pair of female secret agents. This sequel introduces Ronn Moss as Rowdy Abilene, the brother of Darby Hinton's Cody Abilene from Malibu Express. Like the previous film, it features several former Playboy Magazine centerfolds, Playmates of the Month Speir (Miss March 1984), Carlton (Miss July 1985), Brimhall (Miss October 1985), and Patty Duffek (Miss May 1984). ^[4] Paste magazine named the film the "best B movie of all time." ^[5]

When two drug enforcement agents are killed on a private Hawaiian island, Donna and Taryn, two operatives for The Agency, accidentally intercept a delivery of diamonds intended for drug lord Seth Romero, who takes exception and tries to get them back. Soon other Agency operatives get involved, and a full-scale fight to the finish ensues, complicated by the escape of a very dangerous snake infected by deadly toxins from cancer-infested rats.^{[ citation needed ]}

Picasso Trigger (1988)

Main article: Picasso Trigger

Picasso Trigger is a 1988 American action film. It is a direct sequel to Hard Ticket to Hawaii with Dona Speir and Hope Marie Carlton returning as Donna and Taryn, but features another Abilene brother, Travis (played by Steve Bond) as its new lead. The film also stars Roberta Vasquez, Cynthia Brimhall, and Harold Diamond. The film was released in Philippines under the title Secret Agent 7.^{[ citation needed ]}

Hawaiian agents Donna and Taryn join a Travis Abilene, who is out to stop a criminal mastermind and assassin seeking out a valuable piece of artwork.^{[ citation needed ]}

Savage Beach (1989)

Main article: Savage Beach

Savage Beach is a 1989 American action film. It is the first film in the series to feature Shane Abilene, played by Michael J. Shane, who would remain with the series up to Fit to Kill. Despite the inclusion of another Abilene brother, Donna and Taryn are featured as the main characters. It also marks the first appearance of Bruce Penhall as CIA agent Bruce Christian, who would join the agency and feature in future films. 1998's L.E.T.H.A.L. Ladies: Return to Savage Beach serves as a direct sequel to the plot of this film, but features only one returning character, Rodrigo Obregón as Rodrigo Martinez.^{[ citation needed ]}

Donna and Taryn are sent to the Philippines to deliver a much needed vaccine. However, on their return journey they crash land on a remote island in the pacific and right into the middle of an adventure with a shipwrecked WW2 Japanese soldier, a secret army detachment headed by Captain Andreas and Philippine treasure hunters all involved with a lost detachment of gold bars lost during the war.^{[ citation needed ]}

Guns (1990)

Main article: Guns (film)

Guns is a 1990 American action film about a group of female agents who are sent to take out a South American gun runner. It is the first film since Malibu Express not to feature Hope Marie Carlton as Taryn, but features Roberta Vasquez as new agent Nicole Justin. It stars Erik Estrada, Dona Speir, Devin DeVasquez, Bruce Penhall, and Danny Trejo.^{[ citation needed ]}

International crime lord Juan Degas, also known as Jack of Diamonds, stages a brutal murder to lure federal agents away from Hawaii in an attempt to smuggle assault weapons from China to South America through their territory.^{[ citation needed ]}

Do or Die (1991)

Main article: Do or Die (film)

Do or Die is a 1991 American action film starring Dona Speir, Roberta Vasquez, Cynthia Brimhall, Bruce Penhall, Pat Morita and Erik Estrada. Despite Estrada playing villain Juan Degas in the previous film, here he plays Richard 'Rico' Estevez - a member of the Agency.^{[ citation needed ]}

A bounty has been placed on the head of agents Donna and Nicole by Japanese crime lord Masakana 'Kane' Kaneshiro and six teams of lethal assassins are hunting them down. It is up to their agency colleagues to thwart Kaneshiro's evil plans.^{[ citation needed ]}

Hard Hunted (1992)

Main article: Hard Hunted

Hard Hunted is a 1992 American action film starring Dona Speir, Roberta Vasquez, Cynthia Brimhall, Bruce Penhall and Geoffrey Moore.^{[ citation needed ]}

Martin Kane smuggles a nuclear trigger out of China and agrees to sell it to a terrorist in the Middle East. The US Intelligence Services send a special undercover agent to steal the device from Kane, but she fails and is found murdered. A team of three further agents, Donna Hamilton, Nicole Justin, and Edy Stark, is then sent in to try to retrieve the situation, fighting a gang of hi-tech smugglers with a deadly array of weaponry and erotic charms.^{[ citation needed ]}

Fit to Kill (1993)

Main article: Fit to Kill

Fit to Kill is a 1993 American action film starring Dona Speir, Roberta Vasquez, Cynthia Brimhall, Julie Strain, Bruce Penhall, Chu Chu Malave and Geoffrey Moore. It is a direct sequel to Hard Hunted featuring returning villain Martin Kane (Geoffrey Moore). It was intended to be the last film in the series and is the last appearances of all of the agents from previous entries, although some cast members such as Julie Strain and Bruce Penhall would appear in later instalments as different characters.^{[ citation needed ]}

International arms dealer Martin Kane seeks a Russian imperial diamond which was stolen by a Nazi officer from a Leningrad museum during WWII. It is up to the Agency to stop him in one last, daring mission.^{[ citation needed ]}

Enemy Gold (1993)

Main article: Enemy Gold

Enemy Gold is a 1993 action/adventure film directed by Christian Drew Sidaris (Andy Sidaris's son, sometimes referred to simply as Drew Sidaris) ^[6] and written by Wess Rahn and Sidaris. It is the first film in the series not to be directed by Andy Sidaris, although he did produce the film. Bruce Penhall stars as a new federal agent, Chris Cannon.

Three Federal agents go in search of gold supposedly hidden by Quantrell during the Civil War after they are suspended by a corrupt official for excessive force during a drug raid. Meanwhile, a vicious drug lord hires a lethal assassin to kill the three for interfering with his operations.^{[ citation needed ]}

The Dallas Connection (1994)

Main article: The Dallas Connection

The Dallas Connection is a 1994 action/adventure film and sequel to Enemy Gold directed by Christian Drew Sidaris. Bruce Penhall and Mark Barriere return as federal agents Chris Cannon and Mark Austin.^{[ citation needed ]}

Scientists in charge of a sophisticated, state-of-the-art, military satellite are being assassinated one by one. It's up to a team of federal agents to protect the last surviving scientist able to activate the satellite before the assassin strikes again.^{[ citation needed ]}

Day of the Warrior (1996)

Main article: Day of the Warrior

Day of the Warrior is a 1996 action/adventure film, also known as L.E.T.H.A.L. Ladies: Day of the Warrior ^[7] The film is written and directed by Andy Sidaris and starring Kevin Light and Julie Strain. ^[8] It is the first film since Savage Beach not to feature Bruce Penhall in any role.

A team of female agents at top spy agency L.E.T.H.A.L (Legion to Ensure Total Harmony and Law) must stop the scheme of the Warrior, a former CIA agent turned criminal freelancer, who stole the agency's computer database and is now going after undercover agents one by one.^{[ citation needed ]}

Return to Savage Beach (1998)

Main article: L.E.T.H.A.L. Ladies: Return to Savage Beach

Return to Savage Beach is a 1996 action/adventure film, also known as L.E.T.H.A.L. Ladies: Return to Savage Beach is a 1998 action film written and directed by Andy Sidaris, a sequel to Sidaris' Day of the Warrior . It features the return of much of the original cast, including Marcus Bagwell reprising the role as Warrior but this time working on the side of the L.E.T.H.A.L. Ladies, as well as the addition of former Playboy Playmate Carrie Westcott as the mysterious Sofia. It is the final film in the series.^{[ citation needed ]}

A stolen computer floppy disc filled with information about the location of a mythical treasure in Savage Island will lure both villains and L.E.T.H.A.L. Agents into a dangerous treasure hunt with a familiar face from the past pulling all the strings.^{[ citation needed ]}

Recurring cast and characters

Cast Member
	Malibu Express	Hard Ticket to Hawaii	Picasso Trigger	Savage Beach	Guns	Do or Die	Hard Hunted	Fit to Kill	Enemy Gold	The Dallas Connection	Day of the Warrior	Return to Savage Beach
Darby Hinton	Cody Abilene
Sybil Danning	Contessa Luciana
Art Metrano	Matthew
Lori Sutton	Beverly McAfee
Skip Ward	Dick (uncredited)					Skip
Ronn Moss		Rowdy Abilene
Dona Speir		Donna Hamilton
Hope Marie Carlton		Taryn
Cynthia Brimhall		Edy Stark
Wolf Larson		J.J. Jackson
Patty Duffek		Pattycakes
Harold Diamond		Jade
Rodrigo Obregón		Seth Romero	Miguel Ortiz	Rodrigo Martinez	Large Marge		Pico	Mikael Petrov	Santiago	Antonio Morales	Manuel	Rodrigo Martinez
Rustam Branaman		Kimo	Glen
Steve Bond			Travis Abilene		Rustam
Bruce Penhall			Hondo	Bruce Christian					Chris Cannon
John Aprea			Salazar	Captain Andreas
Roberta Vasquez			Pantera		Nicole Justin
Kym Malin			Kym		Kym				Cowboy's Hostess
Liv Lindeland			Inga		Ace
Michael J. Shane				Shane Abilene
Al Leong				Fu			Raven
Eric Chen				Erik	Ninja #2	Chen
Paul Hospodar				Duke		Duke	Kidnapper
Lisa London				Rocky
James Lew				Agent #1	Ninja #1	Lew
Erik Estrada					Juan Degas/Jack of Diamonds	Richard 'Rico' Estevez
William Bumiller					Lucas
Chu Chu Malave					Cubby	Bodreaux	Wiley	Evel
Richard Cansino					Tito	Herbert	Coyote	Kenevil			J.P.
Pat Morita						Masakana 'Kane' Kaneshiro
Carolyn Liu						Silk					Alice	Silk
Ava Cadell						Ava						Ava
Geoffrey Moore							Kane
Tony Peck							Lucas
Gerald Okamura							Commando			Fu
Cassidy Phillips									Thug #1	Platter Puss	Chaz
Julie Strain								Blu Steele	Jewel Panther	Black Widow	Willow Black
Mark Barriere								Gregor	Mark Austin
Tom Abbott									Rip	Tom
Ron Browning									Slash	Ron
Julie K. Smith										Cobra
Christian Letelier											J. Tyler Ward
Shae Marks											Tiger
Marcus Bagwell											Warrior
Paul Logan												Doc Austin
Carrie Westcott												Sofia
Kevin Eastman												Harry the Cat

References

1. Kane, Joe (2000). The Phantom of the Movies' Videoscope: The Ultimate Guide to the Latest, Greatest, and Weirdest Genre Videos. Three Rivers Press. ISBN   978-0-8129-3149-5.
2. Coffman, Jason (2012), "The Early Films of Andy Sidaris", Cashiers du Cinemart Issue 17, Impossibly Funky Productions, ISBN   978-1300351405
3. "Malibu Express". allmovie.com. All Movie Guide . Retrieved July 17, 2010.
4. "ANDY SIDARIS DOUBLE FEATURE! Hard Ticket to Hawaii + Picasso Trigger". brownpapertickets.com. Retrieved December 14, 2016
5. Vorel, Jim. "The 100 Best "B Movies" of All Time". pastemagazine.com. Archived from the original on June 24, 2018. Retrieved December 12, 2014.
6. Enemy Gold (1993) | MUBI (in Portuguese), retrieved September 30, 2023
7. Kane, Joe (2000). The Phantom of the Movies' Videoscope: The Ultimate Guide to the Latest, Greatest, and Weirdest Genre Videos. Three Rivers Press. ISBN   978-0-8129-3149-5.
8. Evans, Nick (2020-01-14). "Film Company Has To Apologize After Announcing Actress Julie Strain Died (She Didn't)". Cinema Blend. Retrieved 2023-09-30.