A new student arrives in a Los Angeles neighborhood and finds herself drawn into a female gang known for using switchblades. As she becomes close friends with the leader, another member isn't pleased. Simultaneously, a male gang is engaged in a territorial dispute with a larger group nearby. “Switchblade Sisters” (1975), initially titled “The Jezebels,” comes from Jack Hill, who previously directed the unexpected success of "The Swinging Cheerleaders." This film doesn’t take itself seriously; it's full of exaggerated performances and dialogue, excessive violence, and some uncomfortable scenes, like a rape sequence that is dismissed with surprising nonchalance. The movie seems to be commenting on the perceived moral decline of young people after a weakening of religious beliefs. It combines elements of “The Wild Angels” with the over-the-top female characters from "Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!” but the girls don’t quite come across as threatening. For example, Lacy, the gang leader, is portrayed by Robbie Lee, who appears quite young—she was only about 5'1" tall and looked around 17 despite being 20 years old at the time of filming in late 1974, a perception reinforced by her gentle voice. Joanne Nail as Maggie was 27 during shooting and also small-framed; she doesn’t seem very believable as Lacy’s rival. Monica Gayle plays Patch, essentially the equivalent of Shakespeare's Lago in this story (Hill mentioned being inspired by “Othello”). It’s worth noting Janice Karman as Bunny, who delivers a subdued performance that feels more genuine than those of the other actresses. If you’re looking for a realistic depiction of Caucasian youth gangs in an urban setting, Coppola’s "The Outsiders" is a better choice—though it's set nine years before the events of this film, which was filmed in late 1974. However, if you can accept high schoolers using machine guns at a skating rink, then this movie provides some amusement. I personally experienced my share of fights at the local skating rink as a teenager—both inside and outside the building—but we never resorted to machine guns. Despite some lines that are unintentionally funny, it’s possible to become invested in the characters and their dramatic story. It likely had an impact on “The Warriors,” which was released four years later, though it pales in comparison. Still, it's entertaining; and entertainment is what movies are all about. The film has a running time of 1 hour and 30 minutes and was filmed in Los Angeles, Eagle Rock (at Jobo’s Burger Palace), Glendale (a roller skating rink), and on the backlot of a studio in Culver City (for the final action sequence). GRADE: B-

Source on TMDB