The Go-Go Boys is a 2014 documentary directed by Israeli screenwriter/director/producer Hilla Medalia (After the Storm, Dancing in Jaffa & To Die in Jerusalem) that tells the tale of two men, Israeli cousins, Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus, the two figured behind both Cannon films and Golan-Globus. The pair would produce over 300 movies, and in the process become the most powerful independent film-makers in the world. 

This documentary film tells their story through interviews with both men as well as the actors and film-makers they worked within creating a near endless list of classic movies including Superman IV, Death Wish II, Enter the Ninja, Lemon Popsicle, Masters of the Universe and Texas Chain Saw Massacre II to name but a few. Starting out in the 1960s the documentary follows the pair from their roots in Israel to the massive success they experienced in America during the 1980s. As well as the new interviews shot specifically for this documentary, Medalia employs rare behind the scenes footage, archive interviews, film trailers and a host of clips featuring some of Hollywood’s biggest stars including Sylvester Stallone, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Michael Dudikoff, Charles Bronson and Chuck Norris among many others. 

The Go-Go Boys is a fascinating insight into the world of low budget exploitation cinema and the way Golan and Globus used their business acumen to build an empire that became synonymous with the sort of films I was watching during the 1980s. It’s interesting to see just how unpopular most of their films were with the critics, whilst they were still selling millions of cinema tickets, however, the doc also shows us another side to Golan and Globus. Whilst the pair were happy to make a living from exploitation cinema, they craved acceptance from the establishment, so alongside all of those great action, horror and martial arts movie they worked with the likes of John Cassavetes and Franco Zeffirelli on something more artistic, they even worked with Jean-Luc Godard on his 1987 adaption of King Lear.

The Blu-ray itself features reversible artwork, a slipcover and a poster, in what is a rather nice physical package. However, the disc itself is pretty much bare-bones, but the film is interesting enough to make it a worthwhile purchase. We learn a great deal about Cannon and Golan-Globus and it’s interesting to hear both men and their families talk frankly about their successes and failures, and the impact their careers had on their private and professional lives and relationships. If you’re a fan of 1980s exploitation cinema, this documentary is a must-watch, Hilla Medalia has created a fascinating and humanising look at two of the biggest characters working within the confines of independent cinema during that period.