Remembering Wings Hauser: His 10 Greatest Motion pictures, Ranked

A self-proclaimed “working class actor,” Wings Hauser would arrive in Hollywood as a single dad, with a new child child, a bag of diapers, and nothing else, dwelling in a vacant storage along with his daughter. Wings would discover just a few roles all through the 70s, having a major break with 1982’s Vice Squad, leading to continued work. His profession would vary from A to Z grade cinema, and he would even step into the director’s seat, making a number of films for the notorious motion studio PM Leisure. By means of his ups and downs, and whatever the manufacturing dimension, Hauser introduced every part to the set and at all times left an enduring impression on these he labored with and his followers.

Wings Hauser had endless charisma, bringing depth and managed insanity to his roles. He performed fearless heroes, damaged cops, killers, and heroes. Pinning down Wings to a single function that defines his expertise is not possible. He was that versatile. He handed his performing chops onto his son, Cole Hauser, who it’s possible you’ll acknowledge for his function as Rip Wheeler onYellowstone. Wings Hauser handed away on March twentieth, 2025, abandoning a formidable profession. Listed here are his greatest movies.

10

‘Vice Squad’ (1982)

Los Angeles businesswoman-turned-sex employee Princess (Season Hubley) walks the streets of Sundown Boulevard to assist herself and her son. When her greatest pal Ginger is killed by her sadistic pimp, Ramrod (Wings Hauser), she finds herself coerced by Vice Squad Sergeant Tom Walsh (Gary Swanson) into serving to the police put an finish to Ramrod’s stranglehold on intercourse trafficking.

One Hell of a Debut For Wings Hauser

Wings Hauser’s breakthrough function stays one in all his most notable, taking part in Ramrod, a psychotic and unhinged pimp who acts because the movie’s antagonist. Right here, he brings a despicable depth that may turn out to be quintessential to a lot of his characters all through his profession. On the identical time, it confirmed his means to completely embrace and strategy a personality with nuance, not simply to turn out to be a cartoonish model of a ‘baddie.’ Regardless of being third-billed Wings Hauser steals the present at any time when his Ramrod saunters onto the display screen.

You possibly can stream Vice Squad (1982) totally free on Tubi.

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9

‘The Wind’ (1986)

Crime novelist Sian Anderson (Meg Foster) rents a home in a distant Greek village to work on her newest mission. Her go to begins on an ominous be aware, as the owner advises her to remain indoors at evening as a result of excessive winds. But, it’s her introduction to disgruntled handyman Phil (Wings Hauser) that places her on edge when she suspects him to be a serial killer.

A Nicely-Acted Macabre Story

Wings Hauser, matching the beats of seasoned actor Meg Foster, took a slightly middling horror movie in The Wind and made it right into a memorable cat-and-mouse recreation. Wings once more stepped into the antagonist function as Phil, a drunken, belligerent, confrontational caretaker who thrilled at menacing Meg Foster’s Sian Anderson. There’s a sure depth within the efficiency right here that deviates from his different antagonist roles, extra geared in the direction of horror than motion, showcasing how Hauser might adapt his strengths throughout completely different genres.

You possibly can stream The Wind (1986) on Tubi.

8

‘Champagne and Bullets’ (1993)

A ardour mission from John De Hart wherein he wrote, acted, and starred, Champagne and Bullets, often known as Get Even, follows a defamed cop and his associate struggling within the aftermath of their firing. The extremely good-looking, gifted, and nice singer (sarcasm) Rick (John De Hart) manages to usher in many girls and get by on his charms to search out continued success, whereas Huck (Wings Hauser) begins to spiral. Nonetheless, the 2 have to come back collectively to cease a satanic cult and save John De Harm’s girlfriend.

Even in a Self-importance Mission, Wings Commits to the Function

As a fan of Wings, Hauser Champagne and Bullets is a little bit of a bittersweet efficiency within the sense that the film itself is extra of a low level within the actor’s profession, a Z-grade ardour mission he was employed for that’s laughably dangerous. But, it showcases the actor’s utter dedication and affords probably the most unhinged performances of his whole profession. No function was too small for Hauser, and he approached any mission with respect. Right here, when he was requested to embody an alcoholic with excessive anger and psychological well being points, he went all in. On the flip facet, for many who adore so-bad-its-good cinema, Champagne and Bullets has turn out to be probably the most beloved amongst that fandom.

You possibly can stream Champagne and Bullets on Tubi.

7

‘The Siege of Firebase Gloria’ (1989)

The Siege of Firebase Gloria

Launch Date

January 27, 1989

Runtime

97 minutes

Director

Brian Trenchard-Smith

Writers

Tony Johnston

Producers

Antony I. Ginnane, Charles W. Fries, Howard Grigsby, Marilyn Ong

Solid

• 

  R. Lee Ermey

  Sgt. Maj. Invoice Hafner / Narrator

• 

  Wings Hauser

  Cpl. Joseph L. ‘Nard’ DiNardo

• 
• 

  Margaret Gerard

  Capt. Kathy Flanagan, MD

Set in the course of the Vietnam Battle, The Siege of Firebase Gloria follows a Marine Lengthy Vary Reconnaissance unit led by Sergeant Main Invoice Hafner (R. Lee Ermey) and Corporal Joseph L. Di Nardo (Wings Hauser). The story focuses on the unit discovering a massacred village, leaving solely a single youngster as a survivor. Taking the kid to the firebase Gloria, the duo then have to arrange to battle towards an oncoming Viet Cong assault.

Wings Goes To Battle

A surge of Vietnam Battle films all through the Nineteen Eighties and early 90s oversaturated the market. In consequence, the Australian-made The Siege of Firebase Gloria pale into obscurity. But the film’s gritty realism does make it stand out as one of many higher of the style. On the identical time, the wartime motion flick offered a car for Wings Hauser to sort out a extra complicated character. Hauser’s Corporal Joseph L. Di Nardo brings a mixture of depth applicable for a wartime function and humanism in exploring his relationship with the younger youngster his unit rescues.

6

‘Mutant’ (1984)

Brothers Josh (Wings Hauser) and Mike Cameron (Lee Montgomery) discover themselves stranded in a small city on their solution to the Southern states. The residents of the city are weary of strangers, and because the townsfolk find yourself useless or changing into ailing, they aim the siblings. Nonetheless, after his brother disappears, Josh digs deeper into what is occurring, uncovering a weird experiment that’s turning the residents into crazed killers.

A Servicable 80’s Horror Made Notable by Wings Hauser

Mutant (1984) is a satisfactory horror function with an intriguing sufficient premise and brooding environment to maintain followers engaged; it’s nowhere close to an ’80s traditional, however it’s a type of movies a horror fan will not be upset about investing time in. This can be a considerably odd function for Hauser as a result of it is extremely restrained and considerably generic when protagonists in horror movies.

But, Mutant stays an important entry in his filmography, displaying his versatility, and it was not the case that he had a restricted ability set that always made him typecast all through his profession. Right here, he performs effectively with the remainder of the solid, leaning extra into his pure attraction, which was typically overshadowed by his extra eccentric roles.

You possibly can stream Mutant (1984) on Tubi or Plex.

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5

‘Dwelling To Die’ (1990)

Dwelling To Die

Launch Date

December 8, 1990

Runtime

84 minutes

Director

Wings Hauser

Writers

Stephen Smoke

Producers

Joseph Merhi

Solid

• 
• 

  Wings Hauser

  Nick Carpenter

• 

  Asher Brauner

  Edward ‘Eddie’ Minton

• 

Burned-out P.I. Nick Carpenter (Wings Hauser) turns into entangled in an online of lies when an previous pal, Asher Brauner, reaches out to him after he begins to get blackmailed over the dying of a intercourse employee. Nonetheless, as Carpenter begins to analyze, he learns that the homicide could also be a ruse to govern numerous events for private acquire.

Wings Hauser Directs Himself

Wings Hauser’s pairing with the legendary (to these within the know) PM Leisure studio gave him free rein to craft just a few of their motion films as each star and director. These movies provide perception into Wings’s creativity behind the digital camera and his willingness to additional push the over-the-top and gritty persona he had been fine-tuning in numerous B-movie roles underneath different filmmakers. Overindulgence can generally be a fault, however for Wings Hauser, it allowed him to thrive and completely give into the absurdity of the strung-out and assertive Nick Carpenter.

4

‘The Carpenter’ (1988)

Upon being launched again residence from a psychological well being facility, housewife Alice Jarett (Lynne Adams) struggles to really feel snug again in her own residence along with her overbearing husband. Nonetheless, she finds an odd friendship with a employed carpenter (Wings Hauser), who, in flip, treats her with respect and kindness. When individuals round Alice find yourself useless, she slowly begins to count on the carpenter, however their friendship stops her from intervening in his heinous murders.

Wings Delivers Homicide With a Smile

The Carpenter is a low-budget gem of a horror flick, misplaced within the annals of Canadian oddities. The premise is unique and intriguing sufficient to attract the eye of most horror followers: a sympathetic killer who performs pal to the character who would sometimes be the goal. Nonetheless, Wing Hauser’s efficiency because the titular carpenter elevates the complete manufacturing. A pleasant working man, to a pleasant killer who loves engaged on each wooden and physique elements, is a gleefully absurd factor to bear witness to.

3

‘L.A. Bounty’ (1989)

A hardened ex-cop turned bounty hunter, Ruger (Sybil Danning) has a protracted and sorted historical past with one in all L.A.’s most infamous criminals, Cavanaugh (Wings Hauser). So, when Cavanaugh and his gang kidnap a mayoral candidate, Ruger makes use of the case to lastly take down the vicious mobster. This private vendetta places Ruger at odds with the police, Cavanaugh, and his henchmen, forcing her to battle off either side.

Wings Hauser’s Most Villainous Function

Pairing Wings Hauser with a superb femme fatale was a method for achievement. In L.A. Bounty, his co-starring function with Sybil Danning marks among the best matchups of his profession. Danning’s robust, silent persona because the film’s protagonist contrasts with Wings’ overly expressive and explosive character as an antagonist. Hauser can be at his most merciless on this villainous function, permitting him to embody a extra vicious character than in different productions. For motion followers, this one additionally delivers an abundance of automotive explosions, shootouts, and fisticuffs.

You possibly can stream L.A. Bounty on Tubi or Plex.

2

‘The Artwork of Dying’ (1991)

An obsessive cinematographer and filmmakers lure in girls underneath the guise of labor solely to homicide them. The case goes to Detective Jack, who has a comfortable spot for the struggling actors who get chewed up by the Hollywood system. As individuals he is aware of on a private stage begin displaying up useless, Jack begins a pointy psychological decline as he delves into the underbelly of Hollywood to catch a killer.

A Gritty Crime Drama With Wings In Entrance and Behind the Digicam

One other movie that noticed Wings Hauser within the director’s seat of a PM Leisure film, The Artwork of Dying, is a gritty motion flick with its routes in noir and exploitation cinema. There’s an emphasis on sleaze and darkish humor on this one, with Wings Hauser as soon as once more permitting his character to be overly indulgent and excessive. The Artwork of Dying’s grim nature is unpalatable in a modern-day context. Nonetheless, it slightly below the scope of Hauser’s efficiency, it’s an unforgettable entry in his filmography.

You possibly can stream Artwork of Dying on Plex.

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1

‘Avenue Asylum’ (1990)

Avenue Asylum

Launch Date

June 6, 1990

Runtime

94 minutes

Director

Gregory Darkish

Writers

John Powers

Producers

Russell Hampshire, Walter Gernert

Solid

• 

  Alex Wire

  Capt. Invoice Quinton

• 

  Wings Hauser

  Arliss Ryder

• 
• 

  Sy Richardson

  Sgt. ‘Joker’ Tatum

A dystopian sci-fi thriller, Avenue Asylum, presents a metropolis on the snapping point on account of excessive crime charges and a failing political system. A brand new mayor steps in with a activity drive meant to wash up the streets. Sargent Arliss Ryder (Wings Hauser) will get pressured from the drive into the newly fashioned group generally known as S.Q.U.A.D. however quickly finds himself overwhelmed by a string of companions who appear bent on inflicting chaos and disobeying the legislation to get their bounties. As Arliss begins to note himself dropping his mood, he unravels a plot that sees implants in squad members purposely pushing them into violence.

From Cool and Collected to Unhinged

Avenue Asylum is probably not essentially the most polished motion movie Wings Hauser has been concerned in, and a sure stage of silliness makes it laborious to take severely. Nonetheless specializing in the performing, Avenue Asylum provides Wings Hauser the proper character arc to flex his abilities. From an earnest police officer coping with unhinged companions to slowly dropping his sanity and succumbing to the identical violent tendencies, this movie captures the actor’s vary not like any of his performances, even when the film itself is considerably “mid.”