Journey to Freedom (DVD)

The long arm of Communist oppressors reaches through the Iron Curtain and around the world to America, trying to destroy a Bulgarian journalist daring to speak the truth.

In his native land, courageous Stephan Raikin endures torture by Communist secret police before escaping to Turkey. Even there he is stalked by Red agents, and some of his friends are killed, but Raikin perseveres and becomes an influential Radio Free Europe commentator. Even after Raikin migrates to America, the ever-present forces of tyranny frame him for a crime so that he runs the risk of deportation--right back into their murderous hands.

Journey to Freedom was written and produced by Bulgarian-born Stephen C. Apostolof, who claimed that the picture was inspired by events in his own life. It globe-trots from Bulgaria to Turkey to Paris to the U.S., but while the story was expansive, the movie was inexpensive (under $47,000), and brought to the screen by veterans of such down-and-dirty '50s classics as Girl Gang, Gun Girls and Ed Wood's exploitation extravaganzas. Representing the latter group is man-mountain wrestler-actor Tor Johnson, who adds to our hero's woes by picking a one-sided fight with him in a Turkish barroom.

• drama