Sunday, June 22, 2014

Junesploitation Day 22: Sexploitation!

You won't believe what goes on...and what comes off!

20 comments:

  1. Screwballs (1983)

    Quick Thoughts: Holy crap so this movie is what it's like to be horny ALL the time!? Screwballs may be one of the goofiest oversexed movies I've ever seen and I laughed my damn ass off. This flick is the definition of sexploitation- the entire goal of the thing is to either look at or fondle Purity Busch's goodies. This movie takes me back to the good old when perving wasn't just a mouse click away it was an art. Patrick is right this movie is made by aliens- perhaps the same ones from Explorers going through space puberty.

    8 Word Review:
    Watching this flick is worth some gutter balls.

    ReplyDelete
  2. John and Lem Amero's BLONDE AMBITION (1981) in 35mm at NYC's Anthology Film Archives' 'In the Flesh' Retrospective for the first time.

    The vaudeville-performing Kane sisters, Sugar (Suzy Mandel, "Mistress of The Apes") and Candy (Dory Devon, "The Rites of Uranus") are going nowhere fast in the middle of nowhere-special, Wyoming, when they stumble upon rich millionaire Stephen Carlisle III (Eric Edwards, "Thrilling Drilling") and faithful manservant Eric (Robert Kerman, "The Pussycat Ranch"). Leaving behind friends like Sugar's boo Luke (David Morris, "Kiss Thy Mistresses' Feet 2"), Stephen flies the sisters in his sideway-flying private plane (really) to New York City, where he lets them stay in his Penthouse apartment while he and Eric return a valuable family heirloom to his disapproving aunt, rich London socialite Lady Sybil Buckingham (Molly Malone, "Cheerleaders Beach Party"). Looking to jump start their showbiz dreams in The Big Apple, the Kane sisters get into all kinds of trouble and mischief. From unwittingly crashing a gang-bang re-enactment of "Gone With The Wind", getting mixed-up in a threesome with a swinging couple in a piano-bar apartment with an ice rink floor atop the World Trade Center (really!) or unwittingly causing a Stonewall-type riot in a bar with a "Cruising"-type clientele, the rags-to-riches meteoric rise of the Kane Sisters is the stuff of myth and legend... in their own minds.

    If you read my earlier Junesploitation! review of Chuck Vincent's 1981 X-rated opus Roommates you know the story behind this series of standout straight-porn-directed-by-gay-men unique film works. Three years in the making and clearly the work of filmmakers in love with old school Hollywood tropes (MGM musicals, Howard Hawks dialogue, Billy Wilder melodramas, Technicolor photography, etc.) and actors relishing to show a more colorful and playful side of their craft (including veteran porn actor Jamie Gills managing the amazing feat of stealing the movie without taking his clothes off in a two-minute scene), "Blonde Ambition" is an unapologetic love letter to Tinseltown (who cares it's set in NYC?). The movie's tagline say it all: it's "Singin' In The Rain" meets "Deep Throat," with cum shots and a playful sense of humor from not taking itself at all seriously sharing equal billing and screen time.

    Surprisingly the handful of musical numbers in "Blonde Ambition" aren't very good and choreographed to look silly (intentionally). But it's clear the Kane sisters' blinders (as a duo and individually) prevents them from seeing they don't have any talent or carry a tune worth a damn, and that (along with a McGuffin-like plot device I won't spoil) is what propels the goofy narrative from one set piece to the next. It might be an excuse to explain the actresses' inability to sing and dance, but it also works for the type of sincerely-made silly showbiz melodrama the Ameros were aiming for. The overwrought dialogue is a hoot and a half (this safe-for-work edited trailer gives you a pretty good taste), and the 35mm print we watched at Anthology came with the unintentionally-hilarious bonus of jumpcuts which made it seem the Kane sisters and dancers were teleporting/shape-shifting from one side of the stage to the next as they performed.

    As a heterosexual male that's uncomfortable watching hardcore pornography (but doesn't pass judgement on anyone who does) "Blonde Ambition" comes highly recommended for those adventurous and willing to stride far and wide from their comfort zone for the sake of Junesploitation! You know, me. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sex & Fury (Japan, 1973)

    Now I know, after watching this "film", where many modern blockbusters get their material from. Sex & Fury set the stage for Kill Bill and Memoirs of a Geisha, aside from the misogyny and oral sex assassination. The dialogue is horrific, with one American character oddly enough portrayed by a Swedish actress. Although, since no one in the film can act, it doesn't matter much, I guess.

    The supposedly sad death scene of said actress and her lover is played out to music better suited for a hotel elevator. Likewise, the Jimi Hendrix-like music played during the final battle sequence is out of place. I had no idea what I was supposed to be feeling, throughout the film. Overall, I really wouldn't recommend this film to anyone, apart from all of us masochistic Junesploitation moviegoers. Cheers.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ಠ_ಠ !!! This is a Pinky Violence film starring CHRISTINA LINDBERG. If that sentence means anything to you, watch this movie. It's more than worth it.

      Delete
  4. Night Fire (1994)

    Lydia (Shannon Tweed) and Barry (John Laughlin) have some marriage problems. He thinks she is too focused on her business. She’s upset that he does things like cut the phone lines, tie her to a bed with the cords, cut her clothes off with scissors, and take pictures of her naked. You know, typical marriage stuff. This movie is so ridiculous it ends up being fun. Barry is such an overt psychopath that the moment when it’s revealed he is Up To No Good is hilarious (what?! Not BARRY??). Another couple who show up at Lydia and Barry’s home are, it turns out, good guys. Which would be fine, if we didn’t see them beat up and sexually assault a random couple during the opening credits. I know Tweed is supposed to be the Queen of the erotic thriller, but she keeps reacting to Barry’s obvious evil with the tired exasperation of a wife who learns her husband keeps spending money on eBay.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sex and Fury (1973)

    Sex and violence. Violent sex and sexy violence. If you like sex, and if you like violence then this is a movie for you.
    One of the influences behind Kill Bill Part 1.
    While I agree in part with Mr Chris up above, that the acting was subpar, in particular those involved with the B plot, overall I think it was good enough, especially for a movie which has a scene where a woman jumps out of a hot tub with a sword then runs around naked slicing up all the male attackers. Like I said, sexy violence.
    Not the total Junesploitation joygasm that scene would lead you to believe, but definitely worth checking out in the spirit of the month.

    Ill be needing to be asked extra nice to go south after watching this one. That shit'll kill you.

    Violentsexsploitation

    ReplyDelete
  6. Loose Screws A.K.A Screwballs II (1985)

    Wow, this was a strong choice for today! This could be the dumbest fucking movie I've ever seen, and I loved every minute of it. The film plays out like an over exaggerated 13 year old boys mind where every girl is as naive and sex crazed as you'd hope for and every joke is straight out of Mad Magazine. Follows the shenanigans of 4 boys - Brad Lovett, Steve Hardman, Hugh G. Rection and Marvin Eatmore - from "Beaver High" who get sent to summer school at "Cockswell Academy" with principle Arsenault. PUNSPLOITATION throughout the whole film.

    There will never be movies in the mainstream like this again so I appreciate that there was a period in time when these were actually made and shown theatrically. If this movie came out today, the members of the Riot Grrrrl movement would track down the filmmakers and castrate every last one of them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I went with this one too. I know watching my own recommendation is like a dealer getting high on his own supply, but I couldn't resist revisiting the fucking insane freakshow that is this movie. It is wall to wall sexual assault played for laughs, with a script written in 100% horrible double entendre. There is a huge musical number in which a beach full of teenagers dry hump to a song called "Do the Screw." There are no words.

      Everyone should watch this movie.

      Delete
    2. Do the Screw was definitely the highlight! I was in tears laughing. I also love the first "gag" where they make the girls take a physical exam and FINALLY the girls figure out that these teenagers aren't doctors! Classic!

      Delete
    3. I found the barrage of horrible double entendre very quickly broke down any highbrow comedic defenses I might have and it wasn't long before I was giggling like an idiot at lines like, "Could you help me find my box?"

      I think I'll do my wife a favour and start sporting the awesome bikini briefs the dudes all chilled out in - I'm bringing sexy back!

      Delete
  7. Hardbodies (1984)

    The creep factor is super-high here as three middle-aged dudes hire a young lothario to teach them how to score with muuuuuuuuuch younger women. Lots of boobs, lots of synthesizery music, a few (very few) chuckles. It's all pretty harmlessly sleazy (and in a weird way kind of refreshing in that it focused on adults rather than teens), but it mostly just made me want to take a shower.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Barbarella (1968) - First Viewing

    I may have a problem. I am so deep in the Junesploitation mindset that for the first hour of this movie I was convinced Barbarella was superior film to 2001: A Space Odyssey. While it can’t quite sustain the greatness for the entire runtime, it knows exactly what it is and executes flawlessly. Still hilarious and awesome almost 50 years later. I loved it. So far this is my favorite movie watched during Junesploitation. Thank you, Junesploitation. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Awesome! You are absolutely justified in your thoughts, Matt. Barbarella is as legit a film as 2001: A Space Odyssey.

      Delete
  9. SUPERVIXENS (1975)

    How do suppose Russ Meyer got his movies made? It looks to me like he walked into a producer’s office and said, “I want to make a movie that’s nothing but all my fetishes,” and then the producer said, “Sure, I'll finance that!” This one’s about a gas station worker named Clint, who bumbles his way from one sexual encounter to another, all with superhumanly bosomy women. It’s like an R. Crumb comic come to life.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The first Russ Meyer movie I saw (back in high school,) and still my favorite! A great, super high-energy, larger than life piece of filmmaking! Just check out that poster!

      Delete
  10. Naked Ambition: An X Rated Industry - So I typed sex into a Netflix, I found this and thought it fitted into this day quite well. The problem with this documentary is that it feels very fake. With Michael Grecco giving so much credit to the porn industry because of their ability to have such free 'expression' of themselves and their sexuality, it is a shame his documentary doesn't feel more expressive itself. I think his rose-tinted porn glasses are on as everything he is saying is talking about how amazing everything and everyone around him is. He shouldn't have to tell us, we should get that for ourselves and it definitely doesn't cover all sides of the industry such as the exploitation involved. It briefly mentions how women don't have the length of the careers men in the industry have, but it is all glossed over as part of the greatness of the industry and not thought of as to why there might be something wrong with this. It feels like he doesn't even scratch the surface of the industry or get to the truth about the people he is interviewing. The pictures he is taking throughout do look beautiful and are what I wish the documentary was more like, quite expressive and ability to capture the subjects. A shame that someone with this much passion for what he is talking about isn't able to explore more than surface level.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Screwballs II (1985)

    Great movie but I'm not sure it really counts as exploitation - it's a quaint, almost documentary-like film about typical Canadian high school life that brought me back to MY 4th year of Grade 12. Fun-coincidence: I was also a braless-tennis instructor!

    I was truly remiss in not seeing this Canadian classic sooner - thanks Patrick!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Cherry, Harry, & Raquel! (1970) trailer (nsfw) / full movie

    I've been slowly making my way chronologically through Russ Meyer's filmography since the beginning of the year, and finally had the opportunity to shoehorn one of them into my Junesploitation schedule. If you're familiar with Russ' oeuvre, this one's par for the course: frenetic editing, non-stop dialogue from characters that all hate each others' guts, infidelity, non-sequitur, trombone music, deserts, voluptuous and sexually aggressive female characters, and violent conflagration. If you love one you probably love 'em all. By coincidence, this one was a perfect bridge from Drug day to Sexploitation day, since the 'plot' revolves around a small town's Marijuana Kingpin mantle's violent changing of hands from character to character, and the story mostly moves forward by means of sexual coupling. Uschi Digart plays the 'cosmic observer' role, and it was the first of four times Charles Napier (Murdock from First Blood II) worked with Russ. Russ next made Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, his second masterpiece.

    White Rose Campus: Then Everybody Gets Raped (1982) poster

    Hoo boy... I'm afraid to tell you guys about this one; I was kind of queasy through a lot of it. A pair of hoodlums and a profoundly deviant janitor hijack a bus full of high school girls using a shotgun and hunting knives. The title describes most of the action, which is often dryly played for laughs (after taking control, the hijackers stop the bus to kick all the "ugly" girls off,) which just adds to the sordid vibe of the thing. When we first meet the janitor, he's fishing used tampons out a wastebasket to use in his masturbatory regimen. The movie looks slick and pretty, unlike most stuff in this sleazy of a vein, and has a somehow inappropriate thumping electronic score. Three big twists all come in succession at the end, all involving characters we wouldn't expect to turning into rapists, and all are played for maximum emotional disgust; I think part of the 'fun' of it is supposed to be wallowing in the progressively deepening, exaggerated tragedy of the plotline. The word 'exploitative' was invented for movies like this. Take that as a recommendation or a condemnation as you prefer.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Caligula (1979) Unrated Version

    I feel like the best thing I can say about this movie is that now I can say, yes, I've seen the whole thing. And yes, it is exactly what you think it is. Only weirder.

    And despite all the sex (Like seriously, wideshot of an orgy then BAM fellatio, then main character shot, then more fellatio), it was actually kind of boring at times. Which is probably the worst thing about it.

    ReplyDelete