I suspect most of this footage began as a classroom film about sexual reproduction (likely aimed toward medical students) with some added footage spliced here and there to re-market it as an X-rated exploitation film.
The movie starts out as an alleged documentary about Denmark's newfound permissiveness toward premarital sex and erotica in the early 70s. There are in-the-street interviews, scenes from a nightclub, pictures of adult magazines, and a visit to a porn movie set. All of this is a reasonably amusing setup. But what quickly evolves is more a clinical look at sexuality, complete with endless charts, discussions of cultural attitudes, details about pregnancy, birth control and venereal disease, and even a filmed live birth--all described by an unseen, monotone male narrator without any hint of passion or excitement. Disguising erotica as education was an old school exploitation trick. This one is essentially more an educational film disguised as erotica. There is some good information contained within, but modern audiences would be hard pressed to find it particularly entertaining.
Reviews
14 Reviews
The Hard Road
(1973)
Pretty effective drive-in "scare" film
4 December 2016
This is something of an old-fashioned "scare" B-movie in the tradition of Reefer Madness--designed to warn youth about the consequences of bad decisions. Despite some camp value it's pretty uncomfortable to watch in places. "Pam" (the lovely Connie Nelson) is introduced as your typical all-American teenager who runs around in pigtails, loves playing with her dog, etc. but then gives birth out of wedlock. From there her life quickly spirals downward into drug addiction, prostitution, violence and more. I'll at least give the producers props for honesty in using the tag line "Not A Pretty Picture." There was a slightly shorter, re-cut version of this film (sans some of the "lecture" scenes) called "High School Hooker," released by the obscure "Alexander International Films" as a double bill with "The Stepdaughter" (itself a re-edited "R" version of the original 1972 PG film called "Winter Love"). I wouldn't call it "fun" to watch but like a train wreck or airplane crash, it certainly keeps your eyes glued to the screen.
Team-Mates
(1978)
Better than I expected.
27 January 2016
Reasonably entertaining tale about "Vicki" (Karen Corrado) who catches her football captain boyfriend cheating. To prove a point she decides to go out for the football team herself, much to the chagrin of the boys and their grumpy coach. Otherwise it's more or less an after-school special of car chases, parties, fights, and sexual innuendo/politics. Some of the scenes are a little confusing. Why, for example, is there a "football class" for girls when no one wants the girls to play? This may be the only screwball teen comedy ever produced by Independent-International--or at least one of very few. The company was more known for violent, low-budget action pics helmed by the late cult director Al Adamson. A more convincing food fight and a little more nudity wouldn't have hurt, but I like the film OK for what it is. James Spader's cameo is great. I was also impressed with Corrado's performance and believe she showed potential to be a very good actress. A rather ominous sounding review at amazon hints that her real life maybe didn't turn out too well which, if true, is unfortunate. It doesn't appear she ever acted in any other film.
Year of the Jellyfish
(1984)
A must see for Kaprisky fans
23 April 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Valerie Kaprisky plays "Chris" the 18-year-old daughter of "Claude" (Caroline Cellier, who won a 1985 French Cesar for best supporting actress in the film). The two are summer vacationing at an upscale beach resort in the south of France (while dad works in Paris). Nearby lives longtime family friend, "Vic" (Jacques Perrin). It's all quite beautiful, but we quickly learn everything is not well in this hedonistic enclave of affluence. Through a flashback sequence, it's learned that two years earlier Chris became pregnant by the much-older Vic. She ultimately had an abortion and refused to tell her family who the father was. But the experience has obviously left Chris with emotional scars and left Vic very nervous. A subsequent sting from a jellyfish while swimming also leaves Chris physically scarred, further bruising her ego. Enter "Romain," (Bernard Giraudeau) a local Don Juan (and part time pimp) who makes a play for Chris' 39-year-old mom, Claude. Their burgeoning affair obviously bothers Chris. She scornfully tells Claude she's past her time (i.e.: too old for this game). While Chris' response to mom's illicit romance is not surprising, her true underlying motivations seem a little murky. There are hints that Chris has known Romain for some time as she tries in vain to seduce him away from mom. Perhaps Chris really is jealous, wanting to have Romain for herself, or perhaps she mostly just wants to separate Romain from her mom out of loyalty to her dad. Regardless, it becomes evident that the jellyfish isn't the only character in this soap opera with potentially stinging tentacles. As Chris encounters disappointment, her escapades become more manipulative. She now wants only to "win," no matter what that entails or who gets hurt. For a while that means forever taunting Vic and briefly taking her aggressions out on a vacationing German couple. But the climax comes only after dad's belated arrival to join the family. This development affords Chris the opportunity to blackmail Romain into taking her on a date (threatening to expose the illicit affair to dad if Romain refuses). I won't give away the spoiler, but you can guess it's not pretty.
All the Young Wives
(1973)
Rural South plantation life -- 70's style
14 December 2007
This is a pretty good little B-movie typical of regional films marketed primarily to southern drive-in's back in the early 70s.
Our story involves rancher "Big Jim." He pretty much owns the whole county--the land, the banks, the newspapers, the politicians. We don't know much about how Big Jim got to be so rich and powerful, but we do learn his biggest interest in life seems to be harness racing and an elusive desire to breed a winning racehorse.
Big Jim also has a taste for extramarital affairs, but of course his swinging lifestyle isn't something he chooses to share with his "proper" wife, Melody, who is forbidden to leave the house.
When Melody complains about being locked up like a prisoner all day, Big Jim explodes--accusing her of sounding like "one of those (expletive deleted) women's lib types." That she would even dare question his "rule" seems incredulous to this male chauvinist puppet master.
Yet, as Bob Dylan reminded us, the times they were a-changing. Inevitably, the audience begins to realize Big Jim's control over everything and everyone is slowly starting to unravel.
Before long Melody has begun a clandestine relationship with one of the horse trainers. This same horse trainer's loyalty at the racetrack has secretly shifted to a rival horse breeder. And it's revealed the plantation's accountant has been embezzling upwards of $30,000 a year from Big Jim.
I won't spoil where this is all headed, but if you've read this far you can probably figure out it's not too pretty.
"All The Young Wives" was incongruously promoted in 1973 as just another dimwit sexploitation flick--which is how nearly every film was billed back then that couldn't get distribution any other way. Re-released a couple of years later as "The Naked Rider," posters even went so far as to warn viewers that the film depicts such "strange relationships" that "people unaccustomed to viewing films so explicitly presented are urged not to attend." I'm actually not sure what was so "strange" about any of the relationships depicted, although the fact that the film shows blacks and whites freely eating, socializing and swimming together may have been considered pretty edgy to hardcore segregationists back then.
The main problem with the film's marketing, despite brief nudity, was that people who went to the theater expecting a soft-core skin flick would undoubtedly be disappointed to find a mostly non-erotic social drama instead. Conversely, many people who could appreciate a reasonably well-acted social drama would have likely avoided the film altogether based on its misleading "sex film" billing.
The end result: a long-forgotten yet enjoyable little yarn about politically incorrect (but evolving) lifestyles in the 70's rural South.
Our story involves rancher "Big Jim." He pretty much owns the whole county--the land, the banks, the newspapers, the politicians. We don't know much about how Big Jim got to be so rich and powerful, but we do learn his biggest interest in life seems to be harness racing and an elusive desire to breed a winning racehorse.
Big Jim also has a taste for extramarital affairs, but of course his swinging lifestyle isn't something he chooses to share with his "proper" wife, Melody, who is forbidden to leave the house.
When Melody complains about being locked up like a prisoner all day, Big Jim explodes--accusing her of sounding like "one of those (expletive deleted) women's lib types." That she would even dare question his "rule" seems incredulous to this male chauvinist puppet master.
Yet, as Bob Dylan reminded us, the times they were a-changing. Inevitably, the audience begins to realize Big Jim's control over everything and everyone is slowly starting to unravel.
Before long Melody has begun a clandestine relationship with one of the horse trainers. This same horse trainer's loyalty at the racetrack has secretly shifted to a rival horse breeder. And it's revealed the plantation's accountant has been embezzling upwards of $30,000 a year from Big Jim.
I won't spoil where this is all headed, but if you've read this far you can probably figure out it's not too pretty.
"All The Young Wives" was incongruously promoted in 1973 as just another dimwit sexploitation flick--which is how nearly every film was billed back then that couldn't get distribution any other way. Re-released a couple of years later as "The Naked Rider," posters even went so far as to warn viewers that the film depicts such "strange relationships" that "people unaccustomed to viewing films so explicitly presented are urged not to attend." I'm actually not sure what was so "strange" about any of the relationships depicted, although the fact that the film shows blacks and whites freely eating, socializing and swimming together may have been considered pretty edgy to hardcore segregationists back then.
The main problem with the film's marketing, despite brief nudity, was that people who went to the theater expecting a soft-core skin flick would undoubtedly be disappointed to find a mostly non-erotic social drama instead. Conversely, many people who could appreciate a reasonably well-acted social drama would have likely avoided the film altogether based on its misleading "sex film" billing.
The end result: a long-forgotten yet enjoyable little yarn about politically incorrect (but evolving) lifestyles in the 70's rural South.
Great concert film!
4 July 2007
The 1979 date is a little misleading because although it was apparently released theatrically that year, the actual footage came from several years earlier. I have heard a lot of conflicting opinions on this but most of the evidence points to it being filmed entirely in 1974 at the second 4th of July Picnic which was a three-day event held in College Station, TX at the Texas World Speedway. Also, FWIW, the title on the movie that I have seen is "Willie Nelson's 4th of July Picnic" (not "Celebration") although I have seen photos of two different posters--one calling it "Picnic" and the other "Celebration." So, unless there were two different movies, it was apparently billed under both names. Both film and TV cameras are evident on stage and part of the concert was also broadcast on Wolfman Jack's "Midnight Special" TV show on August 2, 1974 according to TV dot com. You can plainly see Wolfman milling about with Willie and the crew in a couple of shots from the film. There is also legend that the film was shot in 3-D but the only release prints I ever saw were normal flat prints that projected best at 1:1.66 (not widescreen). To further confuse things the copyright date on the film is 1977. I really have no idea why a film shot in 1974 would be copyrighted in 1977 and distributed in 1979 but based on very sketchy information, that appears correct. And, yes, as the previous reviewer noted, Leon Russell is quite drunk. The fiddle player is Doug Kershaw. Great concert film, and very hard to find. There was definitely some partying going' on! I'm a little surprised there has never been a DVD of this given Willie's popularity.
After School
(1988)
A very odd exploitation of eternal social and religious questions.
7 February 2007
Set on a contemporary college campus with flashbacks to prehistoric times, this very odd film attempts to question the meaning of love, the nature of God, and the role of the church in establishing societal boundaries. It's also one of relatively few films to feature perennial 70s-80s TV talk show host Dick Cavett on the big screen. Cavett, who rarely shied away from controversial subjects, appears as himself. Sam Bottoms plays a young priest who teaches religion at a Florida Catholic college. A rising star within church hierarchy, Bottoms is selected to go on Cavett's show to defend traditional church teachings about God against an author (and ex-priest) who has written a book suggesting God was created within the human mind. Bottoms accepts the assignment, but at the same time begins to have his own doubts about his commitment to the priesthood. Despite his vow of celibacy, he finds himself increasingly infatuated with a beautiful young student (Renee Coleman) who makes a play for his affections. Coleman, whose role is part naive schoolgirl, part calculated seductress, seems to have little trouble getting under Bottoms' skin or challenging his orthodox beliefs. The priest becomes increasingly obsessed with her while at the same time trying to maintain a state of denial about their mutual sexual attraction. Many of the issues raised here are eternal, if hardly original, and I found the film reasonably entertaining. Least effective, I thought, were the repeated flashbacks to prehistoric times. While apparently intended to be symbolic about the origins of concepts of God, these scenes really didn't tell or add much to the otherwise contemporary story, in my opinion. If anything, they just seemed calculated to add more nudity to the film. This reminded me more of a classic drive-in B-movie from the golden days of exploitation in the 70s rather than one from the late 80s. Within that context I thought it was pretty good.
Boogievision
(1977)
Hippie director shoots Lizardwoman epic
18 October 2006
What would you get if you gave a movie camera, a couple of hours worth of film, and a few thousand bucks to some hippies in 1977? The answer might well be "Boogie Vision," an amusing time capsule that proves if nothing else that virtually anything could get distributed to drive-ins back in the day. I'm reminded of "Mr. Hand" from Fast Times at Ridgemont High who was convinced every single student in his American History class "must be on dope." Mr. Hand would undoubtedly think the same of every single person involved in this movie. Something of a "Groove Tube" knockoff, much of the footage consists of unrelated comedy sketches including mock news reports, commercials, and random shots of nude skateboarding. There is also some strikingly good 70s animation that reminds one a little bit of "Yellow Submarine." But there is also a main plot (using the term loosely) that does its best to hold the film together. A would-be movie "director," who has to panhandle every penny and dime he can to buy rolls of film, suddenly hits the jackpot after his girlfriend informs him that her daddy is a "producer." Turns out daddy really only makes porn and has little intention of letting this guy direct, but hires him anyway to just to appease his daughter. Well, wouldn't you know it, daddy is called away for a few days so our lead protagonist seizes the opportunity to blow an entire film's budget in three days to create his own artistic vision. Needless to say, daddy, upon returning, is none too impressed with the result, which comes to be called "The Lizardwoman from Outer Space Meets the Radical Feminoids." But with the money blown and the film in the can, he really has little choice now but to distribute it. One might conclude whoever put up the money to finance "Boogie Vision" was left thinking the same thing. Oh, man, this movie is weird. I'll give it a 5 for its unconventional spirit. For better or worse they sure as heck don't make 'em like this anymore.
Slumber Party '57
(1976)
Harmless fun
27 August 2006
This is really just a harmless and amusing 70's teen T&A flick that drive-ins were famous for back then. It doesn't take itself too seriously, and neither should you.
For example, for a movie supposedly set in 1957, nearly all the songs on the soundtrack were actually released between 1958 and 1964. Furthermore, the movie being shown at the drive-in, "Cauldron of Blood," didn't come out until 1967! But this movie isn't really about sophisticated things like "details" (LOL). It's about beautiful girls frolicking around, showing off their bodies, and boasting about their sexual conquests. The late Cheryl "Rainbeaux" Smith is stunning as always (though her character never gets as fully developed as the others). Debra Winger (in her first role) is also beautiful. And look for the late "Superchick-turned-astrologer" Joyce Jillson as a carhop! What's not to love?
For example, for a movie supposedly set in 1957, nearly all the songs on the soundtrack were actually released between 1958 and 1964. Furthermore, the movie being shown at the drive-in, "Cauldron of Blood," didn't come out until 1967! But this movie isn't really about sophisticated things like "details" (LOL). It's about beautiful girls frolicking around, showing off their bodies, and boasting about their sexual conquests. The late Cheryl "Rainbeaux" Smith is stunning as always (though her character never gets as fully developed as the others). Debra Winger (in her first role) is also beautiful. And look for the late "Superchick-turned-astrologer" Joyce Jillson as a carhop! What's not to love?
Up Yours
(1979)
Old fashioned risqué vaudeville act
13 July 2006
Warning: Spoilers
The opening scene of this film involves a guy who wanders into a "talking building." He thinks he must be on Candid Camera because everybody knows buildings can't talk. Oh, but if those walls COULD talk, there might be plenty to say about this apartment building and its tenants.
That's pretty much the premise of "Up Yours!" and it's the role of beautiful Cindy Morgan to magically appear throughout the movie in the role of the talking building--to wax poetic about the going-ons inside.
Beyond that, there is really no cohesive plot, just a series of risqué "Laugh-In" style skits and double entendre one-liners involving the everyday lives of the apartment dwellers.
To give you an idea of the kind of humor tossed about, here's an example from one of the skits: Husband is so fed up that his wife won't go grocery shopping he starts to eat dog food. Before long he starts to like dog food so much he won't eat anything else. Delivery boy starts bringing more and more dog food until one day the wife tells him to stop.
"But why?" asks confused delivery boy. "This is the best dog food we have," boy insists.
"I'm sorry but my husband has passed away," wife sobs.
"Well, I hate to say this but I warned you dog food wasn't good for his stomach," delivery boy responds.
"Oh, it's not that," wife replies. "Last night while licking his balls he fell off the couch and broke his neck." Yuck-yuck. Har-har.
Rest assured there is also at least a little nudity thrown about here and there (although Cindy Morgan--by far the most attractive member of the cast--does not appear nude).
Most people would undoubtedly rate this film as a real stinker, which probably explains why it is so obscure. Still, if you have any affection for old-time risqué vaudeville style entertainment, you might find something to amuse yourself with here. A few of the skits actually made me smile so I'll be generous and rate it a 4 out of 10.
If not terribly successful, I'll at least chalk it up as a weirdly bizarre low-budget independent effort unlike any other movie I've ever seen.
That's pretty much the premise of "Up Yours!" and it's the role of beautiful Cindy Morgan to magically appear throughout the movie in the role of the talking building--to wax poetic about the going-ons inside.
Beyond that, there is really no cohesive plot, just a series of risqué "Laugh-In" style skits and double entendre one-liners involving the everyday lives of the apartment dwellers.
To give you an idea of the kind of humor tossed about, here's an example from one of the skits: Husband is so fed up that his wife won't go grocery shopping he starts to eat dog food. Before long he starts to like dog food so much he won't eat anything else. Delivery boy starts bringing more and more dog food until one day the wife tells him to stop.
"But why?" asks confused delivery boy. "This is the best dog food we have," boy insists.
"I'm sorry but my husband has passed away," wife sobs.
"Well, I hate to say this but I warned you dog food wasn't good for his stomach," delivery boy responds.
"Oh, it's not that," wife replies. "Last night while licking his balls he fell off the couch and broke his neck." Yuck-yuck. Har-har.
Rest assured there is also at least a little nudity thrown about here and there (although Cindy Morgan--by far the most attractive member of the cast--does not appear nude).
Most people would undoubtedly rate this film as a real stinker, which probably explains why it is so obscure. Still, if you have any affection for old-time risqué vaudeville style entertainment, you might find something to amuse yourself with here. A few of the skits actually made me smile so I'll be generous and rate it a 4 out of 10.
If not terribly successful, I'll at least chalk it up as a weirdly bizarre low-budget independent effort unlike any other movie I've ever seen.
Josie's Castle
(1971)
Spacing out with Josie & Takei in the 70s
23 September 2005
It might surprise some avid Star Trek fans that George Takei (who played Hikaru Sulu) stared in a sexploitation flick that made the drive-in rounds back in the early 70s.
That film is "Josie's Castle" which was also released as "Teenage Divorcée" and "The Young Divorcees." As the story opens "Josie" is getting divorced from her boring husband so then she and a couple of also-divorced guys (including Takei) rent a condemned "castle" for cheap.
They immediately make it into a hippie pad complete with parties, group sex, and pot smoking, much to the concern of their nosy landlady.
The landlady eventually calls the cops who escort the groovy trio to jail for drug dealing.
Josie also gets jealous because she thinks Takei & her boyfriend are gay.
Does Takei appears nude with Josie & gang (or just almost nude)? I'll never tell. Just see it for yourself at a theater probably nowhere near anybody (LOL) or demand that it gets put on DVD soon.
I'll give it a 6-plus.
That film is "Josie's Castle" which was also released as "Teenage Divorcée" and "The Young Divorcees." As the story opens "Josie" is getting divorced from her boring husband so then she and a couple of also-divorced guys (including Takei) rent a condemned "castle" for cheap.
They immediately make it into a hippie pad complete with parties, group sex, and pot smoking, much to the concern of their nosy landlady.
The landlady eventually calls the cops who escort the groovy trio to jail for drug dealing.
Josie also gets jealous because she thinks Takei & her boyfriend are gay.
Does Takei appears nude with Josie & gang (or just almost nude)? I'll never tell. Just see it for yourself at a theater probably nowhere near anybody (LOL) or demand that it gets put on DVD soon.
I'll give it a 6-plus.
The Roommates
(1973)
Another lost drive-in classic that screams the 70s.
24 June 2005
I mostly agree with The Hoyt's review except where he says initially that "this is not a very good movie" and that Arthur Marks had "low standards." Marks was, IMO, an underrated exploitation master and "The Roommates," while perhaps not as good overall as "Bonnie's Kids" or some of his other films, is nonetheless a great, lost drive-in classic that screams the 70's.
The 70s hair. The clothes. The beauty. The music. The drama. The sex. The murder. The comedy.
It's all there, in ample proportions. If only my summer jobs during college were half as exciting (LOL).
Entertaining and worth seeking out at any cost for fans of the genre.
The 70s hair. The clothes. The beauty. The music. The drama. The sex. The murder. The comedy.
It's all there, in ample proportions. If only my summer jobs during college were half as exciting (LOL).
Entertaining and worth seeking out at any cost for fans of the genre.
Threesome
(1970)
Interesting little soap opera with a lesbian theme.
24 May 2005
Movies don't get much more obscure than this--though this one may be a little better remembered in Denmark than here in the U.S. Threesome is nonetheless notable for having the first screen appearance of the talented Judy Brown (Judith M. Brown) plus the fact that it was among a group of Scandanavian movies supposedly seized by U.S. Customs around 1970 for allegedly being pornographic. The best known of these seized movies, later released uncut after a court battle, is, of course, "I Am Curious Yellow." Threesome is not nearly as well known as "I Am Curious" but it's a better movie, IMO. Brown plays an American married to a Danish fashion designer. She becomes increasingly infatuated with one of his female models (Marianne Tholsted). I wouldn't call it porn, so if that's what you are expecting you'll probably be disappointed. Despite some fairly explicit scenes, it's more like a contemporary, independent art-house film that you might see at some trendy venue like the Film Forum in NY. The prints were Technicolor so if you ever are able to find one you'll discover the color has held up very well compared to most of the faded Eastman prints of this era. It's an interesting little soap opera that deserves to eventually be rediscovered.
Kitty Can't Help It
(1975)
Funny but forgotten sex comedy
13 March 2005
As the name would suggest this movie is pretty silly, but there are some genuinely funny moments. The story revolves around Kitty who, after moving away her overbearing mom, now wants to find a boyfriend--or at least a good-looking guy to hook up with. All her friends from the neighborhood seem eager to share their boyfriends with her, but nothing seems to work out. Mix in a sleazy old geezer, a car chase, and a hilarious trip to the movies to watch "Dr. Demento," and, well, that's more or less the framework of the story. Not exactly Oscar material but generally light-hearted fun. Of note is that Wes Craven was one of the film editors. Also co-stars famous "I'm With The Band" author/70's supergroupie Pamela Des Barres (as "Pamela Miller").
The end credits are also hilarious, but alas, on the only old depot print I was able to find of it, some of them are cut short. The part I saw more or less apologizes for the quality of the movie and "thanks" the Screen Actors Guild "for making it so difficult" to do an independent film (LOL). It would make a good pick for a company like "Something Weird Video" to release as a DVD.
The end credits are also hilarious, but alas, on the only old depot print I was able to find of it, some of them are cut short. The part I saw more or less apologizes for the quality of the movie and "thanks" the Screen Actors Guild "for making it so difficult" to do an independent film (LOL). It would make a good pick for a company like "Something Weird Video" to release as a DVD.
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