THE
BEAST THAT KILLED WOMEN (1965)Director: Barry Mahon
THE
BEAST THAT KILLED WOMEN (1965)I dunno, maybe it's because I'm wrong in the head, but to me, these good ol' nudie films are a lost art form. Now, many of us take nudity for granted: We see T&A in film and on television all the time, so we've forgotten that it used to be a big no-no in the cinema. As a matter of fact, these films have all but faded into obscurity along with that whole two parent household idea.
Let's take a journey into the past (take my hand if it makes you feel any safer--but remember I just watched a nudie film so be warned). Back in the 50s and 60s, nudism was strictly taboo in film and our dads and granddads had to visit these places called "art theaters" if they wanted to see folks in the buff. The films that were shown were the brainchilds of exploitation pioneers like H.G. Lewis and Dave Friedman who knew all too well that these would bring in the dough. Early films simply featured some ugly families playing sports for an hour or so and were about as fascinating to watch as that leak you've got in your basement, but eventually, somebody came up with the bright notion to add what some might call a "plot" to these films and then they REALLY caught on!
Now, hold my hand a little tighter (oooh, that's it baby, yeah!) as we venture back a bit further in time to the 20s and 30s... and that's where I'll begin discussing the spectacular DVD.
Included on this DVD for our agonizing pleasure are six (count 'em: 6) archival shorts dating from the 20s to the 60s. The earliest, BRING 'EM BACK NUDE is a silent (but w/music score) short featuring one of those drop-dead beauties from the 20s (why don't women look like this anymore?) getting in touch with her animal sides as she rolls on a tiger-skin rug (or was it a bear-skin rug? I wasn't paying too much attention to the rug, sorry) and dreams of her brother on a safari catching naked women. Okay, so obviously, the chick needs some serious mental help, but it's still amusing. The short ends with her brother walking in and discovering her rolling around in her lingerie. He laughs and grins. Whatever.
Next up is THE EXPOSE OF THE NUDIST RACKET from 1938. One of the few features on this DVD to feature rare male nudity, this hilarious offering informs us all about the growing number of nudists in America and how it's really not a bad thing like most people think. A narrator tells us a lot of double-talk as we witness a number of sights better left unseen like nude people playing leapfrog... I'll let that sit in with you for a sec. There's also a poor lady who's rather on the hefty side who quickly becomes the butt (no pun intended) of the narrator's jokes.
Next up is NUDE RANCH from 1940 (more male nudity, ladies--but stick to your back issues of Playgirl, as there's not much worth seeing here unless little old men do it for you), followed by BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, a filmed strip routine with a guy in an ape costume bugging a dancer from 1952. Then there's BACK TO NATURE from 1954 and NUDIST FASHION SHOW from 1963, which appears to be a taken from a longer movie (no credits are seen).
Also included on this one-sided dual-layered disc are trailers for the nudie films EVES ON SKIS (naked women skiing in the Swiss Alps--doesn't sound very appealing), GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE BARES (HA-HA-HA! I get it! Three BARES! Golly!), NUDES ON TIGER REEF, NUDIST LIFE and PUSSYCATS PARADISE as well as the trailer for the first feature, the great Barry Mahon's immoral 1965 classic THE BEAST THAT KILLED WOMEN.
If you compare the trailer and the film itself, you'll be grateful for DVD once again... the print on THE BEAST THAT KILLED WOMEN is simply marvelous! All of the colors are very vibrant (mind you it's that weird 60s stock color so it looks kinda funky), the sound is crisp and clear (for being mono) and it's just... WOW!
Okay, you want a plot? Will a reasonable facsimile do? Well, another guy in a funny looking ape suit invades a nudist colony and starts killing the babes. Police aren't sure what to do, catch the ape or stare at breasts (it IS a hard decision to make). That's about it, really. The most peculiar bit in this film is seeing an African American woman mixed in with the other stars (Barry had good taste, what can I say?) which is rather unusual in these movies.
The second feature, THE MONSTER OF CAMP SUNSHINE is another breakthrough for Image with a crisp clear print of this B&W movie (from 1964) concerning Hugo, the chubby gardener of a nudist camp who transforms into a possessed Moe Howard when he accidentally drinks from a contaminated stream. "Why is the stream contaminated?" you ask. Well it could be either the bathrooms located upstream or the experimental chemical released into the water. Take your pick.
Now, the other award winning feature on this DVD is the option to watch EVERYTHING on it as a drive-in double feature (watch all the shorts, previews and movies in one sitting), COMPLETE with those wonderful drive-in promos featuring some of the worst looking food ever (and why are the hamburgers green?). These drive-in spots can also be viewed individually. The disc also features about 10 minutes of ads set to the sounds of radio spots (like many Image/Something Weird DVDs).
Well, what else could they POSSIBLY put on this DVD? How about an Easter Egg? Yep, by arrowing up from the center "Let's Go To The Drive-In" selection, the words at the top (Jesse James Drive-In Theater) will become highlighted. By pressing enter, you'll be treated to a late 60s preview for GIRLS COME TOO (THIS is the preview for the ladies--it features a LOT of male nudity as well as female nudity). So, all in all, a GREAT DVD and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED to anyone with a flair for this kind of crap! Go out and buy it!
You can let go of my hand now. You're hurting me. (Adam Becvar: bastardo@thegrid.net )