By 1968, Russ Meyer was in a rut. While on top of the world with the releases of three black-and-white melodramas (LORNA, MUDHONEY, MOTOR PSYCHO!), the fourth in the series, FASTER PUSSYCAT! KILL! KILL!, would almost sink Eve Productions, the company he co-owned with ex-wife Eve Meyer. MONDO TOPLESS cost nothing and was moderately successful, but his color follow-ups COMMON LAW CABIN, GOOD MORNING...AND GOODBYE! and FINDERS KEEPERS LOVERS WEEPERS were hardly the barnburners audiences were expecting. Meyer needed a hit and decided to take a chance with a vivacious Hollywood stripper with an imposing, but not top-heavy figure, wild eyebrows and a wild personality by casting her in next opus, VIXEN. Despite controversy which led to bannings in major cities like Cincinnati, the film was a monstrous success and is what led Meyer to be signed for a five-picture deal for 20th Century Fox (he only made two before they released him). Arrow Films presents VIXEN in a super-special edition which commemorates the film for its importance in the genre of sexploitation.

Armed with giant hair, outrageous eyebrows and a body that wouldn't quit, Erica Gavin IS Vixen, the sexually insatiable wife of Tom, an oblivious pilot in the wilderness of Canada. The couple run a mountain resort where they house guests in search of a secluded beautiful vacation spot, but every guest gets more than they bargained for when confronted with VIXEN...woman or animal? An accurate question: Vixen is an immoral harlot, setting her sights on man or woman to feed her unending desire for sexual satisfaction. Sex with Tom is great, but she also finds time to screw an off-duty Mountie, a handsome tourist and his unhappy redheaded wife, and even her own brother! But Vixen finds that sex can't save her when a violent Communist commandeers her husband's plane to fly to Cuba!

With VIXEN, Russ Meyer began a personal theme which spread through several of his other films: sex as a healing mechanism. Vixen's seduction of the married couple repairs their marriage and keeps her own union strong, even if her husband is completely ignorant of her behavior. Or is he? The audience never knows, but subtle hints suggest that Tom knows of Vixen's sexual addiction but loves her too much to care. After the rapidly-edited films of 1966-1967, VIXEN is a somewhat slower Meyer epic but this allows the camera to sit squarely on the mesmerizing beauty of Erica Gavin and enjoy her incredible facial expressions during the sex act. If Vixen were played by anyone else, the film probably wouldn't have worked, or have been banned all over the United States! But Gavin's panting, abrasive and super-steamy sex scenes are pretty graphic for 1968, even if the nudity isn't as frequent as one would expect. Meyer would introduce a frequent shot which appeared in almost all his later films: the through-the-bedsprings sex scene, which would cause many actresses backaches!

For her first major movie role (a supporting role in INITIATION is presumed lost), Erica Gavin says her lines like all of Meyer's best heroines: shouting them, with vigor and vim. Vixen is another comic book femme fatale, with her larger-than-life persona and appearance contributing to the cult following of Gavin to this day! Following production, Gavin would develop an eating disorder and drop considerable weight, then began taking drugs. Her career would not last much longer. Meyer would ask her to return to the fold as a lesbian designer in BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS, but disliked the thinner Erica and made her life hell on the set. She was cast as Mary Magdalene in Larry Buchanan's THE REBEL JESUS, but her addiction caused her to be let go from the production. A bit part in the unbelievable GODMONSTER OF INDIAN FLATS and the pretty awful ERIKA'S HOT SUMMER followed, but her farewell performance would be perhaps her strongest: the lead in Jonathan Demme's CAGED HEAT!, where Gavin began a strong friendship with her co-star, the late great Cheryl "Rainbeaux" Smith. The 1970s were not kind to Gavin, as she became involved with the L.A. rock scene and descended deep into drug addiction. She managed to escape with her life and began making public appearances at conventions and autograph shows before decking her manager in front of everyone at a show and disappearing soon after. Gavin is back in the fan scene, thankfully, and is making big steps towards full recovery. DVD Drive-In wishes her the very best.

Vincene Wallace had the mouthwatering figure and fresh-faced red-headed beauty which wasn't that common outside of a Russ Meyer film. It's pretty surprising she didn't become a bigger figure in California 60s sexploitation, but she definitely kept busy making the rounds in the genre. She would work with Bob Cresse (INVITATION TO RUIN), Harry Novak (THE SECRET SEX LIVES OF ROMEO AND JULIET), Herschell Gordon Lewis (THE ECSTASIES OF WOMEN), and Greg Corarito (WANDA THE SADISTIC HYPNOTIST). Unfortunately, most of her work is made up of rough black-and-white films which didn't show the lovely starlet in her blazing fire-haired glory. VIXEN remains the best film to appreciate her freckle-faced charms. Meyer would give her a hard time on VIXEN; one famous story would find Wallace trying to cook food for the cast and crew, but reprimanded by Meyer who wanted her to work the slate instead. A better tale (told on the Russ Meyer commentary on this disc) reveals that she essentially slept her way into the film (!).

Meyer also lines VIXEN with a nice selection of beefcake for the ladies and gay audience members. Peter Carpenter, who plays the impossibly studly Mountie, would go on to direct and/or star in some of the most maligned exploitation films of the 70s (POINT OF TERROR, BLOOD MANIA, LOVE ME LIKE I DO). Devastatingly handsome Robert Aiken would work again for Meyer in CHERRY, HARRY & RAQUEL! and after avoiding nudity in VIXEN, would appear practically nude as an Indian warrior in THE RAMRODDER. He is currently an astrologer/metaphysician at www.robertaiken.com! Hairy Garth Pillsbury plays Tom, and would briefly reprise his role in SUPERVIXENS, sharing his bed with Ann Marie, before becoming a regular in Larry Buchanan films. Jon Evans, who plays Vixen's incestuous brother Judd, would (possibly?) play one of the lead roles in the softcore gay classic SONG OF THE LOON (which was offered by Something Weird Video but if out of print now), and who would have thought a brother and sister screwing could be so hot?! Frequent Meyer narrator John Furlong (who would also appear on-screen as the mousy husband of Alaina Capri in COMMON LAW CABIN) plays a gas station attendant with a cockney accent, and Meyer himself cameos an extra at the conclusion of the film!

As with the other Arrow region 2 Russ Meyer discs, there is slight jittering during motion in the film, and the transfer looks about the same as the region 1 RM Films DVD. The mono audio is strong and delivers Erica Gavin's hateful dialogue and screams of passion with a KA-POW!

Kicking off the extras is the featurette "Woman...or Animal...?", which is credited on the disc and packaging as an Erica Gavin interview, but is actually two interviews, with Gavin and her co-star Harrison Page. Gavin has had a hell of a life, suffering from anorexia, drug use and poverty, but finally recovered thanks to the efforts of manager Siouxzan Perry and her close friends from the Meyer fold. Though she looks far thinner today than her 60s heyday, she still has that magnetic smile and vivacious personality which endeared so many people to her during her far-too-brief career. She recalls Meyer complaining about her bust size and his unique shooting style, the troubles shooting the lesbian scene with Vincene Wallace (ironically, Gavin is openly gay today) and the lake sex scene with Robert Aiken, her apprehension over the racial slurs she throws at Page, the bizarre fish-head scene, the romance with George Costello which almost destroyed the picture, the sadistic nature of Meyer, and dealing with the success of the film. In a very touching and sad moment, Gavin says that seeing VIXEN is what led to her eating disorder and thanks Russ Meyer for giving her 15 minutes of fame. Page, who has aged like fine wine over the years, confesses his crush on Gavin during production and his issues with portraying a black draft dodger in 1968, when race riots and the Vietnam War were such an important part of life for young people. He became endeared to Meyer because of the fact that he was in the Army, and shares some great memories of his violent confrontation with Gavin. Be sure to watch through the end credits of the featurette to see Erica invite you to visit her website (www.ericagavin.net) and e-mail her!

Finally preserved on DVD is the audio commentary Russ Meyer recorded for the Image laserdisc of VIXEN way back in the late 90s. He comes running out of the gate by saying this is the film which "put Russ Meyer on easy street" and praises Erica Gavin right off the bat for her unbridled performance. He discusses the shooting locations, his encounter with Ernest Hemingway during WWII which led to him losing virginity (!), which actors lusted after who, the many problems keeping cast and crew in line, his only "casting couch" moment in his entire career with Vincene Wallace (who probably had to suffer the same thing for all of her films!), Harrison Page's conflicts with his character, his relationship with Eve Meyer, the infamous fish scene, Cincinnatian Charles Keating's quest to imprison Meyer for indecency, the genesis behind the film's creation and tons of other wonderful tales of shooting VIXEN. Like his other commentaries, there are frequent dead spots and some moments of simple narration of the film and quoting of dialogue, but Meyer offers more witty anecdotes and pleasurable stories than there are moments of silence. It's a wonderful piece of history that the dear departed director left behind for his fans to enjoy for years to come.

The Russ Meyer trailer reel returns, with previews for FASTER PUSSYCAT! KILL! KILL!, BLACKSNAKE!, MUDHONEY, VIXEN, WILD GALS OF THE NAKED WEST, SUPERVIXENS, BENEATH THE VALLEY OF THE ULTRA-VIXENS, CHERRY HARRY & RAQUEL!, and COMMON LAW CABIN. Another exclusive photo gallery includes newspaper articles following the film's controversy and box office success, the original casting ad in Variety, on-set photos and publicity stills, and flyers advertising personal appearances by Erica Gavin at screenings of the film. (Casey Scott)

Special thanks to Kit Gavin for the screen grabs

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