Plot: What’s it about?
The cinemas have been home to beautiful women since the invention of motion pictures, but some of those movies have shown more than others. Even in times of extreme censorship and conservative values, the world of exploitation cinema has thrived, thanks in no small part to those strict social guidelines. But these movies weren’t pornographic, they simply showed some bare skin and sexual moments, which made them instant targets for religious groups, parents, and other concerned citizens. So in order to avoid these charges, the exploitation filmmakers of the 20s through the 50s would use social topics to surround their controversial material, from the dangers of drugs to an intimate look inside a nudist colony to warnings against promiscuous sex, all designed to give their naked bodies some social redemption. In this special four disc collection from VCI, we’re taken on a tour of the entire exploitation realm of that era, complete with clips from the infamous films and interviews with some the genre’s key players. Once you’ve watched the main documentary Sex and Buttered Popcorn, then you can watch some of the feature length films themselves, as well as numerous short film subjects. So if you’re interested in some older, more obscure exploitation, the Sex and Buttered Popcorn Collection is more than recommended.
1. Sex and Buttered Popcorn- This is a hilarious, as well as insightful documentary about exploitation filmmaking, which genre fans will devour. This piece was made in 1989 and runs over an hour in duration, so there’s ample time to cover all the bases. Of course, given the deep history of exploitation cinema, a more extensive look might have been nice, but Sex and Buttered Popcorn (a.k.a. For Adults Only) is a fine presentation. As hosted by Ned Beatty, this program guides us through the world of exploitation cinema, from its roots in silent pictures to its pinnacle of success, then down the slope of extinction. You’ll hear from kingpins Dan Sonney and David F. Friedman, who made countless movies during the salad days, as well as the wife of exploitation filmmaker Kroger Babb, Mildred. In addition to these interviews, you will be shown clips from such titles as Mom and Dad, Forbidden Desire, The Road to Ruin, Strip Tease Girl, and many others. A good blend of clips, interviews, and Beatty’s presence make this an entertaining, informative production.
2. Tease, Sleaze, and Social Disease- A solid double feature of old school exploitation, this time with 1934’s Tomorrow’s Children and 1942’s The Story of the D.E. 733. In Tomorrow’s Children, the topic of forced sterilization is explored, as the Board of Health rounds up a number of candidates to keep off the stork’s list. Maybe you come from a poor household, maybe you’re a total slut, maybe you’re a juvenile delinquent, or maybe you’re just bananas, but when the good doctor arrives, your right to bear children comes to an end. But can the Board of Health decide who is fit & unfit to have children, or will a revolution come to pass, ensuring that any insane, delinquent, piss poor whore can have a litter of her own? As far as The Story of the D.E. 733, a.k.a. USS VD: Ship of Shame, this was a government produced program to warn against the practice of sailors shagging the local chicks while on shore leave. You’ll see some actual disease footage, which is always wince inducing and while the subject matter is dead serious, this is just too comical to believe. A gem of government brilliance, this alone is worth the price of this entire collection.
3. Sex, Sin, and Salvation- This disc is home to two complete feature films, 1949’s She Should’a Said No and 1934’s Mad Youth. In She Should’a Said No, we see starlet Lila Leeds (who was busted for marijuana with Robert Mitchum in a real life incident) as Anne, a young woman with a bright future who becomes involved in the depths of marijuana. She finds her chorus career going downhill and her family life is headed downward also, all because of her addiction to the wild wonders of weed, of course. Is she lost to the green stuff forever, or can she overcome her newfound bad side and return to a more normal life? In Mad Youth, young people once again face the perils of sex & drugs, but this time, insane jitterbug routines become involved. Is the fast paced, throw caution to the wind lifestyle of the youth certain too doom those within it? Or will they come to their senses and turn their back on such cheap thrillers?
4. Granddad’s Forbidden Follies- The main features here were both produced in 1934, as Elysia and The Road to Ruin are showcased. Elysia follows a reporter inside a nudist colony, where he hopes to uncover a real scoop. At first the reporter resists joining the others in nudity, but the owner manages to persuade him to give the lifestyle a spin. But will the colony be something the reporter actually begins to enjoy because of its innocence, or will his story be a scathing one and reveal a seedier, sexually deviant side to the community? In The Road to Ruin, Helen Foster stars as a young girl swept into a world of drug abuse, casual sex, and even more deviant realms. She plays Ann, who has a best friend and a boyfriend, but soon becomes involved with a low life, who gets her into a spiral of bad situations. As an added bonus, the Dwain Esper directed short How to Undress in Front of Your Husband is also included.
Video: How does it look?
All of the material found in this collection is presented in full frame, as intended. As this is a collection of varied materials from varied sources, you should be able to guess that the video quality is…well, varied. The newer footage created for the Sex and Buttered Popcorn program, such as Ned Beatty’s sequences and the interview scenes, looks sharp and clean, much better than the clips themselves, of course. Once you move into the assorted feature films and short subjects, you’ll notice some defects and age related woes, but to be honest, I expected this stuff to be in a lot worse condition than this. The prints all look a little worn, but serious flaws are infrequent and in some cases, the materials are in quite good shape. I am unsure if any kind of restoration was done on some of this material, but its possible, given the quality of some of the stuff. I commend VCI’s treatment of these programs, as they look better than we ever could have expected.
Audio: How does it sound?
The same comments hold true for the audio as the video, with the newer material having a better overall presence. But as even the Sex and Buttered Popcorn program is dialogue driven, none of the material in this set sparks up the speakers. Some of the older material has slight hiss and distortion evident, but nothing too serious to be worried about. Its all dialogue pretty much, with some music piped in for an occasional dance sequence, so while thin, the audio in these is more than adequate. You won’t be raving about the audio in these, but given the material, we couldn’t ask for more from these soundtracks.
Supplements: What are the extras?
A wealth of bonus short films has been spread across these discs, a wild selection of exploitation madness. The shorts found in this collection include Striptease Revealed, They Wear No Clothes, Spectacle Underwater, Stars of Burlesque, Know for Sure, We Still Don’t Believe It, Your Pin Up Girl, and Expose of a Nudist Racket. You’ll also find a genuine Square Up reel, an uncut audio interview with Dan Sonney, a bio on bit player Jimmy Tolson, a gallery of exploitation posters, some advertising artwork, the short film Fanny with the Cheeks of Tan, and a virtual vault of vintage exploitation trailers.
