Russ Meyer had an utter fetish for curvy women. Especially curvy women with a large often intimidating bust. Many of whom are looked down upon, and that’s a damn shame. Anne Margaret, one of the sexiest women who ever lived was curvy, and the three women featured in “Faster Pussycat!” are also curvy bomb shells. One in particular, who happens to be my favorite, is Tura Satana, the curvaceous and busty stripper named Varla. “Faster Pussycat!” was considered porn at the time, but Director Russ Meyer loved to think he was better than simple porn, and he’d be correct in his assertion. This is much better than porn, because you can become aroused without feeling obligated to. Meyer prefers to titillate rather than undress his performers and arouse viewers in a Pavlovian routine.
Death Race 2000 (1975)
“Death Race 2000” is notable, not only for being one of the best cult action films ever made, but for the amazing foresight it showed in being one of the many fictional tales predicting the entertainment of the twenty first century. Sure, video game violence and reality television were established before the twenty first century, but it didn’t become prevalent and common until much later, when the extremes for entertainment were established as norms for amusement. “Death Race 2000” is a prophetic and darkly genius action thriller that pinpoints the very nature of human illness and how we view violence as nothing more than a mortal hurdle we can ignore in the face of rewards.
Shivers (1975)
Going by a slew of alternate titles, “Shivers” is probably one of the most intense bits of dark horror comedy I’ve ever seen with Director David Cronenberg presenting a premise that is gutsier than most independent films I’ve ever seen. Cronenberg’s horror film is a study of sexual demonizing, and is a movie that only could have blossomed from the seventies. It was a time where puritanical America was suddenly introduced to a range of open sexual exploration and an unabashed orgy of controversy and backlash from hold outs who watched free love, pornography burst into the mainstream, and the celebration of homosexuality.
Shaft (2000)
Director John Singleton’s “Shaft” is something of a remake, but also a reboot for modern audiences. Fans of the seventies crime thriller with Richard Roundtree will recognize the name of Shaft, while modern audiences can enjoy the pure machismo of Samuel L. Jackson in an iconic role. Why it never became a full fledged movie series is not at all surprising. “Shaft” takes on all the beats of the action genre, with a lovable hero, brutal villains, interesting sidekicks, and enough action to satisfy easily bored audiences. The problem is, once “Shaft” is done, there simply is nowhere left to go with this character.
I'm Gonna Git You Sucka! (1988)
Up until “Black Dynamite” came along and proved me wrong, “I’m Gonna Git You Sucka” was the best satire of blaxploitation movies ever made. As one of the very few comedies the Wayans brothers ever directed, “I’m Gonna Git You Sucka” both mocks and pays tribute to the blaxploitation genre, harping on various tropes of the sub-genre from the seventies that filled many grindhouse theaters across the world. What makes “I’m Gonna Git You Sucka” even better is that even if you have never seen a film from the sub-genre, you’ll still pretty much laugh until the final scene.
Paintball (2009)
Director Daniel Benmayor seems to want to create his own version of “Battle Royale” with a hint of “Saw” and “Predator” mixed in to the fold. In the process, he manages to create one of the most moronic genre entries in a very long time. “Paintball” tries to take a normal sport and turn it on its head, in hopes of becoming something in the arena of “Jaws.” But the only thing this movie will inspire you not to do is watch it again. “Paintball” works against logic and common sense from the get go by writing characters that are all numbskulls. They’re so idiotic that when it becomes painfully clear they’re being hunted, they still hold their paintball guns in front of them like weapons and aim. What were they hoping to do with ineffective paintballs? Stain the killer to death?
Little Reaper (2013)
The role of the grim reaper isn’t an easy one, and the Grim Reaper himself knows it all too well. He’s getting on his years, and is now looking to train his daughter to become the new Grim Reaper. She is a young girl who is obsessed with her own life, and isn’t looking forward to becoming a reaper. She just wants to be like the cool girls in school, the Banshees. But, being the daughter of the Reaper, she will eventually have to keep the scales of life and death balanced, and the Reaper is intent on making her uphold her duties, or endure a terrible grounding.