Ready For Some “FORBIDDEN FLESH?”
It seems like a stupid question, but at one time, it was a major box office draw in the US!
There was an era when films that showed “wanton women” were big box office hits – oh, in a part of town and a the kind of theater you would never want your neighbors to see you in!
First, let’s show you the definition of “wanton women”:
Wanton (especially of a woman) – sexually immodest or promiscuous: her cheeks burned as she recalled how forward she had been, how wanton – a sexually immodest or promiscuous woman.
To behave in a sexually immodest or promiscuous way: women who have wantoned with suitors –
WHAT!?!?!?!
That’s right: They “Wantoned With Suitors!”
OK, time to go back to the wild and crazy days of the 60’s, when the sexual revolution helped usher in a whole new era of movie. In the late 60’s and early 70’s, shrewd theater owners saw that low-rent, sleazy melodramas that focused on WANTON WOMEN did very well with single guys…what a surprise!
It was an era of grindhouse theaters like these – on 42nd street in Times Square – “grindhouse” meant they churned out movie after movie without stopping – and these were films that showed how “wanton” women could be – it was all a male fantasy of course, but it worked, proving once again how stupid guys have always been – and an era in movies that made lots of money off of them!
The Dirty Girls! They Were Made For Love!
Any problem understanding what this film is all about? Of course not! The poster says it all – women who were ready to share their love with you – when this film was released, there were new “social freedoms” that were taking place across the country – the “sexual revolution” in all its forms made for good copy and great box office! It was a simple, exploitative, and pandering marketing pitch that paid off, as you will see…
Forbidden Flesh! Love-Stared And Eager To Learn!
These posters all shared the same theme: “Daring, revealing exposes of life in the big city!” As a young guy, that meant moves that depicted women who were “morally flexible” – for a repressed young male, it was a dream come true – but in fact, these posters promised much more than the films would ever deliver…
like this one!
The Unsatisfied! “Violence – Liquor – Sex. NEVER ENOUGH!
Stop for a moment to savor the simplicity of it:
“Violence – Liquor – Sex. NEVER ENOUGH!”
Thanks to Something Weird Video for the description of the film – it was every young man’s fantasy – oh, and it still is!
SW calls it a “slick, well-made, nasty little movie, ‘The Unsatisfied’ gives off a very different vibe and boasts a very different flavor than the typical U.S. teens-in-trouble film. When LEE HESSEL’s Cambist Films released a U.S. version of it in 1964, additional shot-in-New York skin scenes were cleverly added”.
That’s right, they took foreign films, re-titled them, added some additional skin shots and sold them to an unsuspecting public -I mean, it seems that guys are not that hard to figure out!
“I’ll kill you for that, you witch!”
Here’s the story of how these movies came to be: the added filmed inserts would add extra nudity or sexual situations to the movie for the purpose of selling it to a grindhouse audience – including a surreal moment just five minutes into this film in which two topless gals in a dressing room exchange words (“I’ll kill you for that, you witch!”), then suddenly fight to the death with a pair of scissors as a third gal blandly looks on: “C’mon, break it up, the phone’s ringing!” As quickly as the fight started, it abruptly stops, and the third gal happily shows off the (then-new) topless bathing suit she’s wearing! Wow.
It was an era when savvy Producers would do almost ANYTHING to make a buck off an unsuspecting – and very curious – audience!
Here are a couple of other stories about the sexploitation craze:
Cue Russ Meyer!
Of course, many consider Director Russ Meyer the early Master of the soft-core sexploitation genre – and yes, he had an “appreciation” of an empowered, well-endowed female, along with a library of classic cult films like “Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill” and “Up!”:
He showcased empowered women who gave it as good as they got it, and more! You can check out more of his story here:
https://jrsploitation.com/2013/07/26/russ-myers-vixens-and-pussycats/
And of course, my favorite of the genre is the “Queen Of Artsploitation”:
Christina Lindberg!
And of course, click here to read about the amazing career of Christina Lindberg, the queen of “Artsploitation”…and the ONE film she made that was released THREE SEPARATE TIMES!
Don’t knock this era of film making until you watch a few – it is a fascinating – and important – part of our movie history!
Categories: 70's Films, Artsploitation, Books / Media, Camp Cult Classics, Christina Lindberg, Cult Classics, Euro-Sleaze, Exploitation Films, Grindhouse, JRsploitation, Nudity, Russ Meyer, Sexploitation Films, Talent / Celebrites
JR-Sploitation! 
I recall being told that such films were actually quite ‘tame’, by those who were ‘lucky’ enough to get to see them at the time. But I later became a huge fan of Russ Meyer’s films, as I think he took the genre to a new level of fun and professionalism.
Great feature, John!
Best wishes, Pete.
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I love this. You’re keeping the dream alive.
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This era of film is fascinating to me, because it helped open the floodgates to “Anything goes”, so seeing how they skirted obscenity issues with provocative teases is fun!
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