Time To Celebrate Scream Queen Michelle Bauer!
I love Halloween season – it gives us all a chance to revisit some of our greatest horror films – and Scream Queens!
Michelle Bauer has had an incredible career – dozens of films across many genres, as well as TV shows, documentary appearances and photo spreads as well!
On this Shocktober day #14, I’m going to focus on one of her greatest hits, directed by Fred Olen Ray, released with the hilarious tag line:
“They Charge An Arm And A Leg!”
“Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers!”
Yes, the title and tagline should tell you how “tongue in bloody cheek” this film is, but that’s what makes it a classic!
First, check out this vintage movie trailer – oh, be warned that it is full of sex, nudity and blood – everything that makes Halloween great!
Check out the trailer:
Here is the film’s plot, courtesy of the great website “DVD Drive-in”:
“On the hunt for runaway Oxnard teenager Samantha, Los Angeles private detective Jack Chandler stumbles across an LAPD investigation into a series of chainsaw serial killings when thinks homicide detective Harrison’s “Cuisinart Queen” suspect – caught “making Chicken McNuggets with a chainsaw” – might be the missing girl!”
“Chicken McNuggets With A Chainsaw”!
I think we can all guess what will be in this film: lots of sex, blood, nudity and horrific fun – with Michelle Bauer in the middle of all of it!
The late 80’s were a delirious time for low-budget filmmaking…and Michelle Bauer was in many of them!
Bauer brought an “anything goes” enthusiasm to her role, and in “Chainsaw Hookers”, she has a blast with some very large chainsaws!
Cult movies in the late 80’s were trying to keep the spirit of the drive-in alive – just bloodier, sexier and with a knowing wink to the audience!
“Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers” Director Fred Olen Ray has had a great career in movies, with more than 150 directing credits!
His low budget films were always full of sex, nudity blood and fun – with an 80’s saturated gloss that makes them pop off the screen!
Michelle is great friends with fellow “Scream Queen” Linnea Quigley, who also starred in “Chainsaw”…
It took over seven hours to paint Linnea Quigley’s body for her “Virgin Dance of the Double Chainsaws” set piece!
Cult movie fans know that the leader of the chainsaw cult in the film is played by the late great Gunnar Hansen, who also played the chainsaw-wielding Leatherface in “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.”
As Bauer stated:
“I was scared to death of meeting Gunnar Hansen because growing up I saw The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974). I thought that guy was a real guy when I was very young. It was a very scary movie like the original The Hills Have Eyes (1977). So, when I met Gunnar, I’m going, “Oh my God, this guy’s a maniac! I know he’s nuts and he’s got this maniacal look in his eye!” I met him and he’s the most friendly, wonderful, fantastically cuddly, warmhearted gentleman you’d ever meet in your life. Just a big teddy bear and a pleasure to work with.”
Greg Kenner’s “MovieTime” Moment!
I own the blu-ray of “Chainsaw Hookers” and there is a great “extra” included: a vintage “MovieTime Hollywood Premiere” (3:53) in which Oscar-nominated actor Greg Kinnear pays his dues condescendingly covering the film’s premiere interviewing Quigley, Wildsmith, Camp Video’s Jim Goff, Sybil Danning (who is “always interested in a seeing a good documentary”), and cabaret act “Les Stevens and the Lovely Carol”.
As one of the folks who worked at MovieTime in the day, this is a great piece of nostalgia – although I can’t believe that Director Fred Olen Ray wasn’t in the story!
Along with being a great Scream Queen, Bauer was also a much in-demand model, and was Penthouse Pet of the Month in July 1981.
She also took part in a terrific documentary about this wild era in film!
The documentary “Screaming in High Heels: The Rise & Fall of the Scream Queen Era” from 2011 focuses on Bauer’s career, along with Linnea Quigley and Brinke Stevens.
They also bathed together in the cult film “Nightmare Sisters”, a film made on a dare!
Click here to see why:
The horror films of the 80’s were filled with vivd colors – and some terrific Horror Queens!
Barbara Crampton starred ins ome of the best examples of 80’s horror – see the trailers for “Re-Animator” and “Chopping Mall” by clicking here:
If you like these stories, you can go to my website’s front page and sign on to follow me – there are NO ads at all, just lots of stories to come about the wild world of exploitation and cult films!
Click here and see the “follow” button on the upper right!
Don’t forget to gas up for some fun this Halloween – leave me a comment if you’ve seen this slice of 80’s horror fun!
Categories: Books / Media, Camp Cult Classics, Classic Horror, Cult Classics, Exploitation Films, Horror films, JRsploitation, Nudity, sex kittens, Uncategorized
JR-Sploitation! 
Very cool. Thanks.
LikeLike
You have a great career of films that stand out for their originality and “anything goes” spirit, often with tongue firmly in cheek…even more refreshing today!
LikeLike
Michelle certainly had a ‘body for the camera’, no doubt! She was hot!
(Did you notice that I ‘borrowed Linnea’s surname to use in my serial?)
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You did, Pete! Thanks for commenting as always!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love Michelle (she reminds me of all the good things about my ex-wife). Watching her break down and cry during the extras on “The Unliving” DVD breaks my heart. A beautiful lady.
LikeLike
I haven’t seen that but will look for it! Thanks for the comment, always great hearing from you!
LikeLike