Celebrating The Wild “Shocktober” Career Of Janet Agren!
My “2022 Shocktober” celebrates Cult Horror Movie Queens – whether their parts are big and small – and sometimes, I am amazed at how many films an Actress can appear in without ever really “starring” in them!
Such is the case with Janet Agren – this great Actress has 58 movie credits! This Swedish Model moved to Rome to get into film in the late 60’s and worked steadily for decades – let’s take a look.
Janet had small roles in mainstream films like the 1972 Michael Caine film “Pulp, and the 1972 Jack Lemmon comedy “Avanti!”
But enough of that, let’s get to the cult “shocktober” gems!
Agren appeared in “Forbidden Tale…Of No Clothes” in 1972, with the film living up to the title:
She appeared in sex comedies, dramas, action films and thrillers as well:
“Cave Of The Sharks”
This 1978 action thriller has two scavengers seeking some valuables from an airplane that went down in the Bermuda Triangle – but of course, they face not only human treachery but also the mysterious powers of an underwater civilization!
Agren appeared in dozens of films during the decade, with many never receiving a US release – here are a few of the posters that showcase her talent:
But while she worked steadily in the 70’s, it’s these 1980 shockers that she may be best known for:
“City Of The Living Dead!”
Yes, she appeared in Director Lucio Fulci’s zombie classic, as a Reporter and a Psychic race to close the Gates of Hell after the suicide of a clergyman caused them to open, allowing the dead to rise from their graves!
Check out this trailer:
The second shocker that year is even better known:
Umberto Lenzi’s “Eaten Alive!”
One of the most notorious cannibal shockers of all time!
Here is the trailer:
A young woman teams up with a mercenary to find her missing sister in the jungles of New Guinea where they find that a deranged leader of a religious cult has located his commune in an area inhabited by cannibals.
As you can imagine, this nude body painting scene is one of her most famous…for good reason!
She was a popular pinup model at the time as well:
Another of her films was the notoriously inept sword and sorcery epic that is one of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s worst films!
“Red Sonja” from 1985 was meant to introduce a female action hero, but the film’s reception made that impossible…check out the trailer:
Arnold Schwarzenegger calls this movie as one of his worst, yet as IMDB’s great trivia reports:
“He (laughingly) claims that it’s an excellent disciplinary tool for his children. “I tell them, if they get on my bad side, they’ll be forced to watch Red Sonja ten times in a row. It must be working, because none of my kids has ever given me much trouble.”
Agren quit acting a few years later and moved to the US where she currently lives.
Bravo to Janet for a great run of films, especially her two cult shockers from 1980…as I said, there are times you see an Actress a lot but never quite know who she is:
Dagmar Lassander had a great run of films as well, including the sequel to “Black Emmanuelle” and more – click here to see more of her:
Another international sex kitten was Leonora Fani:
She also had a great run in cult cinema – and you can see the most revealing of her roles by clicking on my story here:
Many of the films celebrated this month are Italian “giallo” thrillers, and for good reason:
Edwige Fenech starred in a number of Italian slashers, and you can see more of them here:
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Let me know which Janet Agren films you’ve seen!
Categories: 70's Films, Classic Horror, Euro-Sleaze, Exploitation Films, Extreme Cinema, Grindhouse, Horror films, JRsploitation, Nudity, sex kittens, Sexploitation Films, Talent / Celebrites
JR-Sploitation! 
Cowink, I just saw her in Sergio Martino’s Hands of Steel juts a few days ago. I believe she remained clothed though.
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Thanks for sharing that!
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I have seen Red Sonja, but don’t remember Janet in that film. You gave her a great tribute, John.
Best wishes, Pete.
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