Carl Abrahamsson: That's sexploitation? To a degree, yes!

Something Weird Video has been the main supplier of fine cinematic sleaze for many decades now. Sadly, founder and main dynamo Mike Vraney died in January but the business continues as before, thanks to Vraney's family and friends. That's good news.

One of the final projects Vraney was involved in is a documentary called That's Sexploitation. A very fitting title, because that really is what it is: a swirling cavalcade of clips to illustrate the history of sexploitation cinema. Intercut with narration by Frank "Basket Case" Henenlotter and interview sequences with sleaze producer par excellence David F. Friedman (1923-2011, "the mighty monarch of exploitation").

Given this quite simple structure, you quickly understand that the film is not really a definitive documentary in any way. Actually it's more like an extended Something Weird-trailer (not unlike the opening section of all Something Weird releases), with the highly entertaining Friedman stories as the real gems. And although those stories are subjective and quite fragmented, they are still invaluable. I mean, who else is still alive today to tell the stories of the good old days?

We are taken on a wild and raunchy ride from the humble beginnings of loops, stag films, sex hygiene and instructional films, peep shows, sex- and drugs-crazes and fears, burlesque developments and integrations, nudie cuties, nudies, roughies and finally some softcore stuff before everything ends in the very early 1970s because of the emergence of hardcore porn. The end of a long and profitable era!

There are some remarkable flaws in this film though. Russ Meyer is mentioned only briefly in passing as the director of The Immoral Mr Teas (1959), and Andy Milligan equally briefly. There should be enough interesting characters and destinies in the history of sexploitation to make a film considerably more substantial than this.

But as an entertaining overview, That's Sexploitation works well. Friedman is/was funny, Henenlotter equally so (he really should have a TV show of his own), and the plethora of mind-boggling clips from movies that have to be seen to be believed creates an overall impression of psychotronic amazement. In that sense, it's a joyride.

I think maybe I'm too jaded, because what I enjoyed most with the film were the clips and photos of old cinemas... Anyway, watch this documentary and keep supporting Something Weird. Their preservation of this tittylating segment of American cultural history is worthy of many honors and commemorative statues. Preferably statues with big boobs!