By the early 70s the classic American sexploitation movie was pretty much dead, replaced by softcore and even hardcore porn. We ended up with a lot more skin but a lot less fun. The Dirty Mind of Young Sally, which dates from 1973, illustrates this trend rather nicely.
Had it been made just a few years earlier it would have lacked the extended sex scenes but the fun elements of the plot would have been fully exploited. The potential was certainly there.
Dirty Sally is the star attraction (in fact the only attraction) of pirate radio station KLUV. She broadcasts her sex show (coming to you and coming with you three times a day) from a mobile broadcasting station in the back of van. She plays sexy music, talks about sex, gives sex tips and has sex on air, sometimes flying solo and sometimes with a partner.
The local police chief is determined to close her down but every time the cops are about to close in on her she and her partner (good-natured radio engineer Toby who obviously has a major crush on Sally) make their getaway in their van. The long-suffering Sergeant Dimwhittle is informed in no uncertain terms that his job is at stake unless Sally is cleansed from the airwaves.
Sally has come up with a new idea - a competition. Listeners will send in their letters, the best letter will be read on air and the writer will get to have sex with her on air. Meanwhile Sergeant Dimwhittle seems to be very near to getting his hands on Sally, and he ends up getting much closer to her than he expects.
It sounds like good-natured fun, a bit like Smokey and the Bandit with lots of sex and nudity but unfortunately there’s too much sex and too little fun.
There is some humour. The couple trying to follow Sally’s sex advice in the backseat of a dune buggy (evidently not the most convenient place for having sex) is quite amusing. Sadly much of the humour, like the sex, is obvious and laboured.
Sharon Kelly as Sally has her funny moments as well while she’s certainly not shy about showing off her ample charms. She’s the only member of the cast who displays any real acting ability.
The catfight sequence is another highlight.
Much of the sex is quite close to being hardcore and possibly crosses the line at times. It goes to prove that a few years earlier when sexploitation movies were more limited in what they could show they had to work harder to keep things interesting.
This is sexploitation crossed with hicksploitation, something of a specialty of writer-director Bethel Buckalew. It was produced by Harry Novak, one of the kings of sexploitation.
Something Weird’s DVD looks good. The film is presented as a Sharon Kelly double feature.
Not a great movie but if you enjoy 70s sex comedies it has its moments.
1 comment:
I just had to grab this. The transfer is pretty nice, though I've only seen the first five minutes or so. Can't wait to watch the rest.
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