Roger Corman's films have proved to be a fertile training ground for many names on both sides of the camera, from Jack Nicholson and Dennis Hopper to Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola and Ron Howard.
But Odette Springer's documentary, "Some Nudity Required", isn't here to sing Corman's praises. Instead, Springer -- a classically trained musician and opera singer who spent four years working as her former boss' music supervisor -- has some very disturbing observations to make about the people, herself included, who would be drawn to such morsels of exploitation as "Sorority House Massacre" and "Midnight Tease".
As films with an agenda go, "Some Nudity Required" has its moments of enlightened clarity and some gloriously cheesy film clips and terrific bits of irony as Springer's subjects rationalize their choices in life with a "they're-not-using-me-I'm-using-them" earnestness.
But it tends to go overboard in the navel-gazing, self-therapy department as the filmmaker intensely analyzes her repulsion/attraction to the unabashedly sexist images surrounding her and comes to some eye-opening conclusions in the process.
Screened this year at Sundance, "Some Nudity Required" could do a little business with the art house set, not to mention some stragglers from the raincoat crowd who may be lured by the title.
When not turning her camera inward, Springer focuses on a colorful lineup of Corman personnel, including 6-foot-1-inch Julie Strain, reluctant scream queen Maria Ford, filmmakers Fred Olen Ray ("Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers") and Jim Wynorski ("Sorority House Massacre 2: Nighty Nightmare") and, briefly, a very uneasy-looking Corman.
Not surprisingly, there's a fairly strong whiff of chauvinism emanating from most of her male subjects. The pompous Wynorski is fond of saying things like "breasts are the cheapest special effects in our business."
One wishes Springer might have devoted some of the time spent taking her own pulse to talking to behavioral psychologists or even some of those who were given their proverbial big breaks from Corman. It's interesting to note (although the film doesn't) that the first "Slumber Party Massacre" in 1982 was directed by Amy Holden Jones ("Maid to Order"), with a screenplay credited to feminist author Rita Mae Brown.
Technical aspects are bargain-basement scrappy -- perfect for the genre at hand.
SOME NUDITY REQUIRED
Seventh Art Releasing
Director-producer: Odette Springer
Co-director: Johanna Demetrakas
Screenwriters: Odette Springer, Johanna Demetrakas
Editor: Kate Amend
Executive producer: Lionel Bissoon
Directors of cinematography: Alain Bertrancourt, Sandra Chandler Music: Odette Springer
Music supervisor: Paul di Franco
Color/stereo
Running time -- 85 minutes
No MPAA rating...
But Odette Springer's documentary, "Some Nudity Required", isn't here to sing Corman's praises. Instead, Springer -- a classically trained musician and opera singer who spent four years working as her former boss' music supervisor -- has some very disturbing observations to make about the people, herself included, who would be drawn to such morsels of exploitation as "Sorority House Massacre" and "Midnight Tease".
As films with an agenda go, "Some Nudity Required" has its moments of enlightened clarity and some gloriously cheesy film clips and terrific bits of irony as Springer's subjects rationalize their choices in life with a "they're-not-using-me-I'm-using-them" earnestness.
But it tends to go overboard in the navel-gazing, self-therapy department as the filmmaker intensely analyzes her repulsion/attraction to the unabashedly sexist images surrounding her and comes to some eye-opening conclusions in the process.
Screened this year at Sundance, "Some Nudity Required" could do a little business with the art house set, not to mention some stragglers from the raincoat crowd who may be lured by the title.
When not turning her camera inward, Springer focuses on a colorful lineup of Corman personnel, including 6-foot-1-inch Julie Strain, reluctant scream queen Maria Ford, filmmakers Fred Olen Ray ("Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers") and Jim Wynorski ("Sorority House Massacre 2: Nighty Nightmare") and, briefly, a very uneasy-looking Corman.
Not surprisingly, there's a fairly strong whiff of chauvinism emanating from most of her male subjects. The pompous Wynorski is fond of saying things like "breasts are the cheapest special effects in our business."
One wishes Springer might have devoted some of the time spent taking her own pulse to talking to behavioral psychologists or even some of those who were given their proverbial big breaks from Corman. It's interesting to note (although the film doesn't) that the first "Slumber Party Massacre" in 1982 was directed by Amy Holden Jones ("Maid to Order"), with a screenplay credited to feminist author Rita Mae Brown.
Technical aspects are bargain-basement scrappy -- perfect for the genre at hand.
SOME NUDITY REQUIRED
Seventh Art Releasing
Director-producer: Odette Springer
Co-director: Johanna Demetrakas
Screenwriters: Odette Springer, Johanna Demetrakas
Editor: Kate Amend
Executive producer: Lionel Bissoon
Directors of cinematography: Alain Bertrancourt, Sandra Chandler Music: Odette Springer
Music supervisor: Paul di Franco
Color/stereo
Running time -- 85 minutes
No MPAA rating...
- 10/16/1998
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.