The major flaw with the film is its uninspired script. It plods back and forth between vignettes of Bettie's story and re-creations of the Klaw short films. While the Klaw re-creations are well done, it is unnecessary to recreate them in their near entirety. Page Richards, while not an amazing actress, does a decent job overall. And, at times, she does bear a remarkable resemblance to Bettie. Also of note is some faithful attention to detail. Costumes and clothing well done, as is some of the set direction. The sets are generally sparse and feel stage-y, but do feel of the era. It is sometimes surprisingly well lit, and the color palette was clearly thought-out to give the overall look a vibrant, retro feel.
9 Reviews
Pretty Weak Bio-Film Of The Legendary Pin-up...
EVOL66613 July 2006
Warning: Spoilers
I'm kinda torn on DARK ANGEL. The film appears to be a "loving" tribute to the greatest pin-up to ever live - but there is so little actual "content" that the film itself is virtually pointless. I can't really see what the motivation or "point" of this film is - as there is very little biographical information provided in the narrative - so those who don't know much about Bettie aren't gonna know much more after watching DARK ANGEL either...
The film basically chronicles the last few years of Bettie's career in bondage modeling. Almost the entire film is comprised of "re-enactments" of some of Bettie's more "famous" photo-shoots and loops. These re-enactments take up literally 75% of the films run-time, and give virtually no insight into Bettie as a person. The film touches briefly on her short-lived legitimate acting pursuits, and her subsequent decision to leave the "business" and become religious - but all of this is pretty much glossed-over in favor of showing long and drawn-out re-enactment scenes...
DARK ANGEL isn't a horrible film - there's just no substance to it. The other problem is that the actress that plays Bettie only really resembles her in farther away shots - up-close it's a no-go. The other thing that irritated me, is that although Bettie did several topless modeling shoots - the only nudity in the film was a short segment shot in a zoo during the end credits. The film itself is obviously extremely low-budget, but does what it can set and costume-wise within it's limitations - so no gripes from me there. The acting is pretty wooden and unmemorable from everyone involved. In fact - the most memorable thing about the whole film for me, was noticing during the end credits that the actor who played Irving Klaw's real name is Dukey Flyswatter. No joke - check the cast list. Can't say that I recommend this one too highly unless you are a true Bettiefile completist and must own anything relating to her. And if you are that bad off - then you need to seek treatment anyway...4/10
The film basically chronicles the last few years of Bettie's career in bondage modeling. Almost the entire film is comprised of "re-enactments" of some of Bettie's more "famous" photo-shoots and loops. These re-enactments take up literally 75% of the films run-time, and give virtually no insight into Bettie as a person. The film touches briefly on her short-lived legitimate acting pursuits, and her subsequent decision to leave the "business" and become religious - but all of this is pretty much glossed-over in favor of showing long and drawn-out re-enactment scenes...
DARK ANGEL isn't a horrible film - there's just no substance to it. The other problem is that the actress that plays Bettie only really resembles her in farther away shots - up-close it's a no-go. The other thing that irritated me, is that although Bettie did several topless modeling shoots - the only nudity in the film was a short segment shot in a zoo during the end credits. The film itself is obviously extremely low-budget, but does what it can set and costume-wise within it's limitations - so no gripes from me there. The acting is pretty wooden and unmemorable from everyone involved. In fact - the most memorable thing about the whole film for me, was noticing during the end credits that the actor who played Irving Klaw's real name is Dukey Flyswatter. No joke - check the cast list. Can't say that I recommend this one too highly unless you are a true Bettiefile completist and must own anything relating to her. And if you are that bad off - then you need to seek treatment anyway...4/10
tear this page out
RavenGlamDVDCollector17 August 2014
I am RavenGlamDVDCollector@gmail.com. I am a sucker for Hollywood glamor. So if I go thumbs down, something must be very, very wrong. No, the movie isn't all bad, though I dearly love how that other reviewer put it so eruditely: 'Bettie's films were destroyed. This film should have been destroyed too'. Right on! Sums it up!
THE NOTORIOUS BETTIE PAGE was disappointing. But this one has zero going for it save the recreations of the bondage vignettes. The movie itself is a waste of time. And note that the vignettes had to be very static with a fixed camera, little movement except up and down, and to add to this dull closed- circuit TV look, you have lots of the movie itself bogged down in similar dull shots.
Toddlers in a nursery school play are more exciting. Well, gee, I'm talking about the rest of the movie, the weak story, for at least there is a lot of sexy stuff, even if kinda dull.
That cheetah at the end has my attitude. However much Paige flirted with the haughty creature, after this Burnt Turkey of a movie, he wanted nothing to do with her. Even when she got naked. By the way, after all these years of watching end titles, a movie that rewards that effort.
I am quite ashamed of the low score I'm giving it. The vignetted are (I suppose) faithfully recreated, and clearly deserve more, but the movie is a wasted opportunity. The vignettes should have been spliced in with THE NOTORIOUS BETTIE PAGE, and this one need then not have gone further than that.
A tremendous disappointment!
THE NOTORIOUS BETTIE PAGE was disappointing. But this one has zero going for it save the recreations of the bondage vignettes. The movie itself is a waste of time. And note that the vignettes had to be very static with a fixed camera, little movement except up and down, and to add to this dull closed- circuit TV look, you have lots of the movie itself bogged down in similar dull shots.
Toddlers in a nursery school play are more exciting. Well, gee, I'm talking about the rest of the movie, the weak story, for at least there is a lot of sexy stuff, even if kinda dull.
That cheetah at the end has my attitude. However much Paige flirted with the haughty creature, after this Burnt Turkey of a movie, he wanted nothing to do with her. Even when she got naked. By the way, after all these years of watching end titles, a movie that rewards that effort.
I am quite ashamed of the low score I'm giving it. The vignetted are (I suppose) faithfully recreated, and clearly deserve more, but the movie is a wasted opportunity. The vignettes should have been spliced in with THE NOTORIOUS BETTIE PAGE, and this one need then not have gone further than that.
A tremendous disappointment!
Fun little film about the last years of Bettie's career
apollosrivoire8 December 2004
If you are expecting a Hollywood big budget feature, re-think your approach to this film. This is a small, B-Budget film about Betty Page and her work with Irving Klaw making erotique shorts on 8mm camera. The lead, Paige Richards, is a dead ringer for Betty and does a fabulous job re-creating the movies. The 'film' in the 'jungle' actually features still shots of the real Betty Page from the shoot in the '50s. Full of tongue-in-cheek humour, take this film for what it is, a B-movie about THE pin-up icon...
Hands down the worst movie I have ever seen
skobear-119 July 2004
This movie was bad beyond belief. I saw it during the 2004 San Francisco Film Festival. Before it started the owner of the theatre got up and told us how half the audience had left the theatre the night before, which happened to be its "world premiere." I don't think anyone in the theatre understood just how bad the movie was going to be at that point. We all understood by the end.
Its not a documentary though it was sort of sold as one. Dark Angel was a bad biography and misguided homage to Bettie Paige, in which half the movie is actually just remakes of old Bettie Paige movies. The movie is only 90 minutes long and the content of those 90 minutes is sub par to say the least. A scene would start going then someone would say "wow you're so great Bettie, why don't we make another movie." this would be followed by a 5 minutes of a Bettie Paige remake which was almost as ridiculous as (and even more boring than) the normal part of the movie. by the end of the movie people were laughing every time another Bettie Paige movie remake came up. it was that ludicrous. I heard a lot of laughter in that theatre, but people were not laughing with the movie maker, they were laughing at the movie and its poor content and structure. This was easy to tell as the parts that would get the most laughs were the ones which were supposed to be serious or revelatory.
I know movies are expensive. I have seen many cheaply made independent films but somehow the cinematography and quality of this movie set it apart from anything else I have ever seen. The movie looks like it was made for $12. The cuts, the graininess, and the lack of a sensual plot made this a memorable experience. This movie makes "Dude, Where's My Car?" look like Citizen Kane.
My friends and I left the theatre feeling like we had just paid 8 dollars to be tortured. The only redeeming part of the experience was that we got to laugh about the fact that someone had actually made this movie and thought it was good. Apparently, the previous night, the night of the "world premiere" the director/writer/producer had been in the audience and had gotten to witness people laugh at and walk out on his movie. Bettie Paige's movies were destroyed. They should destroy this movie too.
Its not a documentary though it was sort of sold as one. Dark Angel was a bad biography and misguided homage to Bettie Paige, in which half the movie is actually just remakes of old Bettie Paige movies. The movie is only 90 minutes long and the content of those 90 minutes is sub par to say the least. A scene would start going then someone would say "wow you're so great Bettie, why don't we make another movie." this would be followed by a 5 minutes of a Bettie Paige remake which was almost as ridiculous as (and even more boring than) the normal part of the movie. by the end of the movie people were laughing every time another Bettie Paige movie remake came up. it was that ludicrous. I heard a lot of laughter in that theatre, but people were not laughing with the movie maker, they were laughing at the movie and its poor content and structure. This was easy to tell as the parts that would get the most laughs were the ones which were supposed to be serious or revelatory.
I know movies are expensive. I have seen many cheaply made independent films but somehow the cinematography and quality of this movie set it apart from anything else I have ever seen. The movie looks like it was made for $12. The cuts, the graininess, and the lack of a sensual plot made this a memorable experience. This movie makes "Dude, Where's My Car?" look like Citizen Kane.
My friends and I left the theatre feeling like we had just paid 8 dollars to be tortured. The only redeeming part of the experience was that we got to laugh about the fact that someone had actually made this movie and thought it was good. Apparently, the previous night, the night of the "world premiere" the director/writer/producer had been in the audience and had gotten to witness people laugh at and walk out on his movie. Bettie Paige's movies were destroyed. They should destroy this movie too.
Betty Page ...the pin-up icon.
michaelRokeefe24 January 2007
Warning: Spoilers
This documentary is a reenactment of the last few years of Betty Page's(Paige Richards) career. The Tennessee tease was the most recognizable pin-up queen in history. Her most memorable work came in the 1950's and was fetish photos, bondage and cat-fight "girly flicks". Irving Klaw(Dukey Flyswatter)at his Movie Star News instructed Betty on what to do in front of the camera. There was no nudity in the famous photos or "stag films", but nonetheless, Klaw was charged with distributing obscene materials and was ordered to destroy them to avoid prosecution. It is no surprise that Betty had a cult following at the height of her career. The girl-next-door with jet black hair, blue eyes and an hour glass figure dressed in fetish gear or not would mesmerize for decades. After all, it has been said that she was photographed more than Marilyn Monroe and second only to the most photographed image in the world, Elvis Presley. Betty Page would disappear and devote her last years to religion. This movie actually could have been a lot better; but good enough to hold interest.
Miss Richards is stunning in her own right. Bra, panties, garter belt and hose do not hurt her image in the least. Also in the cast: Jaimie Henkin, Jana Strain, Emily Marilyn and Julie Simone. Be advised this movie can change your heart rate.
Miss Richards is stunning in her own right. Bra, panties, garter belt and hose do not hurt her image in the least. Also in the cast: Jaimie Henkin, Jana Strain, Emily Marilyn and Julie Simone. Be advised this movie can change your heart rate.
More of a fetish film that a biopic.
grendelkhan20 September 2014
Warning: Spoilers
Make no mistake, this is not a Hollywood film. It's a biopic produced by the fetish community. It stars Paige Richards, who is a fetish model, who has built her career on a superficial resemblance to Betty Page (and there have been many Betty imitators). Richards is typical for a fetish model; she isn't horrible, but she isn't likely to do mainstream films either. She can handle the regular scenes well enough to keep the film moving along, but is at her best when the ropes come out. And they do. The story featured is more legend than truth and it isn't going to win any awards. Heck, I've seen more creative real fetish films. However, it's a decent "fan film." If you look at it in that light, it has its moments.
Sadly, not really of interest to any but the most obsessive Bettie fans...
MrGKB11 January 2010
Warning: Spoilers
...and even then, even they can live without seeing it. To be honest, this film (if one deigns to call it that) is of real interest only to bondage freaks. Bettie Page fans will learn absolutely nothing new (and I do mean *nothing*), nor will they enjoy the warm fuzzies of experiencing anything familiar, loved, or cherished.
Nevermind the abysmal screenplay, the wooden, less-than-community-theater acting, the utter absence of direction, the crappy lighting, or any of the rest of the bargain basement production values. This is definitely "Hey, kids, let's make a movie!" movie-making of the lowest order. I suppose one could be thankful that at least they knew how to run the camera. No, I'm sorry to say that none of that is germane to why this thing is so outright *wrong*.
It's wrong because the young lady playing Bettie Page, a somewhat zaftig girl whose only resemblance to the Queen of Curves is dark hair and the trademark bangs, utterly fails to bring anything to the role beyond a willingness to be bound and gagged. This is apparently a good thing for her film career before and since this wretched excess, but not for the wretched excess itself, which consists primarily of a number of lovingly re-enacted B&D set-pieces sandwiched between horrendously awful faux-biographical scenes delineating Ms. Page's fall from grace (so to speak). There's actually probably more information, per se, about Page's life in the opening and closing credits than the rest of the movie.
Do not be fooled. This is not a worthy companion film to "The Notorious Bettie Page." This is not a worthy film at all. This is a fetish piece that trades on the allure of one of the greatest pin-ups of all time, and does it without class, without style, and without any real sense of understanding the character of Bettie Page whatsoever. No true Bettie Page fan will find it to be anything but a disappointment, I guarantee that.
Avoid at all costs. If free, remember that time is money, too. Yours may not be worth much, but I'm betting it's worth enough that you'll be sorry you wasted time with this one. That's it, I'm done, you've been warned.
Nevermind the abysmal screenplay, the wooden, less-than-community-theater acting, the utter absence of direction, the crappy lighting, or any of the rest of the bargain basement production values. This is definitely "Hey, kids, let's make a movie!" movie-making of the lowest order. I suppose one could be thankful that at least they knew how to run the camera. No, I'm sorry to say that none of that is germane to why this thing is so outright *wrong*.
It's wrong because the young lady playing Bettie Page, a somewhat zaftig girl whose only resemblance to the Queen of Curves is dark hair and the trademark bangs, utterly fails to bring anything to the role beyond a willingness to be bound and gagged. This is apparently a good thing for her film career before and since this wretched excess, but not for the wretched excess itself, which consists primarily of a number of lovingly re-enacted B&D set-pieces sandwiched between horrendously awful faux-biographical scenes delineating Ms. Page's fall from grace (so to speak). There's actually probably more information, per se, about Page's life in the opening and closing credits than the rest of the movie.
Do not be fooled. This is not a worthy companion film to "The Notorious Bettie Page." This is not a worthy film at all. This is a fetish piece that trades on the allure of one of the greatest pin-ups of all time, and does it without class, without style, and without any real sense of understanding the character of Bettie Page whatsoever. No true Bettie Page fan will find it to be anything but a disappointment, I guarantee that.
Avoid at all costs. If free, remember that time is money, too. Yours may not be worth much, but I'm betting it's worth enough that you'll be sorry you wasted time with this one. That's it, I'm done, you've been warned.
Bettie Page mini biog
johnc21417 February 2010
I am a huge Bettie Page fan i remember hearing about the two biog films,this one and the bigger budget notorious Bettie Page.although this movie lacks a budget it is very entertaining and i thought Paige Richards does an awesome job playing the late great icon Bettie Page.they did a great job recreating the black and white films made by Irving and Paula Klaw.the soundtrack is good but my problem was the casting of b movie star Dukey Flyswatter(Micheal Sonye)as a grumpy Irving Klaw.it is a real treat for Bettie Page fans.but really too short and leaves too much out.but none the less i liked the film.and i want to give props to the beautiful sexy;Paige Richards for playing the ultimate unmatched pin up model Bettie Page who i think was far ahead of her time.8 out of 10.
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