Friday, November 30, 2018

Movie review - "Common Law Cabin" (1967) **

The Russ Meyer style which would become so famous in Vixen and Beyond the Valley of the Dolls was established with this melodrama - he'd used fevered narration, jump cuts, tilts, breasts and over the top melodrama before, but this one was in colour.

It was written by Jack Moran, who brought so much to the party in Faster Pussycat, and who has written himself basically the lead role, a guy running a crummy cabin by a lake, living with his daughter and oversexed French wife. They are visited by Ken Swofford as a corrupt detective.

I didn't enjoy it. There was too much focus on male characters, which is never good in Meyer films. Only Alaina Capri's character seems to enjoy sex - Swofford is a rapist. There is some melodrama and a high body count - it's like Lorna or Mudhoney in that way.

Rhe casting wasn't up to scratch. Babette Bardot has the figure, but is awkward and uncomfortable. Adele Rein is pretty, but it just feels kind of wrong having her as Moran's daughter. Moran was okay. Alaina Capri gets lots of chances and looks like Erica Gavin, but isn't up to it - all the way through this film I kept thinking to myself "I wish Erica Gavin was playing this role".

Ken Swofford is very professional. He's this film's Alex Rocco - a rare Meyer actor who went on and had a decent career - you'd recognise him from a million 80s TV credits. (Charles Napier would fulfil a similar role on later Meyer movies).

It looks good. I just didn't have that much fun watching it.

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