Written by: Jimmy the Gent on November 21st, 2010
Theatrical Release Date: Various
Directors: Various
Cast: Virginia “Ding Dong” Bell, Bunni Bacon, Vicki Palmer, Glenda Graham, Honey Bee, Ann Peters, Marge Middleton, Donna Mae ‘Busty’ Brown
DVD released: November 9th, 2010
Approximate running time: 180 minutes
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Full Frame
Rating: NR
Sound: Dolby Digital Mono English
Subtitles: N/A
DVD Release: Secret Key Motion Pictures
Region Coding: Region 0 NTSC
Retail Price: $19.99
Presented here, a collection of fifty 8mm loops from the ‘atomic age’: the fifties and early sixties. This is quite a varied collection, featuring glamour and bikini footage, burlesque performers with costumes and pasties, and numerous busty broads and babes [broads have some tummy, babes don't] who appear in the buff.
Several of these performers have the three basics covered: cute face, great body, and photogenic charisma. Beyond their control are presentation and print condition. But satisfying most, if not all aspects are quite a number of great shorts, such as Freddie Robbins and Elaine Jones in loop numbers 3 and 4 respectively, so things get off to a rousing start. Another highlight has two babes having a pillow fight, then taking turns peeling their pantyhose and removing garters. The busty one (almost too good to be true) lies on her back and proves they are 100%.
Some shorts are just plain surrealistic: ‘Salvador Dolly’ features an uncredited Ann Peters (The Immoral Mr. Teas), who appears in the hallucinations of a Dali-esque character knocked unconscious by a literal ‘painted lady’. Elsewhere Marge Middleton (uncredited) is forced to strip down by a determined kerosene heater! Donna Mae ‘Busty’ Brown (uncredited) appears in a polka dot bikini (no nudity), but with barely any tummy, from her blonde period.
The DVD:
The source is 8mm, which was often a marginal copy to begin with. Some shorts are rather beat, some are blurry, some projected too fast, and some are faded. And some are mere fragments of the original subject. Case in point is Joan Brakeman, who’s brief appearance is from a much longer scene and originally in color. Another ‘film’ is actually a sound promo trailer, but without the sound, and projected too fast. Other than the occasional 42nd St. Pete interlude, the only soundtrack is projector noise and an atom bomb explosion during each title sequence. A booklet is quite handy for locating any particular short, but very little actual information is provided, especially identification of many ‘name’ models.
This is not a definitive collection. The first two Virginia Bell loops are (uncredited) pasties appearances, and the nude fragment is better sourced elsewhere. But this is a great introduction to the genre; the variety and brevity of the material keeps it from ever getting boring. Just pop it in, turn up some music, and let the good times roll.