SUPERVIXENS
DVD region 0. Arrow Films.

Supervixens chronicles the misadventures of "superstud' Clint, who's overly possessive girlfriend Super Angel kicks him out, suspecting infidelity (though she waits until they've had one last romp first). Their overly aggressive breakup results in a visit from the police, in the form of Harry Sledge (Charles Napier in his finest hour). Harry and Angel later get it on, but the cop is unable to rise to the occasion, incurring the wrath of the man-eating sex kitten. Not one to take criticism lightly, Harry flips and - in the most notorious moment of the movie - kicks down the door of the bathroom where Angel had escaped to, throws her in the bath then jumps up and down on her before tossing an electric radio into the water in a final electrifying gesture.
Prime suspect in the killing is, of course, Clint, who decides to make a run for it. Things don't go too smoothly for him though, and director Russ Meyer delights in pitting his hero against a series of buxotic temptresses who are determined to have their way with him, no matter what.
Supervixens, like all Meyer's work, is a hymn to aggressive female sexuality; throughout it all, our klutzy hero tries his best to avoid the attentions of these predatory females, and invariably fails miserably, landing himself in more trouble every time. Eventually, Clint finds happiness with diner owner Super Vixen, but the idyllic lifestyle is shattered by the return of Harry Sledge, determined to carry on where he left off. Before long, the villainous Harry has Vixen captive in the desert, a stick of dynamite between her legs and her only hope of rescue the wounded, useless Clint...
Supervixens was Meyer's return to independent sexploitation after his dalliance with the mainstream, and saw him move away from the backwoods melodrama of his Sixties work to a brighter, lighter cartoonish feel (complete with Road Runner sound effects) which allowed him to expand the sex and violence in ways which would have otherwise been hard to accept. In fact, Meyer is spoofing himself here, taking the most outrageous elements of his earlier work and exaggerating them to ridiculous levels. The editing is faster, the dialogue more suggestive and hyperbolic, the acting more stolid. Charles Napier deserves praise for creating a truly hateful villain, sneering and snarling his way through the film in a hilariously over-the-top manner.
While Faster Pussycat Kill Kill remains Meyer's biggest cult title, Supervixens is probably his finest moment, and if for some bizarre reason you feel that you only have room for one RM DVD, this is the one to choose.
Arrow's DVD is blessedly uncut and comes complete with Meyer's commentary track and a selection of RM trailers.

DAVID FLINT

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