Thursday, October 3, 2013

Teaserama



Bettie couldn't dance, but who cares?
Bettie loses some "coolness points" when she dances, but if you go into frame-by-frame mode on your DVD player it's obvious that each frame of her dancing would have made a great still shot in and of itself. Proof that she was a great poser, and a lousy dancer, but as she has said herself, she was "far from being a professional dancer". Still, she is very appealing, despite the fact that neither my husband nor myself could contain our unabated laughter during her dance scenes. Her sparkle and sense of fun are evident throughout, she is in great shape, and her ever-changing and playful facial expressions are absolute treats to see.

Plus! You get to "Hear Bettie speak!" in addition to seeing her jump around - uhhm I mean dance.

The best part of the DVD is, yes, the silent, black and white arcade film loop of Bettie made specifically for those old-time coin-activated viewers....Bettie gyrates up to a point, then the screen is suddenly blocked out with a caption...

DELIGHTFUL TIME CAPSULE.....
Incredible look at what burlesque was like in the 50's. Forget the comics (they're awful) and enjoy the ladies. Two reasons to see this are Bettie Page and Tempest Storm. Storm was a first rate stripper of the day and Bettie Page was, well, Bettie Page. Her girl-next-door quality made her a favorite photographer's model and a girlie film cutie. She wasn't a real stripper but a lovely "come-on" girl. She's the cue card girl here and you can see why she was such a delight. She always seems to be having a good time. The other strippers are so-so with Trudy Wayne being an exception. But check this out for Page and Storm. A must see for nostalgia buffs. See also "Varietease".

No nudity but plenty of steam!
This movie is worth buying for several reasons!

First, it will give you an appreciation of what exactly the American Sexual Revolution accomplished in practical terms. In terms of adult content, most of the material in this video could now be shown on prime time TV without so much as a raised eyebrow. Even under silk negligees the performers are wearing pasties.

Secondly, it is a great snapshot of underground entertainment that adults of that era could only experience in the confines of smelly old movie houses. That is, if you could brave the worst streets of downtown, and risk being seen going into a "[adult]" theater. There were no video tapes or DVD's to rent.

The performers run the gamut from the lackluster to the stellar.

There was Vicky Lynn, a "female impersonator" --as they euphemistically called drag queens. His dance numbers showed uncommon grace and charm, including a Flamenco dance that borders on hilariously serious.

There are several other worthy performers...

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