BOOK REVIEW:
The title "Exploitation Poster Art" either sounds
cool or "what the hell is that?" to people but flip
over the pages and it might set some innocent adolescents
on the verge of fire.
Firstly, we didn't even know people in the past can be so
cool. Secondly, it seems liked they tend to appreciate "art"
a little more.
In a nutshell, this book features relatively unseen (to our
generation) poster arts, it's apparently not about those arthouse
genres but what we termed as "soft-porn" in today's
era. With names such as "The Unashamed" and "Vixen!",
these posters features mostly ladies with extreme well-endowned
bosoms, eye-catching naughty taglines or couples in sensitive
body positions.
The book marks an era whereby porn is not yet easily available
on home videos and cable. And one of the best, convenient
way to satisfy one's lust is to watch them on the big screen.
Sounds tempting and not a bad idea after all.
While it might be a hard chore tracking those titles on video
now, at least you can savour the poster images in this wonderfully
compiled book.
CHOICE XCERPT:
From the foreword by the author:
“The censors and filmmakers shared one thing: a love
of publicity. Soon, the two sides discovered that their's
could be a mutually beneficial relationship. The clergymen
and politicians could make headlines and please their constituents
by loudly denouncing the immorality of the new medium; the
filmmakers and exhibitors were more than grateful for the
unpaid advertising that drew public attention to their wares”
VERDICT:
Dave
Kehr has written a wonderful guide to the world of exploitation
genre. Despite the tempting images, the book is still not
everyone's cup of tea. However on the other hand, it's the
perfect fodder for the exquisite group of film lovers.
Review
by Linus Tee
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