Thursday, March 30, 2023

Bad Girls Go to Hell

Bad Girls Go to Hell (1965)

Runtime: 65 minutes

Directed by: Doris Wishman

Starring: Gigi Darlene, Charles E. Mazin, Sam Stewart, Gertrude Cross, Allen Feinstein

From: Juri Productions

A movie I enjoyed more for its stock jazzy score and interesting ending rather than its most salacious material. Before the Doris Wishman films leave the Criterion Channel at the end of March, I wanted to watch one of her most popular titles. Bad Girls Go to Hell is a tremendous title in general, but this was my first-ever “roughie.” That is sexploitation which is rougher, meaning more sadism and violence.

In this 65 minute piece, Meg is a young lady in Boston who has a boyfriend; after he leaves the apartment she suffers through TWO sexual assaults that are pretty gross. After a big moment Meg flees and heads to New York City, where life does seem like hell as she deals with more bad people, typically men. I could nitpick various aspects for sure yet this was quite the journey for Meg, at times surreal and usually provocative, whether it be titillating or horrifying due to the roughie moments.

There is a stock jazz score which I legitimately enjoyed quite a bit, an odd yet interesting vibe between all the dialogue being dubbed in later and Wishman’s unique editing style (expect to see many cuts of random objects, especially clocks), & a surprise ending-another director trademark-and this could be successful for those genuinely curious. Also, those in the niche that enjoy such movies should like this.

By the way, a late scene reveals that the setting is… right before Easter; how appropriate. Another Wishman film about to leave on the platform after tomorrow is 1977’s Let Me Die a Woman, a documentary about… transgender people. I have no problem with trans people and a review would reflect as such yet for a number of reasons, in this current climate—that could somehow court controversy somehow so I’d better not.

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