Review of Machete Maidens Unleashed! (2010) by Scott C — 13 Apr 2012

Really fun & informative documentary detailing a branch of the profitable 1970s exploitation market and the pros and cons of filming in the Philippines. These are the locations that spawned the popular women in prison (WIP) genre including Big Doll House, Women in Cages and Big Bird Cage and talks with the actors, directors, and crew about their experiences. John Landis offers the most hilariously glib observations and we also hear from Sid Haig, Joe Dante, and the low-budget producer extraordinaire himself Roger Corman. The films were profitable in part because they were so cheap, cutting corners by having dangerous stunts performed by untrained actors, primitive living and working conditions, and borrowing the Filipino army for big action scenes!

Favorite title: Jeanie Bell starred as the black ass-kicking heroine in TNT Jackson, so following its success what do you call a film starring a white ass-kicking heroine? Firecracker!