Pretty Maids All in a Row [Import]

"Pretty Maids All In a Row" is a fun, lighthearted high-school murder-mystery, if that makes sense.

The voyeuristic opening credits feature newcomer John David Carson riding a moped taking in all the female pulchritude on his way to school with lots of T&A and upskirt camera shots.

The primary cast reads like a who's-who of '70s crime shows: Rock Hudson is the greasy guidance counselor/football coach sexing up all the cheerleaders. This isn't the button-down Brylcreem Rock Hudson of 1955--here's he's all sideburns and porn 'stache. Angie Dickinson is the sexy substitute teacher with whom Carson becomes infatuated. Telly Savalas is the detective investigating the murders (except here he's constantly sucking a cigarette, not a lollipop). Among the secondary players are Roddy McDowell as the Vice-Principal, wacky Susan Tolsky as his secretary and Keenan Wynn as an inept cop.

A deft mix of campy drama and comedy, there are some unintentionally surreal and hilarious moments here as when Hudson discusses erections with Carson (knowing what we know now, this takes on a whole new meaning), and seeing various naked women throw themselves at him. It's interesting to see how times have changed, as Dickinson doesn't scream sexual harrassment when Hudson slips his hand up her top--in fact, she seems to rather enjoy it. In 2011, Dickinson's predatory substitute-teacher would be jailed for seducing a student, which shows how really sexually-liberated society was back in 1971.

The script does become somewhat predictable but there is a slight twist at the end.

The widescreen print is good, but there are some minor problems here and there and the sound level varies. (NOTE: See the screen-grabs posted in the Images section of this product). For a Made-to-Order DVD there is absolutely nothing bad to say about this release.

"Pretty Maids" is not really Academy-Award material, but it is quite a fun time capsule of an era when the peace-love-happiness of the late '60s wasn't quite over but Watergate hadn't ushered in the '70s. Avocado and mustard-colored furniture, peace signs and a theme song by The Osmonds. You can't get much more 1971 than that!

Four stars.

An odd, (and hardly publicized) little black-comedy/bedroom farce written and produced by STAR TREK creator Gene Roddenberry and directed by Roger Vadim (AND GOD CREATED WOMAN, BARBARELLA). One could understand Vadim involved with this piece of light-hearted sleaze, but Roddenberry? Boasting a great and diverse cast with Rock Hudson, Angie Dickinson..., Telly Savalas, Roddy McDowell, Keenan Wynn, and James Doohan (Star Trek's Mr. Scotty himself), the film has dark humor, [love]situations, and a murder mystery to boot. Rock Hudson, in one of his weirder and misogynistic roles, plays a coach/counselor (Tiger) at a western university. He's bedding some of the college ... coed's, killing them when they want commitment, and leaves their bodies strewn along various parts of the university (a far cry from his characters in films with Doris Day). An on-campus investigation (headed by Telly Savalas as Capt. Sam Surcher) begins and Tiger is the prime suspect. In the meantime, one of his students, Ponce (John Carson) is having a tough time scoring with girls. Tiger (Hudson) is willing to give the young man some advice. Then, enlists the help of Miss Smith (Dickinson) to help Ponce along but gets (and gives) more than she bargains for. Much of the humor is the relationship of Hudson's and Dickinson's characters in the film when helping out Ponce (Carson), and the weirder humor comes when Tiger (Hudson) is "sampling" the coeds. The film is slightly entertaining. Satirical at times with it's point of view of women and the education system. However, it is mostly worth watching just to see these actors play against type. A curiosity from the man who created STAR TREK. Note: Look for actress Joanna Cameron (as Yvonne), one of Hudson's ...co-ed/victims. She played ISIS - - in the Saturday morning live action kid's show part of the SHAZAM (Captain Marvel) hour. Also, William L. Campbell has a supporting role as a sheriff deputy (Grady). He played one of Star Trek's (orig. series) memorable alien villains, Trelane from the 1967 episode "The Squire of Gothos."

Wonderfully sleazy film with Rock Hudson doing his best to fool all the other characters and the viewers of his innocence in various rapes and murders around the high school where he is the clean cut Phys Ed teacher.

Vadim's sensibility really has no place in the US how he managed to get this one ... is beyond me.