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Review
by
Troy Howarth
Film:5
DVD:7
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| A
murderous psychopath (Andrew Prine) targets girls who pose for
men's magazines... |
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This
mildly interesting thriller features an intense central performance
from Andrew Prine. In between playing supporting roles in bigger
features like Rooster Cogburn (1974),
the Florida-born actor found himself starring in a variety of
B and C-grade horror films. Titles like Simon,
King of the Witches (1971) and Barn
of the Naked Dead (1974) have attained some cult popularity;
The Centerfold Girls is very much
in the same vein. |
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The
film is decidedly squalid and sleazy, showcasing generally unsympathetic
and opportunistic characters. Prine steals the show as the deranged
religious fanatic looking to 'help' the titular girls, whom he
decrees guilty of corrupting the morals of innocent men. The supporting
cast includes such down-on-their-luck players are Ray Danton (The
Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond) and Aldo Ray (Psyhic
Killer), who continue their fall from grace by essaying
sleazy character roles here. Among the leading ladies, only Tiffany
Bolling (The Candy Snatchers,
Bonnie's Kids) makes much of an impression. |
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Make
no mistake about it: this is a pretty sleazy slice of exploitation.
The film makes explicit reference to the Manson family, includes
plenty of nudity and generally wallows in an atmosphere of undistilled
seediness. The filmmakers seem less interested in generating empathy
for the various victims than in simply disposing of them, not
that Prine's priggish weirdo comes across as being exactly sympathetic,
either. By modern standards the film could
easily be accused of blatant misogyny (even though the conclusion
tries to make amends for it). |
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The
script is basically constructed as an anthology comprised of three
stories, with Prine's 'avenging angel' tying the whole thing together.
Unfortunately, not much interest is generated for much of the
running time — despite the abundant sleaze and violence, director
John Peyser exhibits little style and even less sense of urgency.
The film meanders fairly predictably for much of its running time,
but things really pick up in the final section, which highlights
Prine's attempts to do in the spunky and resourceful Bolling.
Their final showdown is staged with real efficiency and tension,
so ultimately the film manages to redeem itself — partially, at
least — at the very end. |
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Production
values betray the low budget origins, but for fans of grimy
'70s grindhouse fare, The Centerfold Girls
should fit the bill quite nicely.
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| Dark
Sky's new release of The Centerfold Girls
is a winner. The 1.66/16x9 transfer, culled from the original
16mm negatives, looks as good as one could possibly expect. The
cinematography isn't exactly stylish, but Dark Sky have done a
good job of cleaning it up without removing the grain one associates
with 16mm. Colors look accurately rendered, detail is strong,
and print damage is minimal. |
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The
film appears to be fully uncut. The mono English soundtrack is
a bit muffled in spots, but this is owing to the crude sound recording
and cannot be attributed to lack of care on Dark Sky's behalf.
The track is generally clean and clear, and removable English
subtitles are included. |
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Extras include select music cues —
a nice touch, since the score is one of the film's stronger components
—
as well as trailers and TV and radio spots. (You can listen to
the radio ad by clicking the button on the left-hand sidebar.)
The 14-minute featurette Making the Cut: A Look Back at The
Centerfold Girls includes reminiscences from various participants,
with Andrew Prine getting the most face time. Prine comes off
as soft-spoken and self-effacing and recalls the shoot with great
affection. 10/26/09 |
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