Reviews (11)

Strange, haunting, unforgettable film...
This is an extremely strange and sensitive film, one whose unusual tone and texture stay with you long after you've seen it. It is very simple yet weirdly profound and thought-provoking, depicting humanity at its rawest and barest. There is very little dialogue throughout, yet it manages to convey a really elegant story and an emotionally disquieting experience. It manages to capture SO FAITHFULLY Faulkner's strangely primitive and perverse tones. If you want flashiness, action, popular themes, and high-budget effects, this is not the film to see--it is intellectually and emotionally too absorbing, but you have to work at it to get full value from the viewing experience. It's probably so weird and troubling because it requires the viewer to put himself (his own imagination) into the movie, so that ultimately what you come away with is, in part, your own shadow.

Complex and haunting. You will question humanity and love.
Robert Duvall is one of the greatest actors of all time. This movie proves it. His character is a simple, probably illiterate man, who proves he has complex loyalty, emotions and ideas. He is dirt poor and gets a job watching a mill during the off season. Rather than go mad with loneliness, as the previous worker did, Duvall learns to live alone.

When that changes with the arrival of a runaway pregnant woman, Jackson Fentry learns what love and devotion mean. Watching him come to life with a family to care for will open your heart. Alas the plot doesn't allow him to enjoy this happiness for long. The tragedy that could destroy Fentry is hinted at in the film's opening & closing scenes, but will make you cry when they happen.

Duvall's character speaks simply. Most of his dialog is in three or four word sentences. But, Duvall's ability to use accents, tone, nuance and looks convey just how complex this man is and how deeply he cares for his loved ones.

This is a wonderful movie that will have you question what devotion is all about.

One of Duvall's Finest
This film introduced the world to one of America's greatest actors. Duvall's performance is simple but cuts right through. You'll never be the same after this one.

The Quiet Power of Love
I'm glad I didn't read the reviews of this film before I saw it, as I don't appreciate to have the entire plot of a movie revealed (reviewers, please, no more spoilers!). Fortunately, I obtained a copy of this film from Amazon[.com] before it became unavailable. I love Faulkner, and this adaptation of one of his short stories is both profound and simple at the same time. Stellar performances by all, including the director, in creating such a moving testament to love and loss which defines us as living human beings. A true treasure of filmmaking.

This is a small gem of great drama. Don't miss it!
This 1972 film, starring Robert Duvall before he became famous, is a real find. Based on a short story by William Faulkner, the play as well as the screenplay were written by Horton Foote, of "To Kill a Mocking Bird" fame. Naturally, it's set in Mississippi in the days when mules and buggies were used for transportation, and old men still remembered fighting in the Civil War.

Robert Duvall is cast in the role of Jackson Fentry, a simple cotton farmer who takes on a job of caretaker at a sawmill during the winter months. It's a lonely place, and he lives in a shack, but there's a water pump outside and a wood stove to cook on, and he's used to a hard life. He hears a low moan outside one day, and discovers Sarah Eubanks, played by Olga Bellin, who is weak and pregnant and needing care. She's been abandoned by her husband and has no place to go. Both of them are quite shy and their meeting, in which he invites her in to his shack, is a small masterpiece of nuance. She has large expressive eyes and they both talk very slowly, but I never felt bored and easily adjusted to the pace.

During the next few months their life together becomes idyllic but there is always an underlying tragic feel to their happiness. "Marry me Sarah," he says. But alas, she can't; she's already married. As the story moves on, it gets sadder and sadder and, when, twenty years later, he's called to be a juror in a murder trial, we all understand why his vote causes a mistrial. It's a fitting conclusion, although not a happy one.

This is perhaps one of Robert Duvall's greatest roles; one that he has said in interviews is still his favorite. It required excellent acting ability and he certainly demonstrated it. Throughout, we identify completely with the simple farmer with his deep regional southern accent. Olga Bellin is also excellent, but, with the exception of two minor roles on television, this was her only film. The screenplay is perfect also, using language that was natural to the characters. And the simple black and white cinematography sets the mood just perfectly. All together, this is a small gem and not to be missed by those who love good drama. Just be forewarned about the sadness. Recommended. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Based on the William Faulkner story and featuring one of RobertDuvall's finest performances, Tomorrow was first adapted by Horton Foote for TV's Playhouse 90 in 1960. Eight years later, Foote--whose script for To Kill a Mockingbird provided Duvall's screen debut--presented the same story as an off-Broadway play with Duvall and Olga Bellin in the lead roles, which they reprised in 1971 for this independently produced film.

As with Tender Mercies--which earned Academy Awards for both Foote and Duvall in 1983--Tomorrow tells a simple tale of gentle people, and the sensitive script, direction, and performances offer an enlightening portrait of compassion and unconditional love. Duvall plays Fentry, a Mississippi cotton farmer in the early 1900s who leaves his father's farm to work as the winter watchman of a dormant sawmill. There, he encounters Sarah (Bellin), a pregnant woman abandoned by her husband and suffering from a life-threatening illness. They eventually marry, but inevitably, Fentry (portrayed by Duvall as a kind of holy innocent) alone must raise the woman's child--a good-natured boy whose fate is determined by a heartbreaking claim of familial custody.

The story is framed by a murder trial, the outcome of which leads to the film's resonant and quietly moving conclusion. Like so much of Foote's work, Tomorrow was tailor-made for Duvall, and it has much to say about endurance, integrity, and uncommon decency under difficult circumstances. Directed by Joseph Anthony with an appropriately somber tone, this delicate drama nevertheless offers a wise and uplifting affirmation of the resilient human spirit. For Duvall's many admirers, this is a must-see film. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Strange, haunting, unforgettable film...
This is an extremely strange and sensitive film, one whose unusual tone and texture stay with you long after you've seen it. It is very simple yet weirdly profound and thought-provoking, depicting humanity at its rawest and barest. There is very little dialogue throughout, yet it manages to convey a really elegant story and an emotionally disquieting experience. It manages to capture SO FAITHFULLY Faulkner's strangely primitive and perverse tones. If you want flashiness, action, popular themes, and high-budget effects, this is not the film to see--it is intellectually and emotionally too absorbing, but you have to work at it to get full value from the viewing experience. It's probably so weird and troubling because it requires the viewer to put himself (his own imagination) into the movie, so that ultimately what you come away with is, in part, your own shadow.

Complex and haunting. You will question humanity and love.
Robert Duvall is one of the greatest actors of all time. This movie proves it. His character is a simple, probably illiterate man, who proves he has complex loyalty, emotions and ideas. He is dirt poor and gets a job watching a mill during the off season. Rather than go mad with loneliness, as the previous worker did, Duvall learns to live alone.

When that changes with the arrival of a runaway pregnant woman, Jackson Fentry learns what love and devotion mean. Watching him come to life with a family to care for will open your heart. Alas the plot doesn't allow him to enjoy this happiness for long. The tragedy that could destroy Fentry is hinted at in the film's opening & closing scenes, but will make you cry when they happen.

Duvall's character speaks simply. Most of his dialog is in three or four word sentences. But, Duvall's ability to use accents, tone, nuance and looks convey just how complex this man is and how deeply he cares for his loved ones.

This is a wonderful movie that will have you question what devotion is all about.

One of Duvall's Finest
This film introduced the world to one of America's greatest actors. Duvall's performance is simple but cuts right through. You'll never be the same after this one.

The Quiet Power of Love
I'm glad I didn't read the reviews of this film before I saw it, as I don't appreciate to have the entire plot of a movie revealed (reviewers, please, no more spoilers!). Fortunately, I obtained a copy of this film from Amazon[.com] before it became unavailable. I love Faulkner, and this adaptation of one of his short stories is both profound and simple at the same time. Stellar performances by all, including the director, in creating such a moving testament to love and loss which defines us as living human beings. A true treasure of filmmaking.

This is a small gem of great drama. Don't miss it!
This 1972 film, starring Robert Duvall before he became famous, is a real find. Based on a short story by William Faulkner, the play as well as the screenplay were written by Horton Foote, of "To Kill a Mocking Bird" fame. Naturally, it's set in Mississippi in the days when mules and buggies were used for transportation, and old men still remembered fighting in the Civil War.

Robert Duvall is cast in the role of Jackson Fentry, a simple cotton farmer who takes on a job of caretaker at a sawmill during the winter months. It's a lonely place, and he lives in a shack, but there's a water pump outside and a wood stove to cook on, and he's used to a hard life. He hears a low moan outside one day, and discovers Sarah Eubanks, played by Olga Bellin, who is weak and pregnant and needing care. She's been abandoned by her husband and has no place to go. Both of them are quite shy and their meeting, in which he invites her in to his shack, is a small masterpiece of nuance. She has large expressive eyes and they both talk very slowly, but I never felt bored and easily adjusted to the pace.

During the next few months their life together becomes idyllic but there is always an underlying tragic feel to their happiness. "Marry me Sarah," he says. But alas, she can't; she's already married. As the story moves on, it gets sadder and sadder and, when, twenty years later, he's called to be a juror in a murder trial, we all understand why his vote causes a mistrial. It's a fitting conclusion, although not a happy one.

This is perhaps one of Robert Duvall's greatest roles; one that he has said in interviews is still his favorite. It required excellent acting ability and he certainly demonstrated it. Throughout, we identify completely with the simple farmer with his deep regional southern accent. Olga Bellin is also excellent, but, with the exception of two minor roles on television, this was her only film. The screenplay is perfect also, using language that was natural to the characters. And the simple black and white cinematography sets the mood just perfectly. All together, this is a small gem and not to be missed by those who love good drama. Just be forewarned about the sadness. Recommended. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Before swinging London and the rock & roll explosion took over English youths, Britain's first teen rebel didn't have much of a causebut plenty of attitude. Pouty art-school student Jennifer (teen sex kitten Gillian Hills, looking very much a British Bardot) is the Beat Girl of the title, an alienated teenager who hangs out in coffee shops andunderground clubs with beatniks and teddy boys. When her self-absorbed fatherreturns home with a sexy French bride, the picture warps into lurid melodramaas Jennifer tracks a suspicion about her stepmom to a sleazy strip club managed by an even sleazier Christopher Lee, whose salacious desires sherealizes too late. Director Edmond T. Greville, a craftsman of the old school, brings an unexpected, edgy grit to the low-budget picture, injecting thecallow clichés of lost youth with a nervous energy and a genuine senseof desperation. John Barry's growling score gives the film a rumbling undercurrent, and the cheap, claustrophobic sets (often hiding indarkness) only enhance the sleazy atmosphere. The mix of teenage desperation,rock & roll music, and lurid sensationalism (complete with teasing nudity inthe strip club) creates a strange hybrid: a teen exploitation film with a film noir soul. Costar Adam Faith sings a couple of songs and OliverReed appears in a few scenes as a drugged-up, funked-out teddy boy.--Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (7)

TO STRIP OR NOT TO STRIP.....
Lurid, low budget British exploitation JD flick about Jennifer (pouty Gillian Hills) a teen-age "beat girl" who is waiting to go completely wild. She's already sneaking out at night to join her beat friends much to the chagrin of her "square" archtitect father. But when Daddy brings home a much younger French wife named Nicole (Noelle Adam), Jennifer bristles like a porcupine. There's a strip club called Les Girls across the street from the Beat Club where Jenny's gang hangs out and it isn't long before she finds out that stepmom Nicole used to do something sleazy back in Paris. She gleans this information from a burned out stripper at Les Girls who used to "work" with Nicole. And it isn't long before Jenny wanders in to Les Girls and draws the attention of the sleazy owner (Christopher Lee, who's properly oily). Nicole frantically tries to prevent Jenny's father from finding out about her past and also to keep Jenny out of Lee's clutches. But, as plot lines go, things get out of hand. "Beat Girl" offers much in the way of cheesy entertainment. There's blaring music, a "chicken" drag race, cheap girls, lousy "rock-a-billy" songs, a wretched, obviously lip-synched number called "It's Legal" performed by pretty Shirley Anne Field ("Horrors of the Black Museum" and "Peeping Tom") who's one of the gang, some teasy strippers and an awful performance by French actress Noelle Adam who is obviously struggling with her English. Some familiar faces like Adam Faith and a young Oliver Reed as a beat guy called "Green Shirt" are here as well. Faith plays Jenny's wanna be boyfriend and he's responsible for the rock-a-billy numbers done ala Elvis. Frankly, you couldn't ask for a cheesier movie even though the film jumps in spots as though it were cut or censored. The print is pretty scratched up, too, but it's watchable. But I really liked Bardot look-a-like Hills as Jenny. She was perfectly snooty, catty and irritating to the point you couldn't wait to see her come to a bad end. If you're patient with the flaws, "Beat Girl" is a lot of trashy fun in the JD genre. As Jenny says, "Dig this and dig it real...". Enjoy.

Fatboy Slim Song
It's worth noting, and it would seem I am the only person on the internet who has mentioned this, that this film soundtrack contains the Guitar licks which were sampled in Fatboy Slim's hit song the Rockefeller Skank (Right a bout now the fuink soul brother check it out now...) "down down dowdown der der dr de r DER DER!"

Aussie Amazon Customer
It's a great film sure enough, but a terrible DVD. The print looks as though it was retrieved from a trash can and there are 12 important mintues missing. There is some important dialogue missing from the first scene with Christopher Lee. Next, the stripper scene is missing altogether. Then the ending is all but obliterated. Not good at all and detracts from the overall story.

This is for every JOHN BARRY LOVER
WOW! I saw this picture about 40 years ago. The story is not worth to be written about, but watch for the music. The first John Barry film score, with UK pop singer Adam Faith and Shirley Anne Field.
The music is great with much nostalgy.
Buy this and close your eyes!

CLASSIC PULP!!!
Strippers, delinquints, and beatniks,(kind of).This movie really delivers.Gillian Hills is a frustrated teen-ager,who happens to look a lot like a young Bardot. Angry that the woman her father has married is an ex-stripper (and barely older than she is!).Gillian decides to try her hand at the age-old trade. But not before hanging out in a cave with her delinquent friends,incuding her rockabilly boyfriend(who happens to have a song for every occasion),playing chicken on some railroad tracks and dance repeatedly to John Berry's theme. Also look for Christopher Lee as an evil strip club owner.This British look at the beat generation may not be accurate, but it sure doesn't dissapoint! BEAT GIRL (a.k.a. Wild For Kicks) is a real treat for anyone who enjoys classic teen exploitation movies from the fifties and sixties. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Deep in the African jungle, great white hunter David Marchant (Michael Latimer) discovers a secret Amazon society where blondes don't have more fun. Captured after trespassing on the sacred grounds of a dangerous tribe of albino-rhino worshippers, he escapes execution by entering a hidden land where women in fur bikinis have enslaved the men, and the brunettes are served by subservient (and quite buxom) blonde slaves. Naturally David falls for cleavage-endowed Saria (Edina Ronay), who believes he is their legendary savior, while the vicious, dark Queen Kari (Martine Beswick) decides to make him her own personal servant to cater to her... every need. Director-producer Michael Carreras (who also wrote the film under the pseudonym "Henry Younger") reused leftover sets from One Million Years B.C. and never leaves the confines of the studio for this campy bit of jungle-woman cheese, which threatens to become overwhelmed by its claustrophobic atmosphere. We get tribal "hoochie-koochie" dances, a Vegas floor show by the blondes, sacrifices to the "devils of the darkness" (with such regularity you have to wonder how they haven't run out of candidates), and Queen Kari takes a milk bath à la Cleopatra. Beswick is the only performer who hits the right note of overheated melodrama; the other cast members seem to be taking this goofy claptrap far more seriously than it deserves. Beware the white rhinoceros! --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Slave Girls of the White Rhino!
Not to be confused with a low-rent American movie of the same name made in 1950, Prehistoric Women was written and directed by Hammer producer Michael Carreras in 1966, on redressed sets left over from Hammer's One Million BC.
Definitely an excuse to find a way to reuse the sets, and no dinosaurs this time around, but the film is so outrageously, unapologetically campy that it's complete bliss.

Terminally sincere great white hunter David touches the sacred horn of the statue of the White Rhino while in Africa, and is transported back in time, where he discovers a tribe of White Rhino-worshipping brunettes, who have enslaved all the blonde women, and sent all the men to an even worse fate doing hard labor.

Martine Beswick is just great as the evil and cruel queen Kari, who chooses David for her love slave. Unfortunatly, David has eyes for innocent blonde slave girl Saria, and....

This flick has everything, wildly loopy Amazon dance numbers, sacficial rituals, catfights, jungle action, babes in fur bikinis, outrageous dialog ("Cruelty is what makes me cruel!"), and a climax where the White Rhino comes to life (who cares if it moves like it's rolling on wheels....besides, no real rhino could have such an wonderfully phallic horn). Beswick puts a lot more into the role of Queen Kari than one would expect from this sort of movie--she definitely has more commanding presence (in more ways than one) than Raquel Welch, for example.

It's obvious director Carraras didn't take any of it with an ounce of seriousness, even though it's all played as though it is. His original working title was "Slave Girls of the White Rhino", which I think is a much better title than Prehistoric Women. Still, a sheer, delerious delight.

Anchor Bay's letterbox transfer is great (and is featured on the VHS tape as well as the DVD). The letterboxing is vital for this flick, since for some reason Carreras decided to go against typical Hammer practice and do this one in genuine widescreen Cinemascope....probably because you can fit a lot more prehistoric babes in one shot that way.

Beware of this one, Bwana...
I really didn't have high hopes for Prehistoric Women (1967) on the outset, but I never one to shy away from the potential goodness to be had in a film with fur-lined, bikini clad, prehistoric women, so I decided to give it a try. Then I saw the opening credits...produced, written and directed by Michael Carerras?! This is the man responsible for other Hammer Studios bum rides as The Lost Continent (1968) and Shatter (1974). It might as well have said 'Abandon all hope ye who enter here...' Oh well, bring on the pain...

The film stars Michael Latimer as David, a hunter with a conscious, and one who guides less experienced hunters through the jungle in search of big game. After his current client wounds a jungle cat, David tracks it to put it out of its' misery, and finds himself trespassing on sacred land, the Land of the White Rhino. Apparently hunting on these lands by outsiders is forbidden, and after David kills the cat, he's quickly accosted by a group of natives. The penalty? Death...but before the sentence can be carried out, something happens, and David finds himself transported to another land, maybe even another time...the time of the prehistoric women!

After coming across a fair-hair girl in a fur bikini, David and the girl, named Saria (Edina Roney), they're both captured by a group of dark haired women, also in fur bikinis. The two are taken to a populated clearing, and here we meet Kari, played by Martine Beswick. Kari also sports the same type of wardrobe as the other women, but she has more adornments, suggesting she might be higher up in the social food chain. And she is, as we soon learn that she is the queen. So Kari is the queen, the dark haired women are her power base, and the blonde haired women are slaves. Well, that certainly makes things easy to keep track of...but where are the men? A case of spontaneous female population? And all lovely ones at that?

Kari, taken with David, decides to take him for herself, but David has already made a connection with Saria, and, after witnessing Kari's cruelty towards the blonde hair slaves, he's not inclined to fall in with her, refusing to become a willing slave himself. This angers Kari, and she orders him to be thrown in a cave. Within the cave we see chained men slaving away doing busy work, all looking much worse for wear. It was around this time I started getting an ache in my head...

So what happens? Well there is a plot thread dealing with the blonde haired women speaking of rebelling against the tyrant Kari and her group, another plot thread involving the marrying of slave girls to jungle demons as a sort of sacrifice to appease the demons, and yet another dealing with a legend of the white rhino linked with spiritual bondage, none of which made very much sense. There is plenty of dancing and jungle music throughout the film, both men and women, so if that's your thing, you be pleased. It's not my thing, and I got even more of an ache in my head.

The film finally begins to wrap up after awhile (it has a 90 minute running time) and we are treated to a somewhat exciting climatic battle royal involving the brunettes, the blondes, the male slaves, David, supposedly demon jungle spirits...and a white rhinoceros...criminey...I guess if you have really lame and inane plot threads running throughout your movie, it's best to keep throwing different elements at the audience, in hopes that they won't notice how little sense it all makes. It reminds me of a magician, drawing your attention to one hand while doing something with his other hand. Only problem here is both hands, figuratively speaking, contained steaming piles so drawing our attention any which way only further highlighted how lame an affair this really is...oh, I will say the women were nice to look at, but given they were supposed to be of the prehistoric kind, they seemed to be awfully well groomed, despite the obvious lack of personal hygiene products. They also had quite the excellent grasp of English, some even having English accents! So, does David escape this savage land, ruled by half nekkid women? Would he want to? What's the secret behind the legend of the white rhino? Honestly, I stopped caring about much of anything regarding this film long before it this point, but I always try to finish what I start, so I clung on until the bitter end. And it did end, with a twist that was so very obvious and contrived I literally groaned.

Anchor Bay Entertainment provides a good looking, wide screen print here along with a few nice extras. Included is a theatrical trailer, TV spots, and a World of Hammer episode titled Lands Before Time, highlighting some of Hammer's cinematic forays into times long since past. There is also a nice little reproduction of the original theatrical poster for the film inside the DVD case. I'll leave you with a nugget of goodness from the film...after killing a slave girl, Queen Kari commands the other slave girls to dance, to which one replies, "When the heart is heavy, the feet are not light."

Cookieman108

Defines "camp classic"
Rhino-worshipping jungle brunettes dominate hapless jungle blondes who strive to be free in this fantastic nonsense-movie. For a film with such a simple dynamic, there are a surprising number of diversions from the main plot. These are very entertaining (dances, weddings, catfights) although they're obviously filler, padding out the film to feature length with eye candy. Definitely a late-night or rainy Saturday afternoon feature.

Some reviewers have said that "Prehistoric Women" is missing 16 minutes of footage, but that's incorrect! Actually "Prehistoric Women" is the American version that runs 16 minutes longer (90 minutes) than the 74-minute British release, titled "Slave Girls." THIS IS THE U.S. RELEASE - THE LONG VERSION. Thanks Anchor Bay!

Campy and Fantastic!
This movie is a silly, but very charming effort from the sixties, my favourite decade. It is a little scary and very sexy at the same time. It has: great soundtrack, gorgeous gals, beautiful sets, talented actors and actresses, a wonderful mood and MARTINE BESWICK, one of the most amazing women who ever entered the silver screen. A tale of adventures iin the kingdom of the prehistoric ladies, presented in a TOTALLY SIXTIES-STYLE. A MUST for everyone who loves campy flicks!

It all ends too soon!
Any red-blooded male WILL LOVE this film if you enjoy watching movies. It's a society that you will, at least twice in your life, dream of being in.

If you are a woman you will probably hope for it more than twice. Perhaps it is already reality for you.

I was exposed to this movie via the Hammer Trailer extra DVD included on another DVD and had to order it right away. I've seen this film only once before - probably chopped up on TV. Unfortunately the male lead is never truly dominated by The Goddess Kari -- "yeah" for some of you and a negative for others.

Well, I only judge the films by the quality of the DVD. This one is three stars -- the middle of the lot. Pure mono soundtrack, however it does not fade during loud parts. The picture is not too bad, a nice widescreen presentation at 2:35 to 1 and it's not totally clear but for a 1966/1967 films it sits well with me.

Most ordinary people probably won't like this movie -- and I can tell that already by the reviews, but if you are building a Hammer collection this should be included. I would like to go back in time to see how this film was received when originally released. I can almost hear the guffaws! Personally, I like it a lot and it's one that I will watch more than once per year.

What's the best part of this movie? Martine Beswick -- just like everyone else says! Her appeal is powerful, and the Hammer studios captured it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Before swinging London and the rock & roll explosion took over English youths, Britain's first teen rebel didn't have much of a cause but plenty of attitude. Pouty art-school student Jennifer (teen sex kitten Gillian Hills, looking very much a British Bardot) is the Beat Girl of the title, an alienated teenager who hangs out in coffee shops and underground clubs with beatniks and teddy boys. When her self-absorbed father returns home with a sexy French bride, the picture warps into lurid melodrama as Jennifer tracks a suspicion about her stepmom to a sleazy strip club managed by an even sleazier Christopher Lee, whose salacious desires she realizes too late. Director Edmond T. Greville, a craftsman of the old school, brings an unexpected, edgy grit to the low-budget picture, injecting the callow clichés of lost youth with a nervous energy and a genuine sense of desperation. John Barry's growling score gives the film a rumbling undercurrent, and the cheap, claustrophobic sets (often hiding in darkness) only enhance the sleazy atmosphere. The mix of teenage desperation, rock & roll music, and lurid sensationalism (complete with teasing nudity in the strip club) creates a strange hybrid: a teen exploitation film with a film noir soul. Costar Adam Faith sings a couple of songs and Oliver Reed appears in a few scenes as a drugged-up, funked-out teddy boy. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (7)

TO STRIP OR NOT TO STRIP.....
Lurid, low budget British exploitation JD flick about Jennifer (pouty Gillian Hills) a teen-age "beat girl" who is waiting to go completely wild. She's already sneaking out at night to join her beat friends much to the chagrin of her "square" archtitect father. But when Daddy brings home a much younger French wife named Nicole (Noelle Adam), Jennifer bristles like a porcupine. There's a strip club called Les Girls across the street from the Beat Club where Jenny's gang hangs out and it isn't long before she finds out that stepmom Nicole used to do something sleazy back in Paris. She gleans this information from a burned out stripper at Les Girls who used to "work" with Nicole. And it isn't long before Jenny wanders in to Les Girls and draws the attention of the sleazy owner (Christopher Lee, who's properly oily). Nicole frantically tries to prevent Jenny's father from finding out about her past and also to keep Jenny out of Lee's clutches. But, as plot lines go, things get out of hand. "Beat Girl" offers much in the way of cheesy entertainment. There's blaring music, a "chicken" drag race, cheap girls, lousy "rock-a-billy" songs, a wretched, obviously lip-synched number called "It's Legal" performed by pretty Shirley Anne Field ("Horrors of the Black Museum" and "Peeping Tom") who's one of the gang, some teasy strippers and an awful performance by French actress Noelle Adam who is obviously struggling with her English. Some familiar faces like Adam Faith and a young Oliver Reed as a beat guy called "Green Shirt" are here as well. Faith plays Jenny's wanna be boyfriend and he's responsible for the rock-a-billy numbers done ala Elvis. Frankly, you couldn't ask for a cheesier movie even though the film jumps in spots as though it were cut or censored. The print is pretty scratched up, too, but it's watchable. But I really liked Bardot look-a-like Hills as Jenny. She was perfectly snooty, catty and irritating to the point you couldn't wait to see her come to a bad end. If you're patient with the flaws, "Beat Girl" is a lot of trashy fun in the JD genre. As Jenny says, "Dig this and dig it real...". Enjoy.

Fatboy Slim Song
It's worth noting, and it would seem I am the only person on the internet who has mentioned this, that this film soundtrack contains the Guitar licks which were sampled in Fatboy Slim's hit song the Rockefeller Skank (Right a bout now the fuink soul brother check it out now...) "down down dowdown der der dr de r DER DER!"

Aussie Amazon Customer
It's a great film sure enough, but a terrible DVD. The print looks as though it was retrieved from a trash can and there are 12 important mintues missing. There is some important dialogue missing from the first scene with Christopher Lee. Next, the stripper scene is missing altogether. Then the ending is all but obliterated. Not good at all and detracts from the overall story.

This is for every JOHN BARRY LOVER
WOW! I saw this picture about 40 years ago. The story is not worth to be written about, but watch for the music. The first John Barry film score, with UK pop singer Adam Faith and Shirley Anne Field.
The music is great with much nostalgy.
Buy this and close your eyes!

CLASSIC PULP!!!
Strippers, delinquints, and beatniks,(kind of).This movie really delivers.Gillian Hills is a frustrated teen-ager,who happens to look a lot like a young Bardot. Angry that the woman her father has married is an ex-stripper (and barely older than she is!).Gillian decides to try her hand at the age-old trade. But not before hanging out in a cave with her delinquent friends,incuding her rockabilly boyfriend(who happens to have a song for every occasion),playing chicken on some railroad tracks and dance repeatedly to John Berry's theme. Also look for Christopher Lee as an evil strip club owner.This British look at the beat generation may not be accurate, but it sure doesn't dissapoint! BEAT GIRL (a.k.a. Wild For Kicks) is a real treat for anyone who enjoys classic teen exploitation movies from the fifties and sixties. ... Read more