After the release of Andy Warhol’s Blue Movie in 1969, a new trend in cinema called “Porno Chic” was born. This trend was a movement where adult films started becoming mainstream and were taken seriously by critics and general audiences. The most successful of these adult films was 1972’s Deep Throat, which grossed a record-breaking $3 million in six months. In the middle of this, there was a mini-trend of adapting children’s stories into adult films, both live-action and animated. Some examples include 1971’s The Erotic Adventures of Pinocchio and 1976’s Alice in Wonderland: An X-Rated Musical Comedy. Seeing the potential at hand, Charles Band decided to make his own adult take on a classic fairy tale. He hired Michael Pataki, who previously directed Mansion of the Doomed, to helm an adult fairy tale including musical numbers. In May 1977, Band’s adult take on Charles Perrault’s Cinderella hit grindhouse theaters.
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Synopsis
Cinderella (Cheryl Smith) lives with her oppressive stepmother (Jennifer Stace) and her stepsisters Drucella (Yana Nirvana) and Marbella (Marilyn Corwin). While she’s stuck having to tend to their every need, Cinderella longs for the day she’ll be free. Meanwhile, The Prince (Brett Smiley) is wary about marriage, which worries The King (Boris Moris) and Queen (Pamela Stonebrook). With The Prince’s 21st birthday approaching, The King decides to host a ball so his son can find a bride. The stepsisters go to the ball, but not before humiliating Cinderella as she has to stay at home. While sleeping, a cat burglar/crossdresser (Sy Richardson) breaks in and convinces Cinderella he’s her fairy godmother. With his help, she gets to go to the ball and have a night with The Prince. Unfortunately, she runs off before The Prince finds out who she is, so he goes out searching for his bride.
Review
Cinderella is undoubtedly a product of its time, for better or for worse, which will affect your enjoyment. First off, if you’re uncomfortable with gratuitous nudity and copious amounts of sex, this is not the movie for you. However, if you have an affinity for 70s adult entertainment, this is one of the more entertaining ones. For one, Michael Pataki’s energetic direction keeps the film upbeat and full of energy, so you’re never bored. What also helps is the cast, who all play their parts well and have fun with the material given. On top of being gorgeous, the late Cheryl “Rainbeaux” Smith brings an undeniably sweet charm to her role. Sy Richardson is hilarious in his debut role as the loud-mouthed, snarky, and devious fairy godmother. Admittedly, his character is one of the many elements that date the film considerably and would not fly today.
The musical segments are surprisingly catchy and will stick in your head quickly, particularly “Snapper” and “Do It To Me.” The rest of the cast gleefully chew through the scenery as they prance about and constantly get naked. Given that this was the 1970s, be prepared to see more bush than a topiary garden that hasn’t been trimmed. Going back to the humor, most of it consists of sexual innuendos and puns, which can get stale fast. Also, while there isn’t much of a plot aside from the original story, this simplicity works in its favor. It serves its purpose of stringing together sex scenes and musical numbers without bogging things down with unnecessary subplots. At slightly over 90 minutes in length, the movie gets in and out quickly and doesn’t overstay its welcome. Overall, Cinderella won’t be for everyone, but fans of oddball adult entertainment should check it out.
Buy Cinderella from Amazon: https://amzn.to/3J4q1HU.
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