MUDHONEY (1965) ***
Russ Meyer directed this chunk of Southern Fried Gothic about a drifter named Calif (short for California) who gets a job as a hired hand working on a farm owned by the sweet Hannah Brenshaw (Antoinette Christiani) and her Uncle Lute (Stuart Lancaster). Of course her boozing womanizing husband Sidney (played to the hilt by Hal Hopper) doesn’t like Calif “taking a shine to his woman” much so he takes time off from frequenting the local brothel run by Princess Livingston (where the sexy Lorna Maitland and hot mute Rena Horton let their chests hang out) to get the bible thumping preacher (Mickey Foxx) to side with him to turn the town against his wife. After Lute dies, Sidney gets liquored up and causes a scene at his funeral which ends with him falling into the grave with Lute. Sydney wigs out and goes on a rampage of arson, rape and murder, causing the preacher to lead a lynch mob to deliver “God’s Justice!” In the ham fisted climax, Hannah and Calif try to save him because “after all, he’s still my husband!”
Mudhoney features all the trademarks of Russ Meyer’s best work: stark black and white photography, women with enormous bosoms, rapid fire editing, over the top performances (from a cast made up mostly of Meyer regulars) and great dialogue (“I’m gonna tear the livin’ guts out of you!”). It would take one more film though for Meyer to perfect his craft with the immortal Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!
AKA: Rope. AKA: Rope of Flesh.
Mudhoney features all the trademarks of Russ Meyer’s best work: stark black and white photography, women with enormous bosoms, rapid fire editing, over the top performances (from a cast made up mostly of Meyer regulars) and great dialogue (“I’m gonna tear the livin’ guts out of you!”). It would take one more film though for Meyer to perfect his craft with the immortal Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!
AKA: Rope. AKA: Rope of Flesh.