Machete Maidens Unleashed! (2010)

Review by Mari Lynne Rupp



Not many things I like better than a good dirty ol' grindhouse....Roger Corman, Sid Haig, Pam Grier with her busty assets flying all over, blood and guts....
Machete Maidens unleashed documents the early days of grindhouse and exploitation.
It explains b-movie legends such as Roger Corman using the Phillipines as a cheap location to film, keeping costs down, and to avoid MPAA regulations....Actresses and actors such as Pam Grier and Sid Haig discuss creating politically charged movies while in a country politically charged with martial law under the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos.
We hear from filmmakers such as John Landis, Joe Dante and others as well as the actors and actresses that breathed life into such films as "Big Bird Cage", "Big Doll House", and "White Mama Black Mama" as well as other exploitation films...Being a grindhouse fan this is a must-see as it goes into behind-the-scenes stories, legends and rumours of using actual dead bodies (Direction Producer took the fifth on that one) and risking your life about making films where your life depended on being tough as nails, and using your assets to survive.
This production shows some of the nudity and graphic scenes in the movies they discuss so this is definitely a pg documentary. Incredibly entertaining though, whether you're a grindhouse veteran or just starting to get down with the sickness.
8/10