COLLECTOR'S CRYPT - RUSS MEYER'S VIXEN! (SEVERIN FILMS BLU-RAY)
You’re probably wondering why Macabre Daily, a horror and horror adjacent site is reviewing the sultry works of Russ Meyer. It’s a fair question, but the answer is pretty simple; it’s all connected (cue Charlie Day conspiracy corkboard meme). Meyer was a prolific auteur who broke down the doors of censorship to usher in an entirely new genre and pave the way for the grindhouse scene to emerge. His determination to bring “big bosomed women” to the screen was also somewhat of a trojan horse for some cutting social commentary that is as relevant today as it was in the 60s and 70s. Russ’ work is part of a counterculture movement to make entertainment that appeals to an adult audience and discards the prudishness of puritanical beliefs that came from the Hay’s Code in the 30s. Interestingly enough, the year after they went away in 1968, the same year that “Russ Meyer’s Vixen!” was released. Thanks to the tireless work of the folks at Severin Films and a deal they struck with Meyer’s estate, we are getting brand new restorations of Meyer’s most important works. Is this sexploitation worthy enough to make a cozy home on your shelves?
WHAT’S IT ABOUT?
While a naive bush pilot flies tourists to the wilderness of Northwest Canada, his nympho wife gets lonely--or does she? A Mountie, a married couple, and her biker brother drop by while hubby's away.
HOW IS IT?
There’s no denying that “Vixen!” is an acquired taste. Genre purists who refuse to watch anything outside of their comfort zone will shrug this off as just another skin flick, but naysayers should take note that Meyer and his appeal had fans far and wide, including the notoriously anti-horror Roger Ebert. “Vixen!” is a film that on the surface is exactly what it sounds like, a buxom brunette going by the name Vixen, or Mrs. Palmer depending on your race, has various sexcapades with almost everyone within her orbit. Underneath the surface, and not so subtly in the dialogue, “Vixen!” is about a rejection of the past. It’s a movie about confronting society’s issues by juxtaposing them against audacious sexuality and free love. To be clear, if you’re someone who gets offended by nudity and sex (no penetration), “Vixen!” is going to turn you off. For the more open-minded, “Vixen!” can be read as a revolutionary film that uses sex to lure you into a discussion around race, class, and politics.
Erica Gavin plays the titular Vixen, who is married to the bush pilot, Tom (Garth Pillsbury) and the couple own a small lodge that hosts tourists looking for outdoor adventures. Vixen’s biker brother, Judd (Jon Evans), and his Black American friend Niles, (Harrison Page) are also part of this rag-tag group of free lovers, with Niles being a supposed “Draft Dodger” escaping to Canada to not have to fight in Vietnam for a war he doesn’t support. The arrival of a couple at the lodge, Janet (Vincene Wallace) and Dave (Robert Aiken) sets off a series of sexual encounters between Vixen and the group of characters mentioned previously. Tom is ignorant of his wife’s thirst for sexual proclivity, while Janet is jealous because she foresees how Vixen’s seduction (by way of fish fellatio…you have to see it to believe it) may cause Dave to be unfaithful. Add in a layer of incestuous desire as Vixen consistently flirts with her brother Judd while espousing some truly awful racist epithets at Niles while also calling out his supposed cowardice for fleeing America’s war in Vietnam. There really is no “plot” in “Vixen!” so much as there is a series of events that all happen in order leading to a conclusion that comments on Cuban communists and an Irish highjacker. For a movie that has only a few narrative threads, it throws a lot at the viewer to take in, all with a heavy emphasis on seeing Gavin running around without her top on. What makes this all so compelling isn’t as much the content as it is the playful tone that underpins the entire thing. Even in the most tense moments, there is levity around the corner.
Moving aside the more salacious elements of “Vixen!”, of which there are many, there is a significant amount of commentary about the world of the late 60s here. The peak of the “free love” era would give way to the more violent and dour 70s, and that is perfectly captured here, even if the delivery hasn’t aged well. The racial tension between Vixen and Niles is jarring, particularly the choice of slurs that Vixen uses, but it is emblematic of the civil rights movement that gained significant traction in the 50s and 60s. In a way, their antagonistic relationship (which is more the fault of Vixen than Niles) is a proxy for the societal tensions between White and Black people, particularly those on the White side who see the other as lesser than them. Meyer was a veteran of World War II and as such his experience does color some of the conversation around Vietnam. While it never takes an outright anti-war approach, as Vixen refers to Niles as “yellow on the inside” and Niles staunchly opposes fighting a war he doesn’t believe in, the two make amends by the end in a way that leaves a lot to be desired but does provide clarity on Meyer’s anti-war sentiments. The inclusion of the communism thread is the least developed and most egregious, but taken in context it represents a way of thinking that would persist until the conclusion of the Cold War in the 80s. We could go on about all the layers in “Vixen!” and if it isn’t apparent already, this is an important film. Not because of the sex and nudity, but more because of how it gave the “skin flick” a purpose. It demonstrated that sexiness can help shoehorn in more complex issues while making the viewer unaware that they are expanding their realm of understanding, even if all of it hasn’t aged that well. The music is a standout here, and the theme is an earworm you’ll be hard-pressed to want to remove. Above all the weirdness, “Vixen!” is entertaining in the right ways. The jokes don’t always land, but the lightheartedness is earnest even when the dialogue is harsh. No matter how you feel about sexploitation, “Vixen!” is proof that there is more to it than just T&A.
HOW DOES IT LOOK?
We were not privy to the previous releases of Meyer’s work, almost exclusive to VHS aside from “Beyond the Valley of the Dolls,” but it is fair to say that this is the best that this film has probably ever looked at. The restoration work is courtesy of the MoMA (Museum of Modern Art) and was scanned in 4K from the original negative and it shows. “Vixen!” looks amazing, particularly for a film that hasn’t seen a visual update since the VHS era. The colors look clean but still retain their natural grain and matte look that is unique to film stock of the time. There are few, if any noticeable artifacts of age on the print itself. Severin’s stamp of quality means something, and “Vixen!” is a prime example of the pedigree they have established in reinvigorating cult films by giving them the best possible presentation. Images from this release are used throughout this review, and please note, that these are from the Blu-Ray, not the 4K UHD edition.
HOW DOES IT SOUND?
Similar to the video elements, the audio was directly taken from the original elements and we get a DTS-HD 2.0 mono track.This a “no frills” track that retains clarity at the expense of a more updated and encompassing sound. The music is infectious, but doesn’t have as verbose of a range instead opting more for higher-end frequencies that while authentic, are not as full sounding. These are marginal issues with what is an otherwise astounding release.
ANYTHING SPECIAL?
Given the length of time fans have waited to see some of Meyer’s most important works in HD, it only makes sense that Severin would pull out all the stops to meet this moment. The first feature we took in was “Woman…Or Animal?” Interviews with Erica Gavin and Harrison Page, which is around 20 minutes and is pulled from previously released archival footage. This is an interesting interview with both actors, well into their 60s reflecting on their time spent on the film inclusive of stories on set and how things are perceived in later years. Some of the stories are hilarious, like Vincene sneaking into Meyer’s room nightly during shooting and how Gavin’s romance with Meyer’s long-time collaborator, Producer George Costello, caused Meyer to part ways with him out of seeming jealousy and spiteful. While both actors reflect on the experience fondly, they do make a point to mention that Russ’ direction often was crass and he pushed them to do things that they weren’t outright comfortable with. It adds nuance to the legend of the film, while also contextualizing what we see on screen and why it appears that way.
The second feature we reviewed was, “David Del Valle's The Sinister Image With Guests Russ Meyer And Yvette Vickers,” an old TV (?) interview where Meyer and Vickers reminisce on a variety of topics like Meyer’s involvement in WWII as a photographer to his doing shoots for Playboy featuring Vickers, among many others. Meyer comes off as very well-spoken and self-aware of his films and their legacies. He has a very laissez-faire delivery about his career and is quite animated despite him looking a bit curmudgeonly. It doesn’t go deep into specifics and mostly focuses on Meyer and Vickers’ collaborations, but it does offer a glimpse into how the filmmaker views his own work and perhaps his ethos for filmmaking. A full list of special features included is below.
Bonus Materials
Disc 1: Blu-ray
1981 Censor Prologue (Theatrical Re-Release)
Archival Audio Commentary With Co-Writer/Producer/Cinematographer/Co-Editor/Director Russ Meyer
Audio Commentary With Actress Erica Gavin
Woman... Or Animal? – Interviews With Actors Erica Gavin And Harrison Page
David Del Valle's The Sinister Image With Guests Russ Meyer And Yvette Vickers
Entertainment... Or Obscenity? – Marc Edward Heuck On The Film's Historic Cincinnati Censorship Battles
Trailer
LAST RITES
“Vixen!” is more than just a skin flick in that it represents a shift away from seeing sexy entertainment as just T&A, but rather as a vehicle to discuss societal issues and politics. Parts of it have not aged well, but taken in context they offer a glimpse into a time long gone and issues that are still as important today as they were then. Fans of genre cinema would be foolish to not include this in their collections, even if they aren’t planning on revisiting the film itself often, the features make this an essential addition.
THE GORY DETAILS
Thank you to the fine fiends over at Severin for providing a review copy for the crypt! Russ Meyer’s Vixen! is available NOW and can be purchased via Severin Direct!
Stay up to date with “The Dark Side Of Pop Culture” by following Macabre Daily on Instagram, Facebook, and BlueSky!
