| Femmes Fatales | Oct 1 2019 |
The golden girl with the gun.
Swedish actress Britt Ekland was one of our early femmes fatales. We posted her more than ten years ago. Today we're bringing her back, again in character as CIA agent Mary Goodnight from the 1974 James Bond hit The Man with the Golden Gun, but in three new poses. And of course she looks amazing in all of them. She was one of the Bond series' most popular so-called “Bond girls” for good reason. See the original shot here.
| Vintage Pulp | Sep 6 2019 |
What was the must-have possession of 1971? Christina Lindberg.
Here you see a couple of French posters for the 1971 Swedish sexploitation movie Possédée, which means “possessed,” but which was originally titled Exponerad, and was known in the U.S. as Exposed and Diary of a Rape. There's no known release date for the movie in France, but it worked its way across Europe in 1972, so figure it opened in France sometime in the middle of the year. The top poster is one you see often online, but the second promo, in black and white and showing star Christina Lindberg clutched by a male hand, is rare.
We've posted a lot a material on Exponerad. Our continual focus on this is not because the movie is especially worthwhile, but because its promotional materials are great. As an example, below is a shot of Lindberg made to publicize the film, and which appeared in the Japanese magazine Young • Idol • Now. More photos from the session appeared in other Japanese magazines, but this rare shot is by far our favorite. Feel free to check out our other posts on this film by clicking keyword “Exponerad” at bottom.
We've posted a lot a material on Exponerad. Our continual focus on this is not because the movie is especially worthwhile, but because its promotional materials are great. As an example, below is a shot of Lindberg made to publicize the film, and which appeared in the Japanese magazine Young • Idol • Now. More photos from the session appeared in other Japanese magazines, but this rare shot is by far our favorite. Feel free to check out our other posts on this film by clicking keyword “Exponerad” at bottom.
FranceSwedenJapanPossédéeExponeradExposedDiary of a RapeYoung • Idol • NowChristina Lindbergposter artcinemasexploitationnudity
| Musiquarium | Sep 4 2019 |
Let the record show that Ann-Margret can sell anything.
We don't think of Swedish actress Ann-Margret as a poster girl for soul music, but a South Korean label called the Oscar Record Co. thought differently and decided to plop her on the cover of their 1971 compilation disc Soul. Oscar wasn't the only label to do this. In fact, it wasn't even the only label from South Korea to do it. Tae Do, Top Hit, Paramount, and Joong Ahng all borrowed Ann-Margret to front compilation discs too.
But this particular platter is probably the best of the lot. It has Tom Jones. Johnny Rivers, Wilson Pickett, The Animals doing “Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood,” Mitch Ryder, The Rolling Stones doing “Satisfaction” and “Paint It Black,” Cliff Richard, James Brown, and The Mamas and Papas doing “California Dreamin',” our personal favorite of the extensive offerings. You also get two songs from The Supremes, so all in all, it's a top quality collection.
The cover was posted last month at the album art blog lpcoverlover.com, a worthwhile stop for vintage vinyl art. Their scan was a little crooked, so we squared it up, separated the two Ann-Margret images, and uploaded them below. We kept the full cover scan at large size, so if you want it you'll find that it's 2500 pixels wide, pretty much twice the size of an actual LP sleeve, suitable for framing. Help yourself, and thank lpcoverlover.
The cover was posted last month at the album art blog lpcoverlover.com, a worthwhile stop for vintage vinyl art. Their scan was a little crooked, so we squared it up, separated the two Ann-Margret images, and uploaded them below. We kept the full cover scan at large size, so if you want it you'll find that it's 2500 pixels wide, pretty much twice the size of an actual LP sleeve, suitable for framing. Help yourself, and thank lpcoverlover.
| Vintage Pulp | Aug 23 2019 |
Christina Lindberg flick expounds upon reality, fantasy, and a woman's struggle in a sexualized world.
The sexploitation flick Exponerad, which premiered in Sweden today in 1971 and is known in English as Exposed and Diary of a Rape, is an exceedingly serious movie considering its genre. That would normally be a sin in our book, but this stars Christina Lindberg, so we figured okay, it's worth a gander. Lindberg, in one of her earliest roles, plays Lena, a high school girl torn between her twerp of a boyfriend Jan and an older, depraved sociopath named Helge. She prefers Jan, but Helge has taken nude photos of her and is using them to blackmail her into servicing guests at his wild parties.
When Jan learns that Lena has been sharing her fuzzy favors, his caveman side comes out and he slaps her. Lena promptly runs away to the country. Here we learn that the wall between reality and fantasy is a thin one for her, and she crosses between it multiple times. She's raped by a stranger, tries to seduce a man who picks her up hitchhiking, dies in a fiery automobile crash, and has other imaginings the audience only knows are in her head once the movie leaps back to the point where those scenes began.
If we consider these fantasies closely it's possible Lena is coming to grips with her sexuality and her place in a sexualized world. A particularly insightful review we read suggested that all of these waking dreams represent the male gaze, which is why they're creepy and violent. It's a theory we like, but we aren't sure if it actually holds up—unless daydreams can leave physical artifacts behind. We know we're being vague. This is when that no spoilers promise we made a while back is inconvenient.
In any case, what the filmmakers wanted to do here was make thought-provoking erotica, and they definitely accomplished that. We picture the producer shaking hands with director Gustav Wiklund and saying, “Well done, lad. Despite all the nudity there's no possibility anyone will get a boner.” Whether the film makes any sense is a different issue. We recommend that if you watch Exponerad, you watch with full attention or you'll get lost long before the double twist ending that'll make you say either, “Aha!” or “Huh?” Fans of ambitious sexploitation, this movie is your jam. We have some promo images beow, and you can see more here and here.
In any case, what the filmmakers wanted to do here was make thought-provoking erotica, and they definitely accomplished that. We picture the producer shaking hands with director Gustav Wiklund and saying, “Well done, lad. Despite all the nudity there's no possibility anyone will get a boner.” Whether the film makes any sense is a different issue. We recommend that if you watch Exponerad, you watch with full attention or you'll get lost long before the double twist ending that'll make you say either, “Aha!” or “Huh?” Fans of ambitious sexploitation, this movie is your jam. We have some promo images beow, and you can see more here and here.
SwedenExponeradExposedDiary of a RapeChristina LindbergHeinz HopfGustav Wiklundposter artcinemasexploitationnuditymovie review
| Vintage Pulp | Jul 12 2019 |
Marie Forså gives a lofty performance in a down and dirty classic
Above is a Japanese poster for the Swedish film Butterflies, another sexploitation romp featuring blonde-on-blonde sex symbol Marie Forså. The movie also stars Harry Reems and Eric Edwards, two legit porno actors from back in the day, here getting a chance to do some mainstream work. The basic thrust, so to speak, of the plot involves a country girl who goes to the big city and has various sexual adventures with older and more experienced men. You know the drill.
As with other Forså films, there are explicit scenes, but in this case it's actually her doing the deed. There are several quick uncut pans from face to nether regions in two of her bed sessions that leave no doubt. There's confusion around this because the filmmakers wanted a gynecological version of the movie and shot jarring close-ups of thrusting genitalia. Those aren't Forså's. They were shot later to make the film extra explicit, and the uncut pans of Forså were dumped. We don't understand it, but that's what happened. So there are three slightly different versions of the movie out there—an r-rated one with no hard sex, a version with the revealing pans of Forså, and an x-rated version with a body double.
On a related note, even though the intercourse is real, that doesn't mean the sexual ecstasy is, but Forså is a brilliant performer in this regard. You may even believe she's having the best sex of her life. This is of course not the norm for softcore and porn actresses, whose fakery generally is obvious. But Forså is a force of nature. We don't know if there's a legally available version of the movie with the Forså pans. If there is, that's the one to acquire. But either way, her innocent looks, combined with an uninhibited performance, make Butterflies a true blue classic. It premiered in Japan today in 1975.
On a related note, even though the intercourse is real, that doesn't mean the sexual ecstasy is, but Forså is a brilliant performer in this regard. You may even believe she's having the best sex of her life. This is of course not the norm for softcore and porn actresses, whose fakery generally is obvious. But Forså is a force of nature. We don't know if there's a legally available version of the movie with the Forså pans. If there is, that's the one to acquire. But either way, her innocent looks, combined with an uninhibited performance, make Butterflies a true blue classic. It premiered in Japan today in 1975.
JapanSwedenButterfliesMarie ForsåHarry ReemsEric EdwardsZoe Hendryposter artcinemasexploitationnudityxxxmovie review
| Intl. Notebook | Jun 16 2019 |
Ekberg personifies every father's wish.
Swedish superstar Anita Ekberg poses in New York City for this promo photo commemorating Father's Day, which in the U.S. happens to be today. How many fathers wish they had someone like Ekberg around the house? All of them. This was shot in 1958.
| Vintage Pulp | May 10 2019 |
To Bibi or not to Bibi? That's a rhetorical question.
Remember way back when we talked about the Marie Forså sexploitation flick Bibi? Probably not. It was years ago. In any case we found a collection of promo images from the film and we're not going to pass up an excuse to revisit it because, though the film is not great, Forså and women like her are historical treasures, artifacts of a type of cinema that has all but disappeared. Some say that's a good thing. We don't. To have sex is biologically hardwired into us, and it's constantly on our minds, therefore exploring its possibilities in media—whether visual, written, musical, or merely spoken—is about as normal a compulsion as we can imagine. Bibi is a helluva piece of media. It was made in Sweden but these promos are West German, and show Forså and co-stars Anke Syring, Birgit Zamulo, et al., in a colorful light. Bibi, aka Girl Meets Girl, aka Confessions of a Sex Kitten, premiered in West Germany today in 1974.
West GermanySwedenBibiGirl Meets GirlConfessions of a Sex KittenJoe SarnoMarie ForsåAnke SyringBirgit Zamulolgbtnuditysexploitationcinema
| Vintage Pulp | May 5 2019 |
Three dimensions would have been plenty. Two probably would have been fine also.
The psychedelic sexploitation flick Four Dimensions of Greta, for which you see a Japanese promo poster above, was originally released in the UK in 1972, and opened in Japan today in 1973. Can you believe this low budget comedy was the first British film to be shown in 3-D? It starred future General Hospital hunk Tristan Rogers, Karen Boyes, Minah Bird, Felicity Devonshire, and Swedish dish Leena Skoog in the story of a journalist who plans to do an article on au pairs, but somehow ends up trying to locate a missing person—the titular Greta Gruber, played by Skoog.
So, why are there four dimensions in the title of this 3-D movie? Well, Greta is remembered by four acquaintances, each of whom reveals a different aspect of her personality. Rogers wanders from trippy disco to trippy strip club to trippy coffeehouse and finally learns that she's been kidnapped and imprisoned on a houseboat. It's silly, but if you're old enough to remember Rogers as Robert Scorpio on GH, it may be fun to see him go softcore. But be forewarned—Einstein proved the fourth dimension is time, and you'll never get back what you lose watching this one.
JapanSwedenFour Dimensions of GretaKaren BoyesLeena SkoogMinah BirdFelicity DevonshireTristan Rogersposter artcinemanuditymovie review
| Femmes Fatales | Apr 10 2019 |
If she were a poker hand she would definitely be a straight flush
Above is a sweaty photo of Swedish actress Ewa Aulin, which immediately brings to mind the saunas they love up there in Nordic countries. In fact, just a few days ago in Sweden a cop was in a sauna, noticed a wanted fugitive having a steam nearby, and apprehended him while they were both naked. True story. We learned about saunas ourselves when we wandered through Finland, though in deference to us our Finnish acquaintances wore towels. But we digress. We were talking about Aulin. She made about fifteen films, the best known of which is probably the 1968 sex comedy Candy, a flop when it was released that has garnered a cult following in recent years. Apparently it's about a woman searching for the meaning of life. We haven't watched it but we may check it out at some point. If so, we'll report back. The great photo at top first appeared in Playmen magazine in 1973, and was part of a set that included the two shots below. And as you can see, when Aulin goes all-in she does it sans towel, in deference to nobody.
| Femmes Fatales | Nov 16 2018 |
Are you seeing these weird lights too, or is it just me that's tripping balls?
Swedish actress Karin Mossberg made this psychedelic promo shot when she was filming the anti-drug thriller The Big Cube. The movie was one of only three she made. She played Lana Turner's stepdaughter, and the psychedelic feel of the photo reflects the film's plot, which deals with her trying to drive Turner insane with LSD. As you probably suspect, it's one of the cheesiest and worst drug scare movies of the ’60s. It's the Reefer Madness of LSD. We actually have it somewhere in our library, so maybe we'll rewatch it and report back. Meanwhile, we've added a second promo shot below, made during the same session but before the drugs kicked in. Both images are from 1969.
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