One of the most interesting and fun documentaries I’ve ever seen is Machete Maidens: Unleashed! Thanks to ActionFest 2011, I was able to watch this documentary about the Filipino genre filmmaking. The filmmakers and actresses behind the Filipino movies of the 70’s and 80’s talk about the horrid filming conditions, the outrageous stunts, and the downfall of the genre.
Machete Maidens: Unleashed has breasts and gore galore from the many clips shown from the Filipino films. In this documentary, one director himself stated that these were movies that made sure there wasn’t too much dialogue because the actors were terrible and they might get it wrong!
Machete Maidens also looks at the themes of the Filipino films and whether or not they were progressive for women and minorities, or just more degrading. Either way, these films are all about the horrible looking, fake monsters violating women and then spraying tons of blood and guts everywhere. Then in some cases, the women turn around and get their bloody revenge. Some of the films discussed include: Black Mamma, White Mamma, Vampire Hookers, The Big Doll House, Temptation Island, and The Big Bird Cage.
I recommend this documentary for everyone. It shines a light on all the shady behind-the-scene-shenanigans and they keep it entertaining by showing the outrageous clips.
This is the Action Flick Chick, and you’ve just been kicked in the ass!
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I really enjoyed this film as well. It is amazing what Corman and the other directors were able to get away with in terms of the content of many of their films. No way they could make some of the horror films, or the women in cages films, in the same way these days.
shortened link = http://is.gd/MACHETE