Grindhouse theaters became popular in certain seedier areas of big cities in the 1970’s and became know for playing films non-stop. Most of the fare shown in these theaters, at the time at least, was frowned upon by the “mainstream.” The genre became known as “exploitation.” The idea was to use film to seize on an often-controversial idea and…exploit it to get people into the theater to see the movie.
Though these exploitation films were controversial, often low budget and poorly made, the genre is underappreciated in its scope and influence. Many of today’s prominent filmmakers started as movie fans watching these films, and the films made a lasting impression. In 2007, Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez attempted to revive the grindhouse theater feel and exploitation elements in their film “Grindhouse.” Well, it was actually two horror films tied together with faux trailers for other movies that would fall under that label of exploitation.
Elijah Drenner’s 2010 documentary “American Grindhouse” is a reverent look at the genre, tracing it’s route all the way back to the days of the traveling carnival, and to the first images ever put on film by Thomas Edison himself. Exploitation films crossed into many genres, and this documentary examines them in chronological order.
There’s a lot to cover in a single documentary, but Drenner does a good job of giving an overview to the genre. Legitimacy is provided by having the presence of such filmmakers as Joe Dante, John Landis and others mixed in with commentary from well-known film experts and writers. The main flaw of the film is the absence of exploitation pioneer Roger Corman, as well as the absence of recent exploitation standard bearers like Tarantino and Rodriguez.
Among the earliest exploitation films examined are “Traffic in Souls,” and “Freaks.” “Traffic in Souls” dealt with white slavery at a time when things like this were not acknowledged. “Freaks” is still controversial to this day as it stars actual carnival performers at the time labeled as freaks of nature. This film basically ruined director Todd Browning’s career after he’d been previously lauded as a genius for his version of “Dracula” starring Bela Lugosi, just one-year prior.
“American Grindhouse” moves us through genres like the film noir crimes of the 40s, the teenage rebel movies of the 50s, the biker films of the 60s, the rise of the adult film in the 70s, and the blacksploitation films of the 60s and 70s.
Of course one man’s shock is another man’s bore. What was shocking in films like “Traffic in Souls” and “Freaks” is commonplace in film today, even on TV. These films have to be taken in the context of their times, and with a consideration of human nature. We loved to be shocked, surprised, scared, and see the envelope pushed. It’s just a matter of how much you can take.
There’s no doubt that as a society we’ve been desensitized to violence and shocking things in film and on TV. In the 70’s when the “Exorcist” came out in theaters, there are stories of people passing out or having to leave the theater. Similar stories came out during showings of Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction” in 1994, where a hypodermic needle full of adrenaline is stabbed into a woman’s chest to revive here from a drug overdose.
Chances are there’s really no more true exploitation cinema. What can we see that’s shocking now that we don’t already see nightly on the news? We live in a society where everything is now instant and on-demand. If we want to find something we go to the Internet. If we want to see that controversial video, it’s probably on Youtube. Films franchises like the “Saw” franchise try to push the element and shock us with more gore, only to top themselves in the next sequel.
Exploitation is more mainstream now, and we get our exploitation with a wink and a nudge in homages like Tarantino and Rodriguez’s films, and their hundred of imitators that have crawled out of the woodworks.
What boundaries are left to push if the boundaries are gone? What’s more shocking then the 9/11 attacks, earthquakes and tsunamis in real life?
That said, there’s no doubt that the exploitation genre is one of the more influential genres in film, and needs to be studied and appreciated. It may take advantage of our base emotions, but that’s what art is all about: emotion. Exploitation films are also where a lot of today’s prominent actors and filmmakers for their starts.
“American Grindhouse” is a reverent, if not complete, overview of exploitation cinema. It’s more of an excellent introduction lovingly presented. Nothing new will be revealed to those with a decent understanding of film, though some gaps might be filled in. Nonetheless it’s a fun ride worth taking.
Maybe you’ll get a couple of tips on films you should see!
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