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Exploitation Primer
	Topic by: dwhudson Posted: December 5, 2003 - 8:33 AM PST Last Reply: December 6, 2003 - 5:24 PM PST

author	topic: Exploitation Primer
dwhudson	post #1  on December 5, 2003 - 8:33 AM PST   "The essence of the Exploitation film is a simultaneously prurient and moralistic exposé of taboo subject matter, subjects exerting a simultaneous attraction and repulsion." The primer: Exploitation. Discuss!
Brockton	post #2  on December 5, 2003 - 9:59 AM PST   Does anyone know what the scoop is on the DVD release of Freaks (1932)?
hamano	post #3  on December 5, 2003 - 10:05 PM PST   If there was any primer that begged the use of lurid still frames and reproductions of outrageous posters, it's this one. One frame of Reefer Madness and 3 posters just isn't enough for me! Is there any way we can add more images to this fine primer that would make us want to "seek and rent"??
dwhudson	post #4  on December 6, 2003 - 7:08 AM PST   > Does anyone know what the scoop is on the DVD release of Freaks (1932)? I'm curious, too. Anyone?
dwhudson	post #5  on December 6, 2003 - 7:16 AM PST   > If there was any primer that begged the use of lurid still frames and reproductions of outrageous posters, it's this one. One frame of Reefer Madness and 3 posters just isn't enough for me! Is there any way we can add more images to this fine primer that would make us want to "seek and rent"?? On the one hand, I couldn't agree more; the artwork in this genre is just delicious. On the other hand, there are basically two ways you can go: A few images reproduced relatively large or several images that would have to keep rather small in order to avoid overwhelming the text which isn't all that long (but absolutely of appropriate length for this particular primer). Went with the first option because, as you can see, most of the original artwork was comprised of stills from the films jammed against blaring fonts. If you shrink the overall poster too small, you can't make out even a suggestion of what those photos are depicting (whereas here, what's left is just that; a suggestion; we don't want to be too explicit, either). But yes, a variety of options were considered; this seemed about the best way to approach it, all things considered. Maybe we should open a GC Gallery some day, though. I'm serious. There's probably no way we can even think about that in the immediate future, but it's certainly a project I'd love to consider very seriously at some point down the line.
hamano	post #6  on December 6, 2003 - 7:52 AM PST   Good point. Maybe we can use "thumbnail" illustrations, that link to a larger full image when you click on them. I just thought for this particular genre there's a strong "you gotta see it to believe it" aspect at work. These films could be enjoyed by fans solely for their prurient value, but that's not why most of these are on DVD and included in the GreenCine catalog, right? It's just difficult to describe the value of viewing and appreciating these types of films without showing the images. Taking that further, I think a good case could be made that for Exploitation Films, you could construct a useful primer with just a series of images with captions. It's sort of a unique film genre because the way we package them, we're asking sophisticated viewers to step back and reflect on what compels humans to record and replay these stories and images. ALL movies exploit audiences' desires to see and feel certain images/experiences. So what makes these different? Well, these "exploitation" films are freak shows and if you can show that, perhaps very little explanation is necessary...You just have to discuss why people love to see freak shows.
dpowers	post #7  on December 6, 2003 - 5:24 PM PST   tight crops on some exploitive poster element would be in keeping