Directed by Mark Hartley, the man behind Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films, comes Machete Maidens Unleashed. It's a fast moving but pretty informative look at exploitation films in the late 60's, 70's and early 80's. It's main focus is to give explanation about the wild films that came out from the Philippines. Many of the B movie staples came from this era of film. It spans about 15 years where these films were all the rage at Drive-Ins and the rules didn't apply. The film starts off with showing how production moved from the states to the Philippines after it was liberated by America. The country was very American friendly. Gerry de Leon and Eddie Romero were the first filmmakers to establish themselves and start making films. The first focus was on the Blood Island films of which there were a few. It's funny to hear the filmmakers talk about these films while clips are show. The films were goofy horror movies shot on shoestring budgets with thin plots and bad acting. What brought people to these films were the shocks promised from the trailers. There would be gore, obviously fake gore but monsters, science fiction and terror. Roger Corman is introduced as producer as his time line crosses with that of Eddie Romero. Corman was a bigger name and he had lofty aspirations. Most of the 'hit' films being produced by him. The montage of what he was known for is hilarious. There's also a montage of all of the elements in a good Corman movie. Having not seen many of his film, it was interesting that he wanted to make the 'best' film with the money he had.But the films out of this area Corman is known for where highlighted in a feature on women in prison film. These films were actually highly successful because of the way they portrayed women as the heroes. Even though they were meant to titillate and entertain, the films helped the up and coming feminist movement. There are interviews with many of the famous actress such as Pam Grier, Colleen Camp, Judith Brown, Leigh Christian & Gloria Hendry. They were put through the ringer. The interviews are the most fascinating here. There are first hand accounts of what the actresses had to go through. Some of the things they went through will be shocking but not against the times. Sig Haig gives insight on what he had to go through in these films as well. Being that all these films were R-rated or not rated at all, it was refreshing to see the clips in all their uncensored glory. I would hate to watch a PG-13 version of this film. It wouldn't give the films their shock credit. There are ample amounts of nudity and bloody violence. The highlight of all the interviews is many of the moments with John Landis. He provides uncensored thoughts which are insightful and laugh out loud funny. I could have seen all the uncut footage from his interviews. I know there was more great commentary from the director. In the middle of the 70's the blaxploitation films were all the rage. Two of the films that led the charge came out Phillippines. Cirio H. Santiago directed TNT Jackson, which many of the actors talked about. It was a film that mixed Kung Fu with full on action and had a black female lead. This section of the documentary is most about the late 70s mixing of martial arts in the B-movie era. The stunt work is highlighted as most of the actors did all their own stunts. And the extra were on board for doing anything. Many were injured and a few died. But it was the idea of being in a 'big' Hollywood film that tested people's limits. A small portion of the film is devoted to Francis Ford Coppola whose Apocalypse Now is infamous for it's filming in Philippines. It's only give a few minutes in the documentary but enough is shown that made me want to dive into Heart of Darkness. The final stretch of the film speaks about Manila International Film Festival and the growing film market. Jaws and Star Wars are targeted as B-movies that were made on a A-level. With these films the decline of the Philippine cinema began. The final big success was the James Bond type spoof starting homegrown Weng Weng. It was the last hit of this era of B-movie cinema. This documentary was so insightful and entertaining. I wasn't bored for a minute. Given that it is unrated also help. So much footage was shown that I was intrigued to see some of these films as a whole. To my surprise, Netflix does carry many of these films. I can see a B-movie marathon in my future.

Taking us on a deliriously wild, rowdy, and often enjoyable whirlwind journey of the extremely crazy and colorful history of Filipino exploitation cinema, this energetic documentary covers everything from war films to women-in-prison sleaze to blaxploitation fare and martial arts entries, with fun detours on John Ashley, Weng Weng, Cleopatra Wang, and the movies of such local talent as Eddie Romero, Cirio H. Santiago, and Bobby Suarez along with the expected plethora of tasty gratuitous distaff nudity (done in the name of advancing feminism and female empowerment in motion pictures -- yeah, right!), excessive graphic violence, mucho explosions (the flagrant disregard for safety is quite openly addressed), and cheesy (far from) special effects. Various actresses who include Laurie Rose, Jayne Kennedy, Margaret Markov, Celeste Yarnall, Andrea Cagan, Marlene Clark, Marrie Lee, and Gloria Hendry honestly discuss working under the most deplorable conditions imaginable in a strife-ridden country under martial law and ruled by a fascist dictatorship (ironically, several B-flicks short there are about revolutionaries attempting to overthrow said dictatorship and were made with the full cooperation of the oppressive government!), New World trailer editors Allan Arkush and Joe Dante reveal the cunning trick of inserting an exploding helicopter into a trailer in order to make a shoddy film look and seem better than it really was, R. Lee Ermey openly admits that "Apocalypse Now" is a grossly inaccurate depiction of Vietnam, Roger Corman confesses he made movies in the Philippines because it was cheap to crank 'em out there, and we hear about the peak of this trend in the 70's and its eventual inevitable decline in the 80's. Of course, we've got such grindhouse luminaries as Jack Hill, Sid Haig, Brian Trenchard-Smith, and Chris Mitchum on board to relate delightfully loopy anecdotes on their misadventures toiling away on movies in this wacky third world country, plus noted cinematic historians like Pete Tombs and Danny Peary throw in their cents in for good measure. Jamie Blanks' funky-grooving score hits the right-on happening spot while the numerous clips from outrageously trashy exploitation movies are a total schlocky hoot to watch. Essential viewing.

MACHETE MAIDENS UNLEASHED is Mark Hartley's follow up his fabulous documentary Not Quite Hollywood, which explored the resurgence of the Australian film industry in the 1970's and its history of exploitation and genre films. His new documentary looks at the prolific film industry of the Philippines and its shameless B-grade exploitation films of the '60's and '70's.The industry churned out a succession of cheap, low budget horror flicks that were aimed squarely at the American drive-in audiences. The film makers had liberty to make whatever they wanted, so long as they contained the three essential Bs – breasts, beasts, and blood. And canny American producers like Roger Corman were quick to capitalize on the cheap labour source to make a series of women in prison movies as well as low budget action movies. The Indonesian army was even willing to supply equipment and personnel, especially useful in staging large-scale action scenes! And no look at film making in the Philippines would be complete without a few anecdotes about the horrendous experience of Francis Ford Coppola while making his epic folly Apocalypse Now.Hartley's film includes lots of clips from these B-grade shockers; as well fascinating and revealing interviews with directors like John Landis, Joe Dante, and even Corman himself, and some of the stars of those films. While fast-paced and entertaining enough, the material here is not as strong as Not Quite Hollywood, nor are the films referred to as familiar to audiences.Nonetheless, Machete Maidens Unleashed has more than enough of the three Bs to entertain and amuse.

I don't usually give out such high ratings but Mark Hartley's new doco about the Filipino exploitation films of the 70's and 80's by way of Corman's New World Pictures is wonderful.The interviews with former directors and stars are many and all entertaining. The clips and trailers shown are even better.Any fan of B movies will love this.I hope that this gets some sort of cinema release as Hartley and Co have clearly put much work and passion into this. His last doco NOT QUITE Hollywood was criminally ignored in this country.After seeing the wretched INCEPTION (with a ridiculous budget of $150 Million) earlier in the evening, MACHETE MAIDENS UNLEASHED was a fine celebration of purely entertaining cinema made on low budgets.More please Mr Hartley. How about Italian exploitation flicks of the 70's and 80's next? I wish cinema could be this fun again.