Roger Corman Presents ‘The Women in Cages Collection’ – Sex, Sadism, Group Showers & Pam Grier; or, WIP It Good1 min read
Reading Time: < 1 minuteCan a film genre be disreputable, even reprehensible, yet beloved at the same time? Is “beloved” the right word?
Does camp humor excuse tastelessness? Aren’t tasteless movies sometimes better than tasteful ones? Who decides what’s tasteful? Who decides what’s “better”?
Can movies that require their female protagonists to disrobe, shower, catfight, mud-wrestle and be abused and victimized also be “feminist” or “progressive” or empowering for women viewers if these same female protagonists ultimately triumph over the systems that oppress them?
Does onscreen sex and graphic violence require such justification, or can it be appreciated as escapism, or as an esthetic experience, like a landscape painting?
And how is Pam Grier able to stand tall and proud as an icon of strength, beauty and confidence in even the most dubious screen contexts?
