Vixen! Blu-ray Review
“Vixen!” is pure Russ Meyer.
Written by Robert Rudelson, the sexploitation film “Vixen!” takes place in British Columbia, Canada. The story follows Tom (a Bush pilot) and his oversexed wife (Vixen) who run a remote tourist lodge. While Tom’s away Vixen has a tendency to play unbeknownst to Tom. Vixen is frequently visited by her biker brother (Judd) and his black draft dodging friend Niles. Vixen has a rather incestuous with Judd but is quite racist towards Niles. As part of their business, Tom and Vixen often entertain guests and take them out fishing. Vixen often gets very close to the guests as you can imagine. The story takes a turn when an Irish man hires Tom to fly him to the U.S. only to threaten him to take him to Cuba. Niles also joins the Irishman in his quest, but will he have a change of heart?
Pioneering cult filmmaker Russ Meyer is the undisputed king of sexploitation cinema and “Vixen” (presented here in uncut form) is among his best known although not necessarily one of his best films. Back in 1968, this X-rated indie film was a box office smash which is hard to comprehend nowadays. Not only would you never see this type of film nowadays, but you rarely see X-rated films anymore either. For those wondering what “Vixen!” is all about, director/producer/cinematographer Russ Meyer creates what is essentially a satire of skin flicks here with over-the-top sexual encounters mixed with a drama with themes about racism, communism, incest, jealousy, and sexual liberation. With the subplots about racism and the Vietnam War, it’s very much a product of its time and certainly isn’t as shocking or boundary pushing as it was in the 60’s. Of course, the movie delivers plenty of breasts, chests, makeouts, sexual frolics, swinging 60’s music, and yes, even an erotic dance with a fish. You wouldn’t expect anything less from Russ Meyer who was known for bosom films as it were.
The real star here is Erica Gavin as the titular Vixen. She’s a stunning natural beauty with an abundance of charisma. It’s easy to see why she was such a sex symbol. Her character may be a bit loathsome with her deep racism (which is a key component to the story), but she still lights up the screen. Harrison Page also delivers a fine performance as Niles. His dramatic scenes give the film more depth.
Video/Audio:
Presentation: 1.66:1 1080p. How does it look? Scanned in 4K from the original negative by the Museum of Modern Art, this is the best print of the film to date. It maintains the original aesthetic while providing sharper colors.
Audio Track: Mono. How does it sound? Fans can expect a nice clean audio track.
Extras:
* “Vixen” trailer
* 1981 censor prologue for the re-release
* 2 commentary tracks. One new track by star Erica Gavin and Severin’s David Gregory (which is a sort of Q&A session) and the other is an archival track by Russ Meyer.
* “Woman…Or Animal?: Interviews With Actors Erica Gavin And Harrison Page”- 20 minute archival interviews. Gavin provides some fascinating behind-the-scenes stories of her past in Hollywood and how she met Russ Meyer.
* “David Del Vale’s The Sinister Image With Guests Russ Meyer and Yvette Vickers”- The filmmaker and actress guest on this half-hour 80’s cinema talk show.
* “Entertainment…Or Obscenity?”- Marc Edward Heuck On the Film’s Historic Cincinnati Censorship Battles”- A new interview with the film print collector who sheds light on the story.
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