Showing posts with label drama. Show all posts
Showing posts with label drama. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 25, 2026

freakboy on film: KISS ME, KISS ME, KISS ME! (1968)

Sitting on a Blu-ray player in front of a television is The blu-ray box set of GUTTER AUTEUR” The Lost Legacy of Andy Milligan.  the cover  shows images of a piece of film with half of Andy’s face..
Here we are, months later, and I’m FINALLY blogging about the other recently unearthed lost Andy Milligan film.  When I first researched his films, out of all of the lost titles, KISS ME, KISS ME, KISS ME! interested me the least because Andy didn’t write the screenplay.  That honor goes to infamous exploitation producer extraordinaire William Mishkin (story by) and Josef Bush (screenplay).  As time went by, and I came to understand Mishkin and Bush in relation to Milligan, I realized KISS ME, KISS ME, KISS ME! would be worth watching.  I mean, William Mishkin was a shrewd businessman, so he must have known his story would be in perfect directorial hands with Andy Milligan, despite the shocking lack of incest in the plot.

KISS ME, KISS ME, KISS ME! (1968) 
Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, movie poster shows various scenes from the film.  Text reads, Bolder, franker, more intimate than anything ever seen before on the screen! More text reads, No one man could satisfy her!
Jean Novack is a modern day woman with needs.  Her hobbies include neglecting her son Jimmy, placating her husband Stan through sex, cheating on Stan with his friend Eddie and day-drinking.  Oh, and night-drinking and drinking between drinking.  What else is a bored, 1960’s New York City housewife supposed to do?  
Jean drinking from a bottle in a scene from Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me.
What to do before watching a Milligan film!
After Stan’s New Jersey stepmother dies, and his brother Ray flees to California, he invites his sister Ellen to move in.  Jean balks at first, but comes around to the idea when it means moving to a bigger apartment.  The one thing Jean is not happy about is Eddie has started blowing off her advances.  To bring Eddie back into her seductive orbit, Jean suggests to Stan that he should set Eddie up with Ellen. 
Stan and Jean in an unhappy moment in a scene from Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me.
Marriage, Milligan style!
Andy may not have wrote KISS ME, KISS ME, KISS ME! but if you’ve read any of my other Milligan reviews, you know Jean’s plan is going to majorly backfire with dire and deadly consequences.  I almost ache to tell you how it all ends, but I won’t since the film is currently streaming on Fawesome.  Let’s just say that I actually gasped at the key climactic scene and hoped I didn’t just watch a snuff film.  Don’t panic!  The two actors in the scene thankfully show up in later Milligan films.  As for the surviving characters, they live traumatically ever after.  
Eddie and Ellen cling to each other in a scene from Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me.
The fear of spoilers!
All the performances initially seemed more controlled than usual, for a Milligan film, but everything and everyone steadily becomes way out of control by the end.  Natalie Rogers as Jean is the one to watch.  She is always on and ready to emotionally turn on a dime if it suits her character’s needs.  I must also give a shout-out to Gerald Jacuzzo as Stan’s brother Ray.  He always magnetizes a scene and as Ray, he vibrates with tortured queer artist nerd vibes.   
Ray, wearing glasses, faces a bookshelf in a scene from Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me.
Not a selfie!
KISS ME, KISS ME, KISS ME! is not the first time Andy Milligan directed someone else’s words.  His first film VAPORS proved the melding of fractured minds can create something special and the same can be said here.  Within the familial melodrama, Milligan infused KISS ME, KISS ME, KISS ME! with visual chaos, growing more and more visceral as it reaches the gasp-worthy climax.  He even got to throw in some of his standards, such as Swirl Camera, an endless staircase to climb, uncomfortable sex scenes and unsettling close-ups.  In other words, make no mistake, this is an Andy Milligan film! 
Close up of Jean with crazed look in her eyes and a wide smile in a scene from Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me.
Me, daydreaming about finding other lost Milligan films!
In conclusion…
Despite my early, judgmental misgivings, KISS ME, KISS ME, KISS ME! won me over.  Much like THE DEGENERATES, I have found myself enjoying the off-kilter mix of love, sex and death more and more with each viewing.  Though it will probably not break into my Top 5 Milligan Films.  So, if you’re in the mood for a trip you’ll never forget, grab a cocktail (or mocktail) of your choice and cozy up to KISS ME, KISS ME, KISS ME! 
Jean, wearing sunglasses, faces the camera in a scene from Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me.
You know you want to!
NOTE: 
THE DEGENERATES is also streaming on Fawesome!  
Freak Out, 
JLH 

P.S.  click DINAH EAST to learn the truth about a Hollywood legend! 
~~~~~~~~~~~~
A Poetic Happening is happening soon!  📜 
Readings by Jewel Rodgers, Stephanie E. Glass, Robert McEwen and John L. Harmon   SATURDAY @ 6PM HOMEGROWN A TRAVELING series  SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5th, 2026 @ 6PM Organized by Nebraska State Poet, Jewel Rodgers, Homegrown is a traveling community arts series where everyone is welcome to listen, connect, or share original work. Enjoy a popcorn-style community reading. performances by Jewel and other notable poets, and an open share featuring poetry, stories, music, visual art, and more. Prefer to just listen? Come as you are. Snacks and light refreshments provided. Free and open to all. MADE POSSIBLE BY THE ACADEMY OF AMERICAN POETS CHADRON OPEN ART 223 MAIN STREET, CHADRON NE 69332

Friday, July 31, 2026

freakboy on film: DINAH EAST (1970)

I was hungry for something different, so I searched eBay for “weird queer movies.”  A few titles caught my half-blind eyes, but DINAH EAST intrigued me the most.  No, I didn’t immediately order a copy.  There was research to be done and when I learned DINAH EAST is considered an early trans film, the choice was a no-brainer.  Out of the two versions on DVD, the one with the most spectacular cover ended up in my eBay cart. 
Colorful DVD cover of Dinah East
The only weird thing about DINAH EAST, in my opinion, is the structure of the film.  It all begins with famous film star Dinah East, after an odd exchange between her and her naked adult son, dying from a medical crisis in the back of her limousine.  Then a pervy mortician, who is a little too eager as he undresses Dinah’s corpse, discovers the woman of his fantasies was biologically male.  The press is called and soon Dinah’s death is overshadowed by her gender nonconforming secret. 
Dinah, wearing sunglasses, sits in the back of a limo.
It’s here where the life of Dinah East is told through flashbacks as the important people in her life hear of her passing.  All the flashbacks are fascinating, but a few stand out for me.  In one, we learn how Dinah, dressed in traditionally male attire, shows up at a film studio and is told there are no parts for men.  The next day Dinah appears at the studio gate in traditionally female attire, explaining how she is herself now and the day before she was just foolin’.  This feels like an extremely progressive view of identity for a decades old film. 
Dinah and the security guard.
Another of my favorite flashbacks is when Dinah meets Daniela, a lesbian fashion designer.  It could have been a case of blackmail when Dinah accidentally walks in on Daniela being intimate with a model, but instead, these two women find allies in each other.  Throughout the rest of Dinah’s career, Daniela is in charge of her wardrobe, even winning an Academy award.  Finding friends and allies outside and within the LGBTQ+ community seems like a newer concept, but this film shows how it’s always been important to cultivate such relationships.  
Daniela and Dinah
My favorite flashback involves Dinah’s chauffeur Tank Swenson.  Tank is a hunky boxing instructor for the film studio and he catches Dinah’s eye.  She also catches Tank’s eye  and soon they are involved in a wonderfully sweet courtship.  Even when his boxing career ends and he becomes her chauffeur, their love for each other remains true.  Honestly, this flashback brought a few happy tears to my eyes, especially when Tank tells Dinah it doesn’t matter if she’s a man or a woman as long as she loves him.  This romance feels beyond progressive.  Maybe groundbreaking would be the word if DINAH EAST had not become so seemingly obscure. 
Tank and Dinah
I was expecting DINAH EAST to be a wham-bam production like MYRA BRECKINRIDGE, but writer/director Gene Nash keeps the pacing and acting low-key.  The most remarkable aspect is how the script is sympathetic to Dinah East.  She is who she is, with no apologies, even when facing personal attacks.  As for the acting, the range varies from person to person.  In my opinion, there are three to watch.  Jeremy
Stockwell brings strength and sincerity to Dinah.  Matt Bennett makes Tank a lovable goofball with surprising depth.  With a name like Ultra Violet, you’d think Daniela would be bold and flashy, but UV gives the fashion designer a down-to-earth vulnerability. 

When researching DINAH EAST, I stumbled upon some juicy Hollywood gossip and a star-studded urban legend!  Legendary sex-positive icon Mae West allegedly filed a lawsuit against the filmmakers and tried to have all prints of DINAH EAST destroyed, supposedly explaining how the film fell into obscurity.  If Mae West actually took such action, the question would be, “Why?”  Well, according to one of several urban legends surrounding her, the fabulous Mae West was, allegedly, a man in female drag and she saw DINAH EAST as a personal attack.  Honestly, if I hadn’t read this before watching the film, I wouldn’t have connected West with East.  The only time Dinah reminded me of Mae was maybe in how she was dressed in one scene. 
Dinah dressed in a garish gown.
In conclusion…
DINAH EAST may not have been what I expected, but it was just what I needed.  A dramatically touching story of someone who, in today’s language, would be considered a trans woman.  While her death in the film is tragic, the character of Dinah East is not.  She lived her life on her terms, with strength and kindness.  We could all learn a lesson from Dinah.  So if you are in the mood for an obscure 1970’s LGBTQ+ film about the complexities of being human, then keep an eye out for DINAH EAST.  

NOTE: According to IMDB, DINAH EAST is available to stream through IndiePix Unlimited and Fawesome, the latter being similar to Tubi.

Freak Out, 
JLH 

P.S. click a pic for related posts… ⤵️
A scene from let me die a woman

A scene from Scarecrow in a garden of cucumbers

A scene from Myra Breckinridge
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Stay Tuned for more about this upcoming event! ⤵️
Readings by Jewel Rodgers, Stephanie E. Glass, Robert McEwen and John L. Harmon   SATURDAY @ 6PM HOMEGROWN A TRAVELING series  SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5th, 2026 @ 6PM Organized by Nebraska State Poet, Jewel Rodgers, Homegrown is a traveling community arts series where everyone is welcome to listen, connect, or share original work. Enjoy a popcorn-style community reading. performances by Jewel and other notable poets, and an open share featuring poetry, stories, music, visual art, and more. Prefer to just listen? Come as you are. Snacks and light refreshments provided. Free and open to all. academy of american poets MADE POSSIBLE BY THE ACADEMY OF AMERICAN POETS CHADRON OPEN ART 223 MAIN STREET, CHADRON NE 69332



Monday, June 22, 2026

booking freakboy: ERASE ME by Josh Silver (2026)

I was loitering at the library, examining a few small stacks of books that had yet to be placed back on the shelves.  A few mildly interested me as I sifted through the books, but then, at the bottom of one stack, a cover caught my attention.  Even though I was not wearing my Mad Scientist Glasses, I could see the soft colors of a sunset and the transparent figure shimmering with the sun reflecting off the body of water.  To add to the picture, a young person stood, gazing into the sunset, while appearing to hold hands with the transparent figure.  I was already going to borrow the book, because the imagery made me feel a longing sadness, but the emotionally devastating title sealed the deal.  
Cover of Erase Me by Josh Silver shows two figures holding hands while watching the sunset.
ERASE ME is about a young man with a lot of problems named Elias Pew.  On top of having church furniture for a last name, Eli has ADHD, was in a car crash and has lost two months of memory, along with the ability to feel emotions.  Through his morally debatable experiments to try to feel something again, Eli finds himself in Traumaland.  This business, yes, business, is a place where people can watch traumatic events through Virtual Reality goggles, all supposedly performed by actors.  Eli believes this until he recognizes a face or two in one of the many events to choose from.  This startling realization sends Eli on a journey of identity and how our memories make us who we are.  Eli also faces a forgotten love of a lost young man.  Not knowing anything about the story going in, this made me wonder if I felt queer vibes echoing within the emotionally layered cover and title. 

As much as I enjoyed ERASE ME by Josh Silver, I also found the story uncomfortably familiar in some parts.  There are several scenes of Eli in a mental institute, which is not so different from me at the age of 15.  Long story short, I was really messed up back then, mainly suffering from such low self-esteem that I should call it no self-esteem.  This landed me in a mental institution.  I’ll spare you the trauma of being committed for another day because I’d rather focus on a young man I connected with behind the sterile walls. 

His name was Mark and he was a year or two older than me.  I wish I had a photo of him, but I remember Mark looking like an American football player, and I think he was on his school’s team, but he wasn’t a stereotypical big sack of duh.  He seemed intelligent and thoughtful.  I recall one corner of his mouth raising as he spoke, which a group therapy therapist said the mannerism made Mark appear insincere.  I found it endearing, 

Mark and I were in different wards, but shared group therapy at least once a week.  On one day, the therapist zeroed in on me.  He explained how I should deepen my voice and cuss more to fit in.  That quack was just one more in a long mixed line of adults and peers telling me nobody will like me if I am myself.  

Before I could respond, a female patient pointed out that I didn’t “talk like this” and proceeded to do a stereotypical effeminate male voice, including flamboyant hand gestures.  The other patients laughed and so did I because in her own, possibly misguided way, she was defending me.  Then, after the laughter died, Mark, who was sitting beside me, expressed admiration for my ability to be myself even when pressured to be someone else.  

Looking back, I don’t know if he was talking in code, but it was the first time I had been seen and felt accepted by someone close to my age.  I hope I did the same for Mark, but I’ll never know.  Being in different wards, our interactions were few and far between.  I did get to say goodbye to Mark the day before my release and I had hoped to acquire his address so I could write to him, but he said his parents wouldn’t approve.  Over the years, I have conducted online searches for Mark, but he seems to be just a bright, shining moment in my memories during a most traumatic time. 

In conclusion…
I swear YA books are better than books for allegedly more mature readers.  YA books tend to be more daring and author Josh Silver dares to send readers down a dark rabbit hole of mental illness, memories and pain.  As I said, I enjoyed ERASE ME, but found aspects of the story hitting close to hone.  So, if you want to celebrate 🏳️‍🌈Pride Month🏳️‍⚧️ in an emotionally challenging way, ERASE ME by Josh Silver may be the book for you! 

Freak Out, 
JLH 

P.S.  ERASE ME was originally published as TRAUMALAND in the UK and Europe in 2025.  I don’t think I would’ve been quite as drawn to its original cover or title.
Cover of Traumaland by Josh Silver shows a drawing of an angry pink bunny, wearing headphones.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Other queer books for Pride Month are available from an Amazon near you…
🏳️‍🌈
📚 

Wednesday, April 22, 2026

freakboy on film: THE DEGENERATES (1967)

🎵 They once were lost, but now they’re found! 🎵
Sitting on a Blu-ray player in front of a television is The blu-ray box set of GUTTER AUTEUR” The Lost Legacy of Andy Milligan.  the cover  shows images of a piece of film with half of Andy’s face..
Praise be to Severin Films for finding and releasing two of Andy Milligan’s lost films!  Believe you me, I was freaking out over this discovery and was constantly checking Severin so I could pre-order ASAP!  It was a rare Friday off for me and I just got home from a sloppy joe lunch with my sister.  I immediately checked and BAM, there was my dream come true!  “This is really happening!” I chanted to my cats as I placed my order, only half-aware I was quoting ROSEMARY’S BABY.

You can imagine how over the moon I was when my order arrived.  I watched the two lost films right away and the other films over the weekend.  To be honest, I was under the weather for my initial viewings, so subsequent viewings were required, as if I needed an excuse for rewatching! 

I was originally planning on doing one post covering all of “GUTTER AUTEUR” The Lost Legacy of Andy Milligan, but I ended up writing a longer review for THE DEGENERATES than I expected.  In other words, the following review is just the first in a potential series of reviews…

THE DEGENERATES (1967) 
Poster for The Degenerates, 1967, shows clothed couples in what appears to be in the middle of sex.  Also a photo of one woman looking uncertain.  Text reads, they always go down to the lowest depths of human sensuality!  More text reads, self-satisfied women who need no men!
My first thought on my initial viewing was, This movie is daring viewers to hate it.  It was loud with screeching performances and was sometimes hard to follow, especially keeping track of which character was which.  In other words, THE DEGENERATES was an Andy Milligan film through and through, and I enjoyed it even if I was confused.  My confusion may have been due to being ill at the time.
Frank Jim am Gogo make their way through a post-apocalyptic world in a scene from Andy Milligan’s The Degenerates.
Frank, Jim and GoGo on the go.
THE DEGENERATES is Andy Milligan’s post-apocalyptic, sci-fi epic!  Well, sort of.  After an offscreen nuclear war has decimated the world, three men (Jim, Frank and GoGo) are sent out to find other survivors.  The trio stumble upon a house of women named after flowers or flowering plants.  Violet may physically look like a slim bit of nothing with a cute pixie cut bob, but she is in charge and rules with an iron fist.  Rose exudes a sweet, understanding motherly vibe.  Iris and Daisy are ready to find out what they’ve been missing when the men arrive.  Lily is young, sweet and innocent and always wears a hairband.  Ivy, the youngest, lives away from her sisters, having lost her mind when she saw their father burn to death in the family car. 
Ivy laughs wildly in a scene from Andy Milligan’s The Degenerates.
What does Ivy know?
Jim has an injured leg and Violet agrees to let the men stay for a couple of days.  She assigns Iris to take care of Jim, who gets the luxury of a bedroom, and orders Frank and GoGo to sleep in the shed.  Iris and Jim begin forming a bond, while Daisy sneaks out to spend time with GoGo, no matter how ridiculous his name is.  Meanwhile, Frank is out to claim innocent Lily for himself.  All of this sex ignites a boiling rage in Violet as she believes her sisters are slipping away from her and she will be left alone.  Violence soon erupts, with death not far behind.  It’s interesting to note that Milligan did not use “swirl camera” to represent chaos in THE DEGENERATES, which makes for a more visceral viewing, in my opinion.
Violet points at the shed where Daisy, cowering in fear, will face her punishment in a scene from Andy Milligan’s The Degenerates.
Violet prepares to punish Daisy.
Will Violet’s love and rage go too far?  Will Lily be saved from Frank’s manipulative ways?  Will Ivy speak the truth about their father’s death?  Will Daisy & GoGo and Iris & Jim live happily ever after in a post-apocalyptic world?  Well, this is an Andy Milligan film, so the odds are stacked against them. 
Iris and Jim hold hands and share a rare happy moment in a scene from Andy Milligan’s The Degenerates.
Iris and Jim are happy for a moment.
The bombastic visuals and dialogue that had bombarded me at first became a filmic drug with my second viewing of THE DEGENERATES.  I was able to follow everything going on and was mesmerized.  I couldn’t take my half-blind eyes off the screen as Violet descends into absolute madness.  Played to severe perfection by Bryarly Lee, who also starred in the still lost Milligan film THE NAKED WITCH, Violet seems to be an unstoppable force.  Then there is Hope Stansbury, who wrote Milligan’s first film VAPORS and starred as Dracula’s daughter in BLOOD.  In THE DEGENERATES, Hope plays youngest sister Ivy, the one who lives apart from the others.  Hope gives the mostly silent Ivy a soul and finds her strength when she finally speaks a long-held secret.  The rest of the cast gives it their all, but this film belongs to Bryarly Lee and Hope Stansbury. 
Violet stands transfixed in a scene from Andy Milligan’s The Degenerates.
Violet demands to be loved!
THE DEGENERATES was written by friends and sometimes lovers, Gerald Jacuzzo and Andy Milligan.  They were definitely on the same page because it all feels like Milligan or maybe that’s because of his directorial style.  One moment that definitely came from Andy is the crucifixion scene.  One character’s right hand is nailed to a wall while the other hand is pinned using a pitchfork, which is a Milligan trademark instrument of torture.
Violet stabs Frank’s hand with a pitchfork in a scene from Andy Milligan’s The Degenerates.
Violet pitchforks Frank.
 
Speaking of torture (not his acting), writer Gerald Jacuzzo also appeared in some of Andy’s films, most memorably TORTURE DUNGEON, which I have shamefully not reviewed…yet!  He was also in VAPORS and appears briefly in the other recently found lost Milligan film, KISS ME, KISS ME, KISS ME! (1968) and is easily one of the best actors Andy utilized. 

In conclusion…
Despite my confusing but enjoyable first viewing, THE DEGENERATES is quickly rising up the ranks in my favorite Andy Milligan films.  It won’t bump FLESHPOT, NIGHTBIRDS or SEEDS from the top spots, but it is giving other favorites a run for their low-budget money!  If you haven’t experienced an Andy Milligan film, don’t start here.  I recommend beginning with GURU THE MAD MONK and branching out from there.  However, if you’re a burgeoning fan or a maladjusted, obsessive Milligan freak like me, THE DEGENERATES must be seen!  
Me in a black t-shirt with the cover of the blu-ray box set of GUTTER AUTEUR” The Lost Legacy of Andy Milligan printed on the front.
My obsession is now a fashion statement!
Freak Out, 
JLH 

P.S.  Click TRICKS OF THE TRADE for a look at the script for another one of Andy Milligan’s lost films! 
~~~~~~~~~~~~
My books are tragically nothing like a Milligan film, but you can still find a degenerate character or two within their pages. 

Thursday, January 15, 2026

channel freakboy: INTIMATE AGONY (1983)

Paradise Isle is a luxurious destination to live or vacation.  There’s fine dining, a yacht-like ferry and tennis galore.  What more could anyone need?  Well, with the horndog tennis instructor, an unfaithful husband and promiscuous teenagers on the island, maybe everyone could use some antiviral medication.  This made for TV movie aired on the U.S. network ABC in 1983 and plays as if JAWS and an Afterschool Special met and had a herpes baby. 
Advertisement for intimate agony (1983) shows several characters, with text that reads,  Five minutes ago, her lover called.  He said something he should have told her before. Something she will have to live with for the rest of her life. intimate agony.  Millions today are victims of Herpes: This story could be about your town. Your neighbors. Even somebody you love. Starring Anthony Geary, Judith Light Mark Harmon, Arthur Hill Penny Fuller and Robert Vaughn Directed by Paul Wendios Written by Richard DeRoy ABC Monday Night Movie
NOTE: according to IMDb, the main character’s last name is Richards, but it is Richardson on screen.
Trust me, I’m a doctor!
Dr. Kyle Richardson (Anthony Geary) is initially having a good time as a new resident of Paradise Isle.  He is thrilled to bump into an old college buddy Tommy (Mark Harmon), who is now a lascivious tennis instructor.  Kyle is also happy to start spending time with Marsha (Judith Light), a cocktail waitress who nearly ran him over with her car in a meet-cute moment at the beginning of the movie.  However, things take a turn when the doctor realizes there is an outbreak on Paradise Isle.  Tommy has a fever and is worried about his sex life.  Nick Todd (Brian Kerwin), a philandering husband, has given the gift that keeps on giving to his unaware, pregnant wife Connie (Lori Lethin).  Then Katie Fairmont (Cindy Fisher), teenage daughter to real estate developer Dave Fairmont (Robert Vaughn), has contracted the virus after having sex with a boy in her class.  In other words, everything’s coming up herpes! 
Mark Harmon as Tommy looks too eager to give a tennis lesson in a scene from intimate agony.
Tragically, this is not a musical!
To make matters worse, Dr. Kyle Richardson is being silenced by head doctor Dr. Holliston (Arthur Hill) and Dave Fairmont.  They don’t want Kyle’s herpes concern to cause a panic or scare away real estate investors.  Plus, on top of all that, Marsha is hiding something from Kyle.  What will happen?  Will Dr. Kyle Richardson spread the word of warning before herpes spreads to more and more people?  Will Dave Fairmont learn of his daughter’s diagnosis?  Will Tommy stop being a tennis slut and learn to respect women?  Will Connie find out she has herpes before she goes into labor?   What exactly is Marsha hiding?  My lips are sealed since INTIMATE AGONY is streaming on Tubi. 
Judith light as Marsha and Anthony Geary as Dr. Kyle Richardson look serious on a ferry  in a scene from intimate agony.
What happens on Paradise Isle, stays on Paradise Isle!
My sister spotted INTIMATE AGONY because she recognized Anthony Geary on the little Tubi poster.  Being fans of the daytime soap GENERAL HOSPITAL, we knew we had to see Geary play someone who isn’t the infamous Luke Spencer.  As Dr. Kyle Richardson, Geary is a sincere, gentle, caring medical professional.  Then there’s Judith Light as Marsha.  It’s weird seeing her in a dramatic role when you know she has serious comic timing, but from the dates on IMDb, Ms. Light was either fresh off or just finishing her stint on the daytime soap ONE LIFE TO LIVE.  I guess it’s not a far stretch going from housewife-turned-prostitute Karen Wolek to single mother Marsha, who may or may not have herpes.  
Judith light as Marsha looks angelic in a scene from intimate agony.
The fresh face of herpes?
Mark Harmon, with a porn star tache and nearly always in tennis shorts, is the epitome of a lothario and makes you believe Tommy was probably voted most likely to get herpes in school.  Brian Kerwin oozes pathetic loser vibes as cheater Nick Todd and Lori Lethin is all sorts of sweet naïveté as his wife.  Robert Vaughn gives rich fathers a bad name as Dave Fairmont, especially when he refuses to listen to anything more from his daughter after she admits to being sexually active.  Cindy Fisher is fine as Katie Fairmont, but she might be the weakest link, except for when she trashes her room out of frustration.  Katie’s best friend Lisa is totally more interesting and is played with ‘80’s new wave energy by Shawn Schepps, who would show up a year later as Sarah Conner’s (“You're dead, honey.”) co-worker in THE TERMINATOR. 
Shawn Schepps as Lisa holds out a plastic hanger and Cindy Fisher as Katie stands ashamed in the corner in a scene from intimate agony
No herpes or plastic hangers ever!
The movie takes some time to become a cohesive story.  At first, all the characters seem very separate and it’s easy to forget who is who.  This may have something to do with the slew of writers listed.  Richard De Roy, James S. Henerson, and James G. Hirsch are the credited writers, for those who want to know.  From what I noticed on IMDb, director Paul Wendkos mainly directed television productions.  With INTIMATE AGONY, he delivered a solid disease-of-the-week TV movie without spiraling too deeply into melodrama and histrionics, with maybe the exception of Katie.
Cindy Fisher as Katie looks agonized in a scene from intimate agony.
In her defense, Katie is having a really bad day!
In conclusion…
INTIMATE AGONY must have been shocking in 1983 with its frank discussion of genital herpes and its ultimately non-shaming attitude towards sex.  Never mind that HIV/AIDS was ravaging the gay community at the time and mainstream media, if they even talked about it, was largely all about blaming and shaming those suffering and dying, but that’s a soapbox post for another day.  If you’re looking for a blast from the past with some freakishly young looking familiar faces, I seriously barely recognized Judith Light, and some low-key unintentional humor, then INTIMATE AGONY may be the TV movie for you!  If anything else, there’s Mark Harmon wearing nothing but a towel. 
Mark Harmon as Tommy wears only a towel after a shower in a scene from intimate agony.
Tommy can give me herpes anytime!
Freak Out. 
JLH 

P.S.  Maybe one of the characters from the orgy in my last post visited Paradise Isle and started the herpes outbreak… 🤔 
(click here for more) 


~~~~~~~~~~~~
Embrace the agony and read my books in 2026!
📚

(click here for more) 

Friday, January 9, 2026

freakboy on film: THE FIREWORKS WOMAN (1975)

Have all of my favorite film directors directed porn?  Ed Wood, Jr. certainly did!  One could argue that Andy Milligan did with the uncut version of FLESHPOT ON 42nd STREET because of at least two very real sex scenes.  Even John Waters admits that one uncomfortably memorable scene in PINK FLAMINGOS is a satirical take on DEEP THROAT.  Oh, and while Roger Ebert made it abundantly clear that Russ Meyer did NOT direct porn, I argue that his manically unhinged UP! (1976) is at least porn-adjacent.  (I really need to review that piece of celluloid craziness.) 

So, I guess it’s not a surprise that before Wes Craven gave us A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, he inverted and exploded the concept of adult cinema with THE FIREWORKS WOMAN (aka The Fireworks Man, which makes more sense as the title.) 
Blu-ray cover of the fireworks woman in front of fireworks bursting shows a sailboat sailing into the sunset and a close up of Angela looking thoughtful.
Angela is a complicated woman haunted by the past, by her incestuous feelings for her brother and by The Fireworks Man, a seemingly supernatural entity.  These three influences in her life seem to be entangled as she shows up at the church where her brother Peter is now a priest.  Angela wants to continue their taboo relationship that was consummated before Peter became a man of the cloth.  Peter swears he doesn’t want what Angela wants, but he gets her a job as a maid to one of his parishioners.  The twisted old refined lady and her kinky male cohort start Angela down a path of self-discovery, even though Peter is never far from her thoughts.  
Angela looks serious in a scene from the fireworks woman.
Does THE FIREWORKS WOMAN end with a bang or a fizzle?  It ends just like a Wes Craven film should end, leaving the viewers questioning everything they just experienced.  
The fireworks man looks amused wearing a top hat in a scene from the fireworks woman.

SPOILER ALERT
Peter gets advice from the Monseigneur and throws a church banquet.  Angela gets advice from Nicolas Burns (The Fireworks Man) and invites the congregation to an orgy at the same time as the banquet.  Guess which party the so-called faithful attend!  Nicolas then tricks Peter into coming to the orgy, forcing the priest into a decision.  Peter leaves a note for the Monseigneur and then brazenly enters the orgy, scoops up Angela and carries her to a boat.  Then brother and sister sail away, living happily ever after…or do they?  The Monseigneur rushes to the beach to stop the ungodly lovers, but it’s too late.  As he turns away, the disciple of God disappears as Nicolas Burns (the disciple of Satan?) appears, turning towards the faraway boat.  What does this mean for Angela and Peter?  Does it mean the Monseigneur and The Fireworks Man are just flip sides of the same coin?  Unfortunately, Wes Craven never publicly spoke of this film in detail, so, like the end of A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, it’s left to interpretation.  However, according to a blu-ray bonus feature, the original script ends with the boat washing ashore somewhere without Peter and Angela on it.  Even that ending would’ve been enigmatic.  
The sailboat sails away in a scene from the fireworks woman.
THE FIREWORKS WOMAN is definitely written and directed by Wes Craven.  His mark is on the haunting visuals, the unsettling/shocking story and he even portrays Nicolas Burns.  The director, who does not appear in the sex scenes, seems very comfortable in front of the camera and appears to be having fun sowing the seeds of chaos as The Fireworks Man.  As for the other actors, they share that natural 1970’s acting vibe.  Jennifer Jordan as Angela and Eric Edwards as Peter are believable as the tormented siblings.  
SIDE NOTE: Eric Edwards is no stranger to this blog.  He appeared as the rich guy with the priceless broach and manipulative aunt in the uproarious BLONDE AMBITION (1981). 
Peter looks conflicted in a confessional in a scene from the fireworks woman.
In conclusion… 
When I noticed Melusine was offering this most obscure Wes Craven film, I didn’t think twice about it.  THE FIREWORKS WOMAN is a disturbing study of emotional trauma and forbidden love.  No, it’s not quite on par with Wes Craven’s other films, but it’s an intriguing celluloid stepping stone on his way to creating Freddy Krueger.  So, if you’re a Craven completist or a truly adventurous film freak, THE FIREWORKS WOMAN is the film for you!  Be warned though, there is a very brief scene at the orgy between a fisherman and his catch of the day that you will never unsee! 

Freak Out, 
JLH 
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dare to enter the fantasies of my deranged mind in 2026… 
🧠 
📚 
Books by John L. Harmon available from Amazon include  the dark excursions series, the sturgeons series, vision bent half blind poems, bubbas truck a short story and Whasome’s dreck a short parody.