By the time 1968 hit, American Filmmaker Russ Meyer had already shot a list of wild full-length features such as 1965’s Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! and 1966’s mockumentary Mondo Topless. Known for pushing the envelope, Meyer had a knack for mixing humor, satire, and sexuality all into one bizarrely entertaining style. Factors that panned audiences, from those who love his work to those who hate it, somehow, each of his films still stood out in the crowd.
Not afraid to strike a nerve, looking back to 1968, it was a turbulent point in history when America was reeling from the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy, the war in Vietnam raged on, and cultural shifts were emerging before everyone’s eyes. From the music to art and movies, perhaps one of the boldest cinematic features to hit theaters in 1968 was Russ Meyer’s Vixen!
A bold step forward for Meyer, Vixen Emerged in theaters on October 22, 1968, becoming one of the first ever to receive an X-rating. Extremely taboo, even by modern standards, Meyer’s Vixen He was not shy about showing off extensive nudity, edgy dialogue, and themes rarely explored in the film. In enough words, Vixen certainly has comedic elements, oozing with satire and plenty of erotic moments, but there is something far deeper going on beneath the surface.
To start with, the lead character Vixen (portrayed by Erica Gavin, who would go on to success in 1970’s Beyond the Valley of the Dolls and 1974’s Caged Heat, among others) was the epitome of a liberated woman. Bold, carefree, and in charge, yet super savvy and intelligent, Vixen is more than just a hot-to-trot beautiful woman, but a symbol of a woman who refuses to take the backseat to any man.
With this in mind, the plot of Vixen may seem goofy at moments, but there are also tons of other upfront elements, like the idea of racism, war, and, yes, communism. All in there, beyond the overflow of steam sex scenes, perhaps the most striking of all is the closing scene in the airplane when Vixen and her bush pilot husband Tom (Garth Pillsbury) are subject to a hijacking at the hands of a Marxist tourist sitting alongside the disenfranchised, mistreated Black American named Niles (Harrison Page). Full of witty dialogue, it all makes you think about the hypocrisies surrounding all of us in a very intelligent manner.
A lot to talk about for an independent exploitation film, Vixen managed to most successful films at the box office in 1968, only behind big Hollywood productions such as 2001: A Space Odyssey, Planet of the Apes, and Rosemary’s Baby. Released around the same time as another independent film, the legendary Night of the Living Dead, one could say there was a big turning of the tides in 1968.
Unfortunately, Vixen has not been readily available in any physical format for decades, making it somewhat of a lost gem. In mid-2024, news surfaced that the estate of Russ Meyer reached an agreement with Severin Films to distribute not only Vixen but also 1975’s Supervixens and 1979’s Beneath the Valley of the Ultravixens to home video. This is a huge announcement: Vixen and the sequels have been under lock and key for a long time, almost resulting in their complete eradication from American cinema history.
Severin Films was given the rights to release Vixen, and they do so with great care, presenting the film in a new 4K restoration. Offering a simply stunning clarification, the 4K scan is taken from original camera negatives and gives you Vixen in a completely uncut format. A huge selling point within itself, the Vixen Trilogy will arrive as separate 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD releases on January 28, 2025.
It is fantastic to see, considering Severin Films could have just bundled all three films as a set; all real collectors usually enjoy seeing films put out individually instead. Considering this, the Vixen release offers even more than the 4K transfer… it includes three plus hours of special features. A whole lot to consume, these bonuses include interviews, archival audio commentary, and more, which offer insight into film.
Overall, the film restoration is simply astounding, and the package put together by Severin Films after over forty years of not being able to see Vixen is more than anyone could ask for. That is why it is highly recommended that you pick up one of the new Vixen physical formats in early 2025. Cryptic Rock gives it 4.5 out of 5 stars.
){kind=link}
No comment