The American Genre Film Archive continues their mission to bring unseen curios to home video
New kids on the (boutique Blu-ray) block AGFA & Something Weird are back with their scuttiest release yet. They followup their initial releases of The Zodiac Killer and Effects with a film considered the first example of porn parody, and one newly banned by Amazon. Inspired by the Adam West ’60s Batman series, we get Bat Pussy, the hero Gotham deserves, a hero who fucks. Kinda. The restored slice of film antiquity offers a curiously unsexy affair with some baffling and hilarious production values.
Synopsis:
Considered to be the first X-rated parody, BAT PUSSY is as lurid and tasteless as its title implies. Put another way: It’s mess-terpiece of your wildest dreams… And also your most horrifying nightmares. The citizens of Gothum City are under attack by smut filmmakers and only one hero can help! Bat Pussy (Dora Dildo) hangs out in her secret headquarters (aka an outhouse). When her “twat begins to twitch,” warning her of imminent crime, Bat Pussy hops on her Holy Hippity-Hop to foil the grotesque sex schemes of un-happily married couple Buddy and Sam! The unidentified lunatic filmmakers of BAT PUSSY have never been located, providing further proof that this movie was most likely made by extraterrestrials.
The film, thought to be filmed sometime in the ‘60s/‘70s, was discovered in a Memphis theater back in the ‘90s. Originally released on VHS by Something Weird, it’s now given a 2K restoration and a host of extras to properly frame appreciation for the title. The main thrust of the film (no pun intended) is the saga of Buddy and Sam, a married couple who decide to spice up their sex lives, engaging in physical pleasures and intent on filming themselves. Their actions draw the attention of the titular Bat Pussy, aka Dora Dildo, who gets a sensation when sexual shenanigans are going down in Gotham City (really some backwater part of Texas). She sets out to confront them (on her space hopper), along the way stopping for a piss before taking out a mugger, and eventually reaching the pair for the climax — narratively and sexually, as they engage in a three-way.
With the right group of friends and level of intoxication, there is a surreal hilarity to the film. Outside of these circumstances, what unfolds is a mind boggling, lurid affair. We’re in an era where action films (The Da Vinci Load), adaptations of literary classics (A Tale of Two Titties), and even Oscar winners (Forrest Hump) get a porn parody. The raw beginnings of the genre here lack little in the way of a true homage or puns weighted against actual erotic material.
The result: A central pair displaying an inability to talk dirty, or actually fuck. Inexplicable editing, filming, and sound work. Most importantly, a film devoid of eroticism. Not just what happens on screen, but the way no effort is made to set a mood. It’s anti-porn in a way, and marks the film out as one of those viewing experiences where you feel an urge to understand exactly what the filmmakers were going for. Away from these laughable portrayals/attempts at sex, the film settles into a more amusing tone, as Bat Pussy traverses town, but these moments only make up a small fraction of the film. As porn, parody or not, it’s a failure. Some may find it’s 55 minute runtime a blessing. As a piece of lost cinema, it’s undeniable a fascinating, if ugly, watch.
The Package
Like their past releases, AGFA’s “restoration” efforts are focused on preserving the print’s aesthetic rather then overly cleaning and processing the film. So don’t expect a clean, pristine image like new releases. Scratches are present throughout as is other damage; color is washed out, the poor condition of the 16mm theatrical print used to source the transfer is evident. Special features as ever as impressively plentiful and include:
- Commentary track with Something Weird’s Lisa Petrucci and Tim Lewis, and the AGFA team: An assembled team that shows more enthusiasm for the film than its cast did. A rather entertaining and infectious listen.
- Crime-smut trailers and shorts from the Something Weird vault: A collection of adult PSA warnings, a short film The Shoplifter, and a sex ed film from the ‘70s(?).
- Liner notes by Mike McCarthy, the savior of BAT PUSSY, and Something Weird’s Lisa Petrucci: A rather amusing bit of writing that details the efforts that went into finding and restoring the film.
- Bonus movie: ROBOT LOVE SLAVES (1971), a new 2K scan from an original theatrical print: The release continues AGFA’s tradition of including a “B-Side” movie as a bonus. Also known as Too Much Loving, this title is another rough around the edges soft-core romp; still, it’s a great idea and only adds to the value of the release.
- Reversible cover art with illustration by Johnny Ryan (PRISON PIT)
The Bottom Line
Delving into these lost landmarks of cinema is often a mixed affair; quality can be low, but the curiosity and entertainment aspect can often outweigh it. Bat Pussy is perhaps one of those films that is best left in the fuzzy annals of history. A clunky, crude affair that boggles the mind, and yet does offer a crude insight into the beginnings of parody filmmaking. For those invested in such lascivious fare, this AGFA & Something Weird release is a treasure for sure, and another example of the sterling work they’re doing to preserve and package such oddities.
Bat Pussy is available to buy NOW. While banned by Amazon, you can purchase it via the heroes at MVD instead.
About AGFA
The American Genre Film Archive (AGFA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit located in Austin, Texas. AGFA exists to preserve the legacy of genre movies through collection, conservation, and distribution. Formed in 2009, AGFA focuses on outlaw exploitation movies that were produced from the 1960s through the 2000s. From manic hicksploitation epics to bloodthirsty shoestring goreblasts, each title in AGFA’s collection is a celebration of culture that should never be forgotten. Housing over six thousand 35mm film prints and trailers, our non-profit archive counts among its board members and advisors Alamo Drafthouse founders Tim and Karrie League, filmmakers Paul Thomas Anderson, Anna Biller, Frank Henenlotter, and Nicolas Winding Refn, musician RZA, exploitation film savior Lisa Petrucci, and genre film superheroes Zack Carlson and Lars Nilsen.
