Pets

Young runaway, Bonnie (Candice Rialson), gets herself into pickle after pickle for a little over 90 minutes and you do ask yourself "what's the point of this all again?" Still, it's incredibly entertaining to watch Bonnie get involved with a not-so-friendly hustler who uses a squirt gun to terrorize men, a possessive lesbian artist who wants Bonnie all to herself, a random drifter, and, finally, a perverted art collector who wants to keep Bonnie as one of his pets.

The story is basically just a series of vignettes and it's as if the writers wrote one of them, came back to the story a few years later, wrote another, and so on and so forth. They feel oddly disconnected and our protagonist never really does much of anything besides thumb rides and accept too good to be true offers from strangers. I'm assuming there's something to be said about female liberation during the film's climax, but who knows?

Pets' messaging might be weird, but it's never less than entertaining and more than worth your time.

A cool 70's runaway flick. Lots of trampy goings on and sleazy softcore sex. Interesting angle at the end with the "Collector" character but this film ultimately is nothing to get too excited about.

Pets (1973)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Bonnie (Candice Rialson) ran away from home but her older brother is forcing her back. When Bonnie gets her chance she escapes from him and heads back out on her own where life takes her in a few different directions and with a few different strange people.

PETS is a film that tells you a little of what to expect just by looking at its poster. The poster with a scantly clad lady is clearly telling people that they're walking into a sexploitation film but if you're expecting all T&A and nothing else then you might be disappointed because PETS actually tries to be a character study and I think for the most part it works well.

There's no doubt that the greatest thing about the picture is the performance of Rialson. Is she in the same league as Meryl Streep? Of course not but then again this type of film isn't asking for that type of performance. I thought the actress was very believable in the part and there's no question that she was very easy on the eyes and this here made the sexploitation works flawlessly. Her character has to act with several others and there's no doubt that Rialson just controls the film throughout.

There's no doubt that the film does have some flaws including a few characters that aren't all that interesting but at the same time the movie delivers a rather interesting look at a runaway and the various bad situations she finds herself in. Is PETS a masterpiece? No but it's at least entertaining and worth watching.

While "Pets" might be shelved among other "erotic thrillers", it's much too relaxed for that genre, and sexuality is generally portrayed as fun, not dangerous. Dangerous, here, is linked with possessiveness, and so the movie is firmly grounded in the 60s with their non-possessive ways. Also very 60ish - the meandering plot, with our "heroine" Bonnie (nice play) drifting through various more or less strange episodes and always getting some satisfaction out of it. The small scale of the production is clearly visible (sometimes painfully) and takes away some enjoyment, but overall Pets is a fun romp with very few boring moments and some real erotic tension without much sleaze.

I recently watched Pets (1973) on Tubi. The story follows a young woman escaping an abusive home life, only to find herself navigating the streets, unsure of who to trust and who will exploit her. Just when she thinks she understands both sides of the track, her world is turned upside down.

Directed by Raphael Nussbaum (Speak of the Devil), the film stars Joan Blackman (Blue Hawaii), Ed Bishop (2001: A Space Odyssey), Candice Rialson (Hollywood Boulevard), and K. T. Stevens (Corrina, Corrina).

This is a '70s grindhouse film with a distinct feel. The main character is wild and unpredictable, leading the story through unexpected twists and turns. The writing is better than expected, with over-the-top dialogue and outrageous circumstances that make for entertaining moments. A particular dog scene is hilarious, and the dance and "water fun" sequence is definitely memorable. The conclusion perfectly ties together the film's unpredictable journey.

Overall, Pets is a unique and worthwhile entry in the grindhouse genre. I'd give it a 6.5/10 and strongly recommend.