Private Parts

"Private Parts" tells the story of the runaway teen Cheryl Stratton (Ayn Ruymen) and her stay in her aunt's shady San Francisco hotel. Cheryl's story is not one of those pleasant coming of age films knee deep in moral values or road movies that enlightens the viewer about the importance of the journey. No, director Paul Bartel, in his first feature, has something completely different in mind, as he presents an extraordinarily bizarre tale of voyeurism, sexuality, and passionate murder. The voyeuristically loaded opening credits apply camera flashes and exposed body parts, which cue the audience in the direction of the story's sexual nature. The subsequent scene presents the sexual nature of the film in a much more tangible manner, as Cheryl sneaks a look at her friend and her boyfriend. However, Cheryl finds herself caught peeping. It places her in an awkward situation, which she avoids by leaving after she has stolen her friend's money. Here "Private Parts" pays homage to "Psycho (1960)" with similarities such as having a girl with stolen money seeking room and board at a hotel. Additional parallels to "Psycho" emerge as the film unfolds; for example, there is an intriguing bathroom scene.

This was a very odd movie, and I really enjoyed it. The story may not be all that unique, but it's told with flair, originality, and a dark, comic undertone that kept me interested throughout (the seediness and squalor of the characters quickly overshadows that of the hotel and its surroundings). The really interesting aspect for me was how, as the movie started, it just seemed a series of loosely connected events and strange details not really leading anywhere, but later on I began to realize this wasn't the case, as there was a sly subtly in the hinting of the material in terms of the various relationships and past occurrences with the hotel and its residents. Bartel made a number of films, some of them not so great, but when he's working with material that suits him, as is the case here, wonderfully tacky things ensue.

Overall rating: 7 out of 10.

This movie begins with the protagonist, a teenage girl (Ayn Ruymen) being kicked out by her roommate after she spies on said roommate and her boyfriend having sex (this is perhaps a little strange since the protagonist is quite the babe while her roommate is kind of a beast even by non-Hollywood standards). Fortunately, she has an aunt nearby who operates one of those old fashion LA hotels and who gives her a room and job. Naturally, the hotel is chock-full of weirdos, and one of the weirdest is a reclusive, voyeuristic photographer with whom the aunt seems to have some strange relationship. Things start to turn around for the girl. She meets a nice guy, and also becomes romantically involved with the strange but handsome photographer. Unfortunately, though several bloody murders occur in the hotel and her former roommate, who comes looking for her, meets a sticky fate. And someone seems to be stalking the protagonist herself.

Many times in the past I've heard some loutish guy say of a pretty girl that he'd like to "drink her bathwater". Well, the stalker here does a lot more than that (I couldn't really spoil it if I wanted to, but it also involves a blow-up doll and blood-filled syringe). This is Paul Bartel's first film. It was made before "Death Race 2000" or "Eating Rauol", but it holds it's own pretty well against those. It has a great creepy locale (I'd love to stay in one of these old LA hotels if there were still any around that haven't been turned into vastly overpriced B and B for tourists), and it has an effective horror/black comic atmosphere. The mystery here isn't all that surprising, but it sure is deliciously weird. Ayn Ruymen and the women who plays her aunt are both pretty good. Ruymen was very cute, and while I personally am much too cultured and refined to make crude comments about drinking her bathwater, I sure did enjoy seeing her in it.

Also don't confuse this with the later Howard Stern movie of the same name. This is less famous, but actually a lot better.

A runaway bad-girl touches ground at an urban hellhole...a residence hotel owned and operated by her kindly, but captious and set-in-her-ways Aunt Martha. The tenants of the hotel are a curious bunch, among them a senile old bat, a gay transvestite priest, and a handsome, mysterious photographer with a secret that's darker than pitch. An unidentified psychotic killer is active among them, as well...before long, Aunt Martha's hotel has several unexpected vacancies.

A steady momentum of shocks and a vague, peculiar climax help to make PRIVATE PARTS something rather special. Splendidly perverse creative gusto which could only have escaped from the bizarre mind of the sorely missed Paul Bartel...this is a very unusual picture, infused with brooding atmosphere and deftly appointed in every aspect of its poverty-line production.

8/10

This bizarre and entertaining cult film was Paul Bartel's first feature, and it's probably his most interesting film. Good use of seedy LA locations and an effective score by Hugo Friedhofer create a genuinely creepy atmosphere. Well cast and acted. Lucille Benson, who could easily be Norman Bates' mother,is a standout as Aunt Martha.

"Too nosy for her own good", runaway Cheryl Stratton investigates the various characters and rooms in her aunt's hotel, while a resident photographer spies on her; ultimately, with her knowledge and participation. Like so many films, Private Parts owes a debt to Psycho. Though the film becomes somewhat silly with the arrival of the 2 policemen near the end, it is original and compelling, and Bartel displays admirable restraint throughout. The film ends with a good last shot:Cheryl checked-in a girl, and checks-out a vicariously experienced woman.

When the film opened in New York, at the now defunct First Avenue Screening Room, The New York Times' reviewed it favorably. Happily, it has finally been released on DVD with the trailer. Definitely worth checking out. "Follow Cheryl as she leads you through the darkest corridors of your mind", you'll be glad you did.

"Private Parts", the directorial debut of Paul Bartel, is a wild and thoroughly engaging black comedy. Ayn Ruymen plays Cheryl, a young but not so innocent girl, who runs away from home and eventually ends up at the hotel of her Aunt Martha (Lucille Benson)in the skid row section of downtown Los Angeles. Although warned by her puritanical aunt to stay put, Cheryl explores the old place at every opportunity,soon becoming involved with George, a mysterious photographer. He is only one of the odd tenants in the establishment, but he's the one who fascinates her the most. With its lurid plot, beautiful color photography and great, brooding score, "Private Parts" is not to be missed! This October, Warner Home Video will release it in a widescreen DVD featuring the original trailer! It's not likely to be in print long, so grab it while you can!