Satan Was a Lady

Though she is credited for two films since, this film is essentially the swan song for Ms. Wishman; the final two were either unreleased, or released sporadically. It is Wishman's attempt to update her tease-and-sleaze formula of the 50s and 60s for the Milennium. Even though the elements she chose to use have crept steadily into mainstream cinema (hookers, drug addiction, strip bars, etc.), there remains an unaltered twisted quality to her protagonists/antagonists. There are nods here that remind us of her influence on modern filmmakers--David Lynch specifically--with the use of brooding music, attention to bizarre details, and the loving affinity for footware. I found the movie to be one of her more enjoyable efforts, and a nice return from her misstep in A Night To Dismember. A bit long with repeated scenes used to segue action, it is nonetheless disquieting and ominous in the Wishman pattern. Don't expect great acting by any means, and the women (especially the lead) are suitably stern, heartless or vapid, but the discerning viewer should be able to wallow in the low-budget smell of female and the gospel of smoke.

This film essentially revolves around an angry woman named "Cleo Irane" (Honey Lauren) who lives with a boring boyfriend named "Ed Baines" (Glyn Styler) who sings boring songs at a boring strip club where Cleo picks up what few losers come through the doors. To that effect, one of her customers named "John King" (Edge Edgerton) just happens to be a rich businessman and--knowing an opportunity when she sees one--Cleo decides to blackmail him for the sum of $25,000. Unfortunately, although he complies with her demands, she soon has the money stolen by her boyfriend--and this causes her to turn into a homicidal maniac immediately afterward. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this was quite possibly the most boring movie I have ever seen. It features a thin plot, a weak script, bad acting and has very little else going for it. That being said, I honestly have great difficulty recommending this film to anyone and I have rated it accordingly.

This film is very interesting because Doris proves that her styles of her earlier work can by translated to a modern time and still hold certain elements. The dialogue and story are without a doubt Doris telling a similar tale of a bad girl using and abusing men, women, anyone to take advantage of and receiving final punishment in a climax ending. I enjoyed this film for these reasons, and also enjoyed how some of the actors were odd, and some of the dubbing was off slightly, giving it that camp quality Doris usually has. I wasn't crazy about the lead actress, although played the part well, I wasn't sure she was right for the part. It would have been cute with an innocent pretty girl who was evil, or the girl in the poster should have played it, but otherwise good cast, and amazing Styler guitar/vocal performances. Watching Doris direct on the behind the scenes almost made me cry, seeing how much energy and involvement she had, and knowing she passed a year later. RIP Doris. I love you, thank you for changing my life forever.

Satan was a Lady should not to be confused with the X-rated Wishman title of the same name filmed in 1975 and featuring Bree Anthony and Annie Sprinkle. It was to be amongst the director's final movies- and it is sadly clear that she had run into the creative sand by the time she got to this one.

The film introduces us to red-head Honey Lauren as Cleo Irane who is tired of supporting her Chuck Berry type lover Eddie (Glyn Styler), a wanna-be rock star who hangs around their apartment all day banging on his guitar and crooning god-awful songs.

For those looking for their sexploitation is a modern context, you will generally be underwhelmed. Technically this is better than many previous Wishman flicks. However it lacks the raw chaotic energy of her '60s movies. Although there is an unpleasant whipping scene in the opening, the rest of the film just lacks bite. There is actually not much nudity or edge at all.

Frankly I was bored by it. The fast forward button came in for considerable use during the course of this particular viewer's experience. Bring back the good ol' days I say ......

Satan Was a Lady (2001)

** (out of 4)

Hooker Cleo Irane (Honey Lauren) wants everything great that life can offer but she constantly finds herself with low life losers that can't give her anything. She begins blackmailing one of her richest customers but soon a chance encounter has her meeting and falling in love with his son (Glyn Styler).

Doris Wishman made her previous film in 1983 and it took nearly twenty years for her to make a comeback with this picture, which is a semi-remake of her 1975 film of the same name. If you're expecting high art or something like Bergman then it's best to avoid this picture but as long as you know what you're getting yourself into, Satan WAS A LADY is an okay time killer. Again, if you're looking for something of a classic then this here certainly isn't it.

Fans of Wishman are probably going to notice early on that this film certainly has a more polished look than her previous movies. She was always known for her rawness but that pretty much takes a backseat because visually the movie looks good. I'd even say the story itself and the situations aren't nearly as raw or brutal as her earlier films but I guess it's fair to say she had changed some since she was 81-years-old when she made this. The sex isn't all that naughty and while there's a lot of nudity all of it is done quite tasteful.

The performances are pretty much what you'd expect in a movie like this and that's ranging from fair to awful. Lauren certainly doesn't give the greatest of performances but I thought she fit the character nicely and you certainly believed that she was this hooker. The film does have a few clever things throughout but the highlight has to be the sequence where Cleo and the son meets. First, the camera flows down the son as Cleo looks at him. Then, as the son looks at Cleo, the camera stops right at her breasts.

Satan WAS A LADY isn't a good movie, a classic or a masterpiece. If you're a fan of Wishman you'll find it mildly entertaining even if at just 82 minutes the film feels long.