Here's ol'
[email protected] again reviewing something he saw decades ago, and therefore cannot vividly recall, and there is but a snowball's chance in hell to ever see this on DVD. I encountered something like an offer to digitally download this, but you have to be a subscriber and you'll need a computer and installations and technical know-how and if anybody out there could help me, I'd gladly reward you, name your price.
STRIPPER is a documentary featuring girls competing for the Golden G-string award, not for this in itself, but as a springboard for their careers, be that as models or dancers, and with hindsight I didn't have back then, I suppose as porno stars or high- class call girls or whatever. Point is, these girls are all psyched up to win that trophy (while it is, of course, something of a questionable honor, especially to their more well-off fortunate sisters). Us menfolk do not complain, we got to see lots of bare flesh, but the real nudity in this one is the girls' tormented souls. Which makes for quite a view. This is the forerunner of reality shows, a prototype that could hardly be lived up to, as this is the really real thing, and involves bare skin by the score.
By today's standards, judging from snippets seen on the Net, the hairstyles are totally outdated, and this does make it seem like antique material, but, gee whiz oh golly shucks, what I wouldn't give to see this again, wow!
She's got style, she's got grace, she's got long, long legs, she's got savoir faire... I remember that song clearly, although it's been about 23 years since I last saw the film. It was released on the South African video circuit around 1991, I think. At a time when our very strict, absolutely Draconian censorship laws were cooling off. There was no chance whatsoever to see it here legally during it's year of origin. Americans have no idea how fortunate they are to have grown up with freedom of choice.
To try and get back to an actual review, there is this very emotional scene at the end with a shattered dream, a dashed hope, a contestant being consoled by her mother. Ain't no reality show ever which can beat that, people!
Yet, for some reason, this screen gem is mostly just collecting dust somewhere. Release it on DVD, aim it exclusively at the video rent market as a classic of a by-gone era, just ensure there's a pretty girl on the box cover... (sigh, sob)
