Mark Hartley/ Australia/ 2010/

Not a fictional film, but rather a documentary that chronicles the exploitation film explosion of the 60s and 70s. Written and directed by Mark Hartley, Machete Maidens Unleashed! is a nostalgic look at the films we love to hate.

Tracking the rise and fall of the exploitation movies of the 1960s through to the 1980s, Machete Maidens Unleashed! interviews some of the key directors, producers and actresses of the period. Including industry heavyweight Roger Corman, director Joe Dante and the actress Pam Grier, to find out the appeal of the exploitation genre whilst revealing what it was like to be involved in making the films in the Philippines.

Hartley’s colourful documentary is a thorough and engaging documentary that is not only well made and researched but also completely entertaining. Funny and interesting from the very beginning, the world of the exploitation movie which was created for the drive-in audience, is analysed and questioned to reveal the intentions of the people behind the movies, and their reasons for making the movies whether it was for the money or the recognition. The history of the Philippines, and its troubled political landscape also become part of the film, as under the dictatorship of Ferinand Marco, the film crew were able to make the film that they wanted to make, with low costs, the help of the Philippine army and without having to adhere to the regions strict media laws, because they were foreigners. Unbiased and fair, the film provides a philosophical insight into the reasons for the popularity of the genre, and if it was the actors being exploited, or the audience. A must see for any film enthusiast, Machete Maidens Unleashed! is one of the only modern links to one of the most famous cinematic periods of the last century.