People love to talk about the rough and tumble version of Times Square before Disney cleaned it up. Once it wasn’t a nice tourist attraction filled with national chains like the Mall of America. It was a seedy place full of delis, theaters running skin flicks and nightclubs that offered rare entertainment. When someone walked into a business looking for Donkey Sauce, they weren’t out-of-towners looking to chow down on Guy Fieri’s latest food monstrosity. Those visitors to the early ’70s Times Square were seeking carnal delights that they couldn’t get back in Bumpkinville. “You know what those women did in the Big Apple?” was the start of a story that couldn’t be repeated to Great Aunt Anna. Now those days are gone. You don’t mind telling Aunt Anna that you went to Time Square for a sophisticated evening at Bubba Gump Shrimp Company. But there are a few souvenirs of that bygone era. Most of them are the adult features that ran in the movie theaters. Drive In Collection: The Sexualist & Wendy’s Palace are two such treats that would have been viewed by Travis Bickle and his dates.
The Sexualist (1973 – 97 minutes is subtitled “A Voyage to the World of Forbidden Love.” However this film is more of a voyage to the world of bizarre comedy in an erotic setting. The educational voice narrator explains that this is a film about mutual self pleasuring using the astrological signs as guidance. But beyond the erotic scenes is the twisted tale of a filmmaker (Dale T. Fuller) who is having a serious lack of success at the box office. He advertised for actors of various star signs. He ends up with a confused gorilla. His back goes by Mr. Godfather. He has little patience for his groovy director in hippie garb. He’s eager to be the new king of Times Square. There’s a lot of plot and acting in this film. It’s almost faux-educational as the narrator speaks of how the horoscope affects the various lovers in their mingling.
Wendy’s Palace (1971 – 71 minutes) has less of a comic plot. Wendy (Mary Poey) is a street walker in Manhattan who likes to work Times Square. But she ends up getting busted by a vice cop Vince (Henry Mills). Wendy must have the worst lawyer in New York City since someone the fact that Vince hook up with her before slapping the cuffs on her wrists doesn’t get her a get out of jail card. After she serves her time, she has a little money from a dead relative. Instead of going to a community college to learn how code computer cards, Wendy buys an apartment bordello from Lola (Rose Dunn) along with her connections. This leads to a series of visits from men looking for the ladies now under Wendy’s managerial skills. There’s a narrator doing his best to make this sound like an education film run in a business class about how to deal with employees and customers. Ultimately Vince shows up looking to make amends for busting her. But is the bad cop ready to go good for a wicked lady? Even though most of cast is naked, there’s some stunning wardrobe choices from this era. The fabric colors look good on the screen. It does look like a majority of the female cast is wearing ’70s wigs.This movie isn’t that explicit and framed so that it could be aired on Cinemax After Dark. Even as a tame production, you’re still not going to pop this in the DVD player to show Great Aunt Anna. The ending is so gosh darn happy that it might warm Aunt Anna’s shocked heart.
This double feature of Times Square joy was directed by Kemel Horulu. This is the same guy who made both films on Drive-In Collection: The Vixens of Kung Fu & Oriental Blue. The Sexualist and Wendy’s Palace are less violent and uncomfortable than the previous effort. Nothing gets uncomfortable on the screen unless you have a body hair phobia. The films are fine examples of more innocent fare that played Times Square during the scummy years.
The video is 1.78:1 anamorphic for both movies. Vinegar Syndrome has once more excelled in their restoration efforts. The colors are fine. There are only a few scratches that appear on the frame now and then. They look so much better than their Time Square debuts. The audio is mono. The track is remarkably clear so that you can enjoy the voice of the educational narrator.
Trailer for The Sexualist (3:47) sells you on the astrological filmmaker and a gorilla belonging in an adult feature.
Outtakes (5:04) have a few scenes that didn’t make the final cut in The Sexualist.
Trailer for Wendy’s Palace (3:31) invites you to partake in the fruits of life.
Drive In Collection: The Sexualist & Wendy’s Palace is a double feature of faux-educational films about what it takes to run a brothel and make an adult film in New York City. The Sexualist is a bit more comedic with humor mixed with the adult action. Wendy’s Palace is comedic by accident with its tale of the hooker and the vice cop. If you’ve ever been curious about a Times Square film, this is the perfect place to start since Vinegar Syndrome has cleaned up the both film that you’re not suffering through red shifted images and large green platter scratches.
Vinegar Syndrome presents Drive In Collection: The Sexualist & Wendy’s Palace. Directed by Kemel Horlulu. Starring: Dale T. Fuller, Mary Poey and Henry Mills. Boxset Contents: 2 Movies on 1 DVD. Rated: X. Released: August 27, 2013.
