DVD Review: Peekarama: Deep Roots + Starlet Nights

DVD Reviews, Reviews

Women aren’t know for directing adult features during the ’70s. So imagine the surprise of seeing two movies credited to the same female director. Or was she? Peekarama: Deep Roots & Starlet Nights is a double feature courtesy of Lisa Barr. How revolutionary to get uncensored action from female perspective. Except it turned out that there was no Lisa Barr. A majority of the off screen people in those kind of films like to use fake names so they wouldn’t ruin their chances to go legit. So why wouldn’t a smart male director claim to be a woman in the credits. Lisa Barr turned out to be Joseph Bardo. You might know him as Biff Steele on The Beverly Hillbillies. So this is not going to be a review about an unsung pioneer of feminist cinema.

Deep Roots (1978 – 76 minutes) dares to show what happens when a man goes off the reservation to pursue the Hollywood lifestyle. Why during award season is their no trophy for “Cinematic Marketing Audacity.” People like to throw around the term “exploitation” yet The poster declared, “Deeper than Throat More Powerful Than Roots!” Wow. This film has very little in common with either movie except that all three were shot using film. This is not a gripping tale of slavery in the old South. There’s no actress doing the full Linda Lovelace on the screen. This is a simple tale of Billy (Jesse Chacan) riding away from an Indian reservation because he has big dreams. He shows up in Los Angeles ready to get freaky. Right off the bat he hooks up with a red head eager to have her body painted. Contrary to rumors, there is a haircut scene. The big party scene features a man dressed up as Groucho Marx. This is truly a wild Hollywood party. But will Billy get lost in Lalaland or will his deep roots call him back home? The ending plays like a PSA with Billy talking straight to the camera about his decision.

Starlet Nights (1982 – 81 minutes) is plays off Snow White. Joyce White (Leslie Bovee) is the wicked stepmother upset that the mirror refuses to say she’s the hottest one of all. That honor belongs to Snow (Candy Nichols). You get the story of Snow White told with a lot less wardrobe than the Disney version of the fairytale. Bardo was the cameraman on an erotic version of Alice In Wonderland so it’s easy to understand why he went to this material for what would turn out to be his final directorial effort. Although he might have made more films as Lisa Barr’s second cousin? There’s pure ’80s decadence on display including a sunken tub scene. Chacan has a small role in this much bigger production.

Deep Roots and Starlet Nights are two dips back into naughty cinema before the productions swapped over to videotape. These are the films that Boogie Nights celebrated. It’s just a shame that Lisa Barr wasn’t really a woman. Maybe Bardo directed in drag? Just remember that Deep Roots has nothing to do with Roots although Starlet Nights has a lot to do with Snow White.

The video is 1.85:1 anamorphic for both films. The transfer for Deep Roots is a little rough. The guys at Vinegar Syndrome have done a good job minimizing the damage in the frames. Starlet Nights looks better. The audio for both movies is mono. They sound fine for films where the microphone boom wasn’t given a good angle.

No bonus features.

Peekarama: Deep Roots & Starlet Nights is a double features about Indians and Snow White. Joseph Bardo grows as a filmmaker between these films that delve into the mystical and fantastical.

Vinegar Syndrome presents Peekarama: Deep Roots & Starlet Nights. Directed by by: Lisa Barr (really Joseph Bardo). Starring: Jesse Chacan, Toni Bell, Leslie Bovee, Candy Nichols. Boxset Contents: 2 movies on 1 DVD. Rating: NC-17. Released: February 4, 2014.

Joe Corey is the writer and director of "Danger! Health Films" currently streaming on Night Flight and Amazon Prime. He's the author of "The Seven Secrets of Great Walmart People Greeters." This is the last how to get a job book you'll ever need. He was Associate Producer of the documentary "Moving Midway." He's worked as local crew on several reality shows including Candid Camera, American's Most Wanted, Extreme Makeover Home Edition and ESPN's Gaters. He's been featured on The Today Show and CBS's 48 Hours. Dom DeLuise once said, "Joe, you look like an axe murderer." He was in charge of research and programming at the Moving Image Archive.