The “Roughies” era of cinema happened in the mid-60s when downtown urban movie theaters and rural drive-ins were looking for films that dared to go beyond the sweet and safe movies created by Hollywood studios. They were called “Roughies” because they were all about rough. They were shot on black and white so they could be made fast without worrying about lighting properly for color film. The characters were rough characters. These movies weren’t made featuring the sophisticated and well mannered folk. They were also rough when it came to the acting of the cast. Most of the actors and actresses appear to have been discovered at dive bars and dying burlesque clubs. They were rough because there was a lot of violence on the screen. Fight scenes weren’t made to look slapstick. This felt like evidence recorded by an undercover operation. Why did people flock to squalid theaters to see roughies? Because there was a seriously good chance that the female cast might end up topless. The genre stopped being hot after a few years when real X-rated movies in color arrived in the same decaying theaters. The legacy of the roughies diminished during the ’70s because UHF TV stations weren’t going to air these films even for night owl theater slots. Mondo Keyhole has to be one of the top notch entries in The Roughie genre.
Perhaps the reason Mondo Keyhole is worth revisiting is filmmaker Jack Hill. You might know him from his classic films that starred Pam Grier: The Big Doll House, The Big Bird Cage, Coffy and Foxy Brown. While he co-directed the films with John Lamb, Hill wrote, shot and edited the film. His fingerprints are all over the movie and what a movie it is.
Howard Throne (Nicky Moriaty) and Vicky (Common Law Cabin‘s Adele Rein) are having marital issues at home. She’s doing all she can to try to spice up things in the bedroom including alluring lingerie and hot wigs. Why is he just too tired to make an effort? What’s draining his libido? His regular job is running a company that produces and distributes kinky movies. Their big seller is a record of noises from a dungeon. After he leaves the office, Howard goes out cruising around Los Angeles looking for women to attack. That can wear a guy out. Vicky does have someone on the side: smack! She’s become a horsehead with all her sparetime. The film does have a plot as the duo are going to an industry party. Both end up having a big shock at the wild after party.
If you’re curious about the “Roughies,” Mondo Keyhole is a perfect introduction to the genre for many reasons. First is that there’s a touch of the experimental in the film. Hill features close ups of items and a head sculpture. Jack Hill also has a documentary feel to his camerawork as he probes the fetish spots and captures the women at the awards party. The kinky life of 1966 is on display. Hill doesn’t lock down the camera to capture wooden acting from an amateur cast. Things are in motion here. More essential is the cast is rather good looking. There are quite a few roughie films where the cast looks like they were roughed up before the camera rolled. The ladies here look alluring in their wild Los Angeles life. The topless action in the film is impressive even in black and white. There’s also a great twist at the end with the couple to make it feel like a story and not a rambling follow a criminal flick. Mondo Keyhole is essential peeping.
The film is 1.78:1 anamorphic. The 2K transfer of the uncut 35mm negative looks sharp. The film doesn’t look too roughed up. The Audio is LPCM 2.0 mono. The original recording is all over the place with a lot of ADR dialogue. The movie is subtitled in English.
Vintage Audio Commentary with director Jack Hill and Elijah Drenner has Hill talk about trying to make the film a little bit more artsy. John Lamb employed Hill in making the film. Turns out Hill also provided a bit of the music along with the Psychedelic Psymphonette. The band scored the film live. He mention the leading actor was played by a real distributor of adult material. He points out that this film is longer than the original release because all the nudity was put back into the film.
2025 Commentary by Rob Kelly gets into the film. He does the Fade Out podcast.
Psychotronica Photo Gallery (4:01) includes posters and photos of other cult films. You should track down all the movies referenced.
VCI Entertainment presents Psycho Tronica Collection Vol # 2 – Mondo Keyhole. Directed by Jack Hill & John Lamb. Screenplay by Jack Hill. Starring: Nick Moriarty, Adele Rein, Cathy Crowfoot, Carol Baughman & Christopher Winters. Running Time: 78 minutes. Rating: Unrated. Release Date: July 29, 2025.
