Search - Shanty Tramp (1967) / Common Law Wife (1963) on DVD

Deliciously tasteless SLEAZE

Steve Swonder | Minneapolis, MN USA | 01/08/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you've a taste for the cheap and vulgar, "Shanty Tramp" will serve you a feast.

Emily is the most available woman in a small, southern town, and the daughter of the town drunk. She can be had for five dollars, which is about how much I paid for the DVD. Bargains, both.

The story follows Emily--played by the pneumatically talented Lee Holland in her first and last film--to a tent revival where she successfully propositions an evangelist, to a biker bar where she picks up the leader of the pack, to an old shed that is home to an even older mattress that has served Emily well in the past and which one suspects contains more DNA than has been seen by the entire cast of CSI. Along the way and for added spice, Emily beds a young black man; not a good idea in the South, circa 1960.

Murder; a $5.00 whore; a motorcycle gang; rape--real and claimed; alcoholism; racism; a lynch mob; and, a greedy evangelist combine to form the elements of one of the worst movies ever made. I loved every lousy frame of this film that is so bad it's great.

One piece of advice: After you watch this movie, take a shower,

NOTE: I had originally given this film just one star. Upon reflection and reading comments by others who appreciate its unintended humor, I changed the rating.
"

Tent Revival Exploitation

Scott A. Gordon | Austin, Texas USA | 03/29/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Best aspect of this is the crooked revival preacher- a moral match for the amazing shanty tramp herself. The movie is very lurid in every respect. See it when you need a shady tent preacher fix. The second movie is good in title only- not worth watching."

David Lynch and John Waters colaborate on lost Tennesse Wili

Robert W. Grandcolas | Eatontown, NJ United States | 03/08/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Review is for Shanty Tramp - no review for Common Law Wife.

If David Lynch and John Waters had filmed a script by a totally stoned out, drunken Tennesse Williams who was trying to combine To Kill A Mocking Bird and Elmer Ganty - Shanty Tramp might be result.

Shanty is not bad and its not so bad it good - its just plan ole great. Dog on it! There really was some talent involved here that disappeared almost instantly into total obscurity. Why didn't at least one of the folks go onto greater things?

The editing, photography, writing and acting all hit the right note. There is irony, and there is atmosphere - did I say atmosphere I mean ATMOSHERE! The folks in charge of lighting and photographer got great realistic night time shots in every scene - long shots as well as closeups and on a shoe string budget too! Believe me this is not such an easy thing to do. The editors and or the director wove in great segues that were very well thought This was something more then a throw-away film to the people that made Shanty and it shows.

Shot in black and white against a steamy rural southern town. Shanty Tramp takes place during one evening over maybe a two to six hour period. It could have almost been filmed in real time. Yet in this short time it tackles all kinds of subjects and taboos, victims, predators, drunken welfare dads, prostitution, lechery, insest, shady revival meetings, hypocritical Elmer Gantry preachers, motorcycle gangs, bar fights, beer drinking, patricide, interracial sex, annoyed southern cops and the magnificent Emily (The Shanty Trmamp herself)

Also we must mention a bar room rock and roll dance - I call it the Shanty Dance - I believe Shanty performed the first version of the dance that would latter be made famous by some peanuts characters in A Charlie Brown Christmas - sorry Charley but Shanty got there first. What a dance and what a piece of music. One of the babes does an awsome twist too.

The acting is beyond superb as everyone takes their part seriously and plays it straight with lots of personality. The major part actors knew their characters - and they don't give you a moment to think you are watching actors - you only see the characters not the actors. In particular the preacher and Emily's Dad are outstanding. And the Emily herself (actress Lee Holland) - lets face it - she is the star of the show and in almost every scene - as she struts, wags and grinds her way around town and only occasionally shuts her mouth over magnificent white choppers. Emily practically drools over every dollar bill she sees. Maybe I'm crazy but at the right angle Emily is not to bad to look at. That is when she is not being too serious and gives a nice big smile or when she is in a particular lecherous mood.

And oh lord - the magnificent dialogue between Emily and the preacher in the Rival tent! Just after she eyes the collection plate and licks her lips. There are so many great lines here and in the entire film that I lost count. If this film had ever taken off - there would be a half a dozen recognizable phrases now peppering the every day American dictum.

There is a great opening sequence with The Saints Come Marching In on the soundtrack with the camera firmly planted and frzone solid on Emily's loveliest of a**. What an opening as Emily eyes every other Tom Cat up and down. You can feel the heat, smells and humidity coming out of the TV.

Now I must say that most of you" normal folk", (such as my wife) will absolutely hate Shanty, hate Shanty's Dad, hate Shantys naked body, hate The the preacher, hate the motorcycle gangs clothing line, hate the town, hate the revival meeting, hate the old ladies in the rival meeting, hate Shantys drunken Dad, hate the title of the movie, hate the crickets, hate the light bulbs and hate everything about this most excellent of all films and walk out on it within 10 minutes.

But there are those - and we know how we are - who will love this film so damn much it causes a pain in the gut - it might even become your absolute favorite of all time.

So do yourself a favor and wait until the hottest, sweatiest night of the next summer - grab a six-pack or a case or two, put on an old worn greasy tee and tattered boxers. Scratch your belly, pick at your ears and sit down on that hot, muggy night and let the crickets chatter though your open windows put your best gal beside you or on your lap or kick her out of the house and throw Shanty in the ole DVD player. Youll be there - right in the middle of it - a very dark but real looking place - a place where you ought not to go and were warned against but were probably interested in - not to many films can pull this off the way Shanty does.

I give Shanty five stars not only for being one of the finest sleeziest movies ever made but also in the hopes that some company will get the bright idea to present Shanty in a beautiful pristine print as Emily herself truly deserves - but the copy here only gets two sweaty stars as the film print is tattered spliced speckled, cut up and noisy - for now its all we got - it will have to do.

Thanks Lee - whereever you are - you were a real sport! and thanks Joe Prieto - nice job! - Your fans.

"