Search - Mau Mau Sex Sex on DVD

MPAA Rating: NR Content Advisory: Violence, Nudity, Not For Children, Sexual Situations Movie Release: 2000 DVD Release: 02/17/2004 Format: DVD - Black and White Audio Tracks: English SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 50 mins Studio: 7th Planet Members Wishing: 7 Genres: Film, TV & Radio, Biography, Film & Television History

Ted Bonnitt directs this affectionate look at the lives and careers of David Friedman and Dan Sonney, two central figures of schlock movies from the 1940s through the 1960s. The film opens with the two swapping amiable barbs at one another as they ride around in the backseat of a car winding through the streets of L.A., where they shot hundreds of no-budget brilliantly-weird exploitation flicks. Sonney recounts how his father made the unlikely journey from coal miner to grandstanding law-enforcer to the producer of the 1934 movie Maniac (aka Sex Maniac). He also explains how films during this time, such as Wages of Sin maintained a pretext of "education," while in fact sensationalizing sex, violence, and a sundry other taboos. Friedman, meanwhile, discusses his career path from major studio publicist to carnival manager to producer of such lowbrow classics as Blood Feast and Space Thing. Also interviewed is film historian and exploitation flick enthusiast Frank Henelotter who muses "You have to wonder if (the films) were made on planet Earth." ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide

David F. Friedman
Dan Sonney
Frank Henenlotter

7th Planet's DVD of Mau Mau Sex Sex serves up this intriguing documentary in style and throws in a few nice bonuses to sweeten the deal. The quality of the disc's video transfer is limited by its source materials, which consist mostly of hastily shot digital video, but it delivers a sharp, mostly colorful image. The visual appeal is enhanced by the array of nicely preserved and often stunningly colorful clips used to illustrate the cinematic legacy of its subjects. The audio quality of the Mau Mau Sex Sex DVD is basic but solid, delivering the freewheeling commentary of its participants in a clear, crisp fashion. Where this disc really shines is in its generous assortment of extras. First off, there are two commentary tracks: one by filmmakers Ted Bonnitt and Eddie Muller and one by Sonney and Friedman with Bonnitt moderating. The Sonney and Friedman commentary is the more interesting of the two, benefiting from both the sharp wit and even sharper memories of its participants, but the Bonnitt and Muller commentary offers some interesting insights into the difficulties they experienced the shooting the film (the biggest problem was the five-day shooting schedule). The extras section is rounded out with a collection of musical selections from the amusingly kitschy score, an eye-popping gallery of exploitation promotional material, a theatrical trailer for the documentary and four thoroughly hyperbolic trailers for classic David Friedman productions. All in all, this bonus-heavy DVD functions both as the definitive edition of Mau Mau Sex Sex and a mini-education in exploitation cinema that fans of the genre will truly enjoy. ~ Donald Guarisco, All Movie Guide