For many years I used this and Beyond the Valley of the Dolls as an accurate gauge of whether a young woman was serious girlfriend material or not. (Barbarella is assumed.)

Times have changed. This could not be remade today without two dozen self-referential bogus in-jokes. Death Proof comes closest to earnest exploitation in the 21rst century.

The Jezebels
Why
- did I watch it?
- does Tarantino love it?
- does everyone else love it?
- do I watch things in hope even when I suspect that I'll not enjoy them, and will be unable to see any merit in them?
- did I think that the 1970s looked good when I was in them?
- am I getting off-track and avoiding reviewing this poor exploitation film?

There are many films in the exploitation world that are good. “Switchblade Sisters” is one of the great ones. Having been introduced to the title over thirteen years ago by a 35mm screening on top of a parking garage, I have been an avid Jack Hill fan ever since. As much as I love “Spider Baby,” “Pit Stop,” and “Coffy,” “Switchblade Sisters” has always been my favorite. From the opening credits of Medusa’s “Black Hearted Woman” to Maggie’s spirited, kick ass warning in the film’s closing moments, this 1975 classic is filled with moments that engage the audience in a variety of ways. The full review is here...www.theaterthoughts.com/?p=3166

Enjoyable entry into the gang sub genera of grindhouse. Some great quotes, should have been a school playground classic growing up but it just wasn't mainstream enough. Would make a good double bill alongside The Warriors.

A fantastic exploitation film from the 70's full of hot gals who carry switchblades!

Forgot what is was like to watch a bad movie that wasn't filmed badly. Cheesy exploitation at its best?

A fantastic exploitation film from the 70's full of hot gals who carry switchblades!

Bitches man, bitches.

The Jezebels
Why
- did I watch it?
- does Tarantino love it?
- does everyone else love it?
- do I watch things in hope even when I suspect that I'll not enjoy them, and will be unable to see any merit in them?
- did I think that the 1970s looked good when I was in them?
- am I getting off-track and avoiding reviewing this poor exploitation film?

Watched at Home on Netflix Instant.

Shakespeare. This is the only film that could have been made in the USA during 1970s. I once lamented on the fact that Shakespeare is still being taught rather flatly in schools all over the world that now people groan over hearing the name, Shakespeare, without having actually seen one of his plays.
"Switchblade Sisters" might be the closest film adaptation of any of Shakespeare's tragedies. Even though the film tends to be "exploitative" (obvious?) of its subjects, there is alchemy taking place. Gooey pop-colored girls seem as real as they can be, as seen from this 21st century. They are now ghosts, types of heroine rarely seen in movies nowadays; they evoke spirit of the times, how politics/violence so affected younger generations and how the children reacted to such pressure from all sides.

Switchblade Sisters features an unlikely juvenile gang of females who are involved in as much infighting as outfighting.

The jealousy within the female gang is at the forefront of the narrative and leads to the pivotal twist. The ambush at the skate rink is very memorable and extreme in its weaponry. The opposing gang, full of capitalist motivations, are even more unlikely than the Jezebels. The dress sense of their gang leader says it all.

The finale leads to an impassioned confrontation with one of the lead antagonists NOT being taken on by police.

The Reverence: Mentions of crippledick beats out a lead gang member called Dominic, an associate named Mr Fingers, the fat girl who really shouldn’t be a gang member, a building manager that gets his clothes sliced, and the potential meeting with the mayor that seems extremely unlikely.