STRIPPED TO KILL (1987)

3 stars

88 Films. Blu Ray. Out Now

88 Films continue their Slasher Classics Collection with a straight ahead exploitationer from the producer Roger Corman.

There isn’t much to the plot – someone is murdering the pole dancing strippers at the Rock Bottom club – but who is the perpetrator? Could it be one of the patrons that frequent the establishment? In order to find out police detective Cody Sheenan (Kay Lenz) is persuaded by her partner Heineman (Greg Evigan) to go undercover and get a job there as one of the dancers and try and work out who the killer is. This involves her doffing her clothes – which she reluctantly does at first, until she actually starts to enjoy it!

In this very 80s escapade there are copious interludes of strip acts intercut into the narrative. If you excised these it would be a very short film! There is plenty of topless nudity, with sexy semi-naked ladies pole dancing, stripping and showing off their bodies and big hair! Even Lenz reveals herself.

Diminutive Lenz is excellent as the police detective, and Norman Fell – a familiar face on US TV – is entertaining as the irascible strip joint owner. This was the directorial debut of actress Katt Shea, who apparently came up with the idea after visiting a club with her husband Andy Ruben. She eventually persuaded Corman to let her make the film which she co-scripted with her other half. They returned two years later with a sequel – Stripped to Kill 2: Live Girls

Steve Kirkham

EXTRAS

Four Commentaries: by Film Journalists Dave Wain and Matty Budrewicz; by The Hysteria Continues!; archival one with director Katt Shea and an archival one with director Katt Shea & actress Kay Lenz

Directing Stripped to Kill: An interview with Katt Shea

The Contradiction: A video essay by Mike Foster

Two archival featurettes: “Stripped: Katt Shea” and “Stripped: Roger Corman”