Magical Tome

The outer archives are busy
From the 1920s through to the 1970s, America's most fearless entrepreneurs created thousands of "adults only" features - exploitation films that promised "sinsational!" treatments of the day's hottest topics. These films played in red-light district cinemas or "grindhouses" for almost half a century, until hardcore pornography and the advent of video rang the death knell for this form of "art". This book traces the uncensored history of these films, from early sex education features, striptease and burlesque, through nudie-cuties, kinkies and ghoulies, to the days of free love and the Scandinavian invasion. Along the way we get vice rackets, narcotics, Nazis, nudists, cults, teenage delinquents and wrestling women! Although the films were tame by today's standards, they had tantalising titles and overblown ad copy, illustrated throughout by the rare posters and lobby cards for such gems as Wages of Sin, Diary of a Nudist, Teaserama, Mademoiselle Striptease, Girl Gang and many more! Adding background to this story are revealing portraits of the artists and filmmakers, including Dwain Esper, Russ Meyer, Doris Wishman, David F Friedman, Radley Metzger and the Mitchell Brothers.
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Pacing
Horror / Dark Elements
Romance
Spice Level
LGBTQ+ Representation
Social & Political Themes in Stories