After a pornographer murders an actress during an erotic “game” that is made to look like a suicide, her lesbian lover uses another aspiring starlet as a pawn to exact revenge.
“Sugar Cookies,” the 1973 X-rated sexploitation film from director Theodore Gershuny, is not the type of film typically associated with its producer Lloyd Kaufman. Kaufman, the co-founder of Troma, while still associated with exploitation cinema, is more often linked to gooier and grosser mayhem with films like “The Toxic Avenger” or “Class of Nuke ’Em High.” The movie is also an unusual credit for producer Oliver Stone, who generally refuses to discuss his involvement with the project.
Drawing inspiration from Hitchcock, “Sugar Cookies,” co-written by Kaufman and Gershuny, begins with the murder of actress Alta (Lynn Lowry) at the hands of her lover, pornographer Max Pavell (George Shannon). Max has set it up to look like a suicide, enlisting another lover, Camila (Mary Woronov), to act as his alibi. The police buy the suicide angle, but that’s not the end of it. Camila searches for a replacement actress, stumbling across Julie (also Lowry), Alta’s spitting image. Camila begins to coach Julie for the role, though her motives remain unclear.
This stylishly photographed film suffers from a synopsis that reveals too much. The story here is more subdued, focused on the interactions between Camila and Julie. Camila’s actions aren’t fully revealed until the finale, though viewers can probably ascertain what she is up to well before that.
Pacing is generally good, although a few subplots and supporting characters feel awkwardly inserted. Some prove important by the end; others leave you scratching your head. The score feels at odds with the story, making it difficult for the film to create an immersive atmosphere. That seems to be somewhat typical of low-budget films from the 1970s; Wes Craven’s “The Last House on the Left” also has an unusual score given its subject matter.
The acting is serviceable. At times, performances feel disjointed and over-the-top, making some emotional moments less convincing. Lowry, with her dual roles, fares best, getting the opportunity to show some range that the other cast members aren’t afforded.
Modern viewers will probably be surprised by the X rating. While the movie is full of nudity and sexual situations, they are all relatively tame by modern standards. Some contemporary R-rated films contain material more explicit than anything seen here.
This Blu-ray™ is released by Troma. A prior disc was released by Vinegar Syndrome that is now out of print. I suspect that the transfer is the same, though I can’t confirm that. Troma’s Blu-ray™ looks healthy. There are moments of color fluctuation and debris, but they aren’t distracting. The sound has some hiss and pops but is overall clear.
The on-disc extras appear to have been ported over from Vinegar Syndrome’s Blu-ray™/DVD combo and from Troma’s earlier DVD release of the film. While the film’s appeal will depend on your tolerance for sexploitation thrillers, Troma has assembled a strong Blu-ray™ release. Unless another restoration is done in the future, this is likely the best the film will look and sound.
Available on Tromatic Special Edition Blu-ray™ July 14th
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