| Tobacco Roody (1970) |
| It's time for me to venture once again into the deep south. To an undisclosed location, where the moonshine flows and the young women are eager to please. It's the closest thing to my vision of a utopian society that's ever been commited to film. It's the deep south as created by Harry Novak, Peter Perry, and Bethel Buckalew (who exactly did what on this film is still unclear to me). In this particular instance, the film at hand is Tobacco Roody, one of several nearly identical films from this crew that includes Country Cuzzins, Midnight Ploughboy, and The Pigkeeper's Daughter among other delightfully suggestive titles. |
| I feel very close to the titles in this cannon of films. They were among the first 70s style sexploitation films that I watched repeatedly, and they also introduced me to the addictive world of Rene Bond. I also find reviewing these films comfortable. It's relaxing to not have the stress of saying the wrong thing and potentially spoiling the film for someone who's interested in seeing it, but is still undecided as to whether or not it's worth the money. Reviewing a film like Tobacco Roody is more conversational than most. Describing scenes, ogling the cast; it's all in fun here...Nothing to really spoil. |
| The biggest difference between all the 'country corn porn' films is who the cast is and who they fornicate with. These are often similar between the films too, but there are usually different permutations with the casts. Although it may be difficult to tell them apart at times, we'll do our best here. Tobacco Roody tells about a short portion of the life and loves of bootlegger Mose Mason. He has two daughters, Lulu and Caroline, who explore their budding sexuality together. He has a niece Tootie (top billed and top heavy beauty Dixie Donovan) who has a hard time fitting in with Lulu and Caroline. Lucky for her, old Mose is eager to show her the pleaures of the flesh. |
| The story opens and Mose is getting together another batch of White Lightening Moonshine. After finishing their chores Lulu and Caroline go down to the creek for skinny dipping. There they talk about Lulu's erotic encounter with some guy at the fair previously, the guy apparently being played by an uncredited Buckalew himself if the commentary track is accurate. This scene is the film's biggest yawner, as the two seem to ride on a merry go round for what seemed like an eternity. Eventually they are snapped back to the present as Tootie startles them by tripping over a rock. For all her wanting to fit in, Tootie gets covered in mudby the girls as a practical joke. |
| Tootie runs home and tells Mose who instructs her to hose off. Apparently she wasn't completing this task to his satisfaction because Mose feels obliged to help her wash up. Meanwhile, we meet Mose's hot red headed wife Liz(Debbie Osborne), who doesn't seem to be any older than his daughters. She's busy with the sheriff, who's stopped by to investigate rumors of illegal bootlegging on the premises. By removing all her clothing and humping him in his tighty whiteys she's able to prove to him that the rumors are probably unsubstantiated. All the while this is happening Lulu and Caroline are back at it in a monumental lesbian scene that includes my personal favorite lesbian position - the grinding of the lesbian crotches together. All this hectic nooknook is intercut together for a pretty impressive looking montage, these films are admittadly cheap but they are well done. |
| A movie with pointless sex scenes strung together wouldn't be much fun, would it? Luckily there is more story to keep us intrigued. Now that Liz has smoothed things over with the sheriff, she tries to see what she can do with the mortgage collector who informs her that Mose is 16 payments late. Luckily for the Mason clan, he's willing to trade off mortgage payments for every article of clothing Liz removes. In the end, he tears up all the payments when she opens her legs in one of the more explicit shots I've seen in this type of movie. Since the Perry/Novak/Buckalew gang are never ones to be lazy storytellers, there's a lot more happening at the same time. To begin with, Lulu, Caroline, and Tootie have all passed out back in the house. Three farmers have also wandered onto the estate and have started drinking moonshine. At first the moonshine has the expected effect, and the three men start having a little hoedown. It doesn't take long though before the barge in the house in a drunken stupor and start sexing up our three heroines. It should be noted though, that they do keep their stylish colored socks on; I mean, they're not complete savages! If that weren't enough a french tourist somehow got way off the beaten path and ends up out here to ask Mose for directions. Well, before you can say 'Roll in the hay!' he has enough moonshine in her to have her naked and willing in the barn! |
| Eventually all this wraps itself up nicely as Liz pays off the mortgage, the three farmers push their broken down truck off into the sunset, and the lost tourist is set straight. The only incomplete feeling left in the air is that fact the Mose and his wife have barely seen each other and certainly haven't expressed their love physically! Luckily for us, and triumvirate of gifted story tellers know how to send us off with a smile. We get a quick scene with Mose, Liz, and some nudity...followed by the same cheap-o painted on wood credits that opened the film. |
| The package here is typical Something Weird Video DVD; which is to say very good for sexploitation fans. There's a gaggle of similarly themed trailers and short subject films, and also another feature from the crew, Southern Comforts. Southern Comforts feature a different cast for the most part and includes John Tull. The only repeat cast members are Debbie Osborne (Liz) and Wendy Winders (Caroline). More will be said about Southern Comforts in a seperate review though. |
| The most eyecatching feature included is the commentary track with Harry Novak and friends. Luckily for the listeners and friends include Johnny Legend (also included is DVD Delerium Editor Nathaniel Thompson, but he is largely silent this time out). Novak commentaries are always fun, but I don't always know what to make of them. Most of the time he seems real oblivious and seems to be narrating the movie like he's watching it for the first time, often calling characters and actors by the wrong names (he calls the mortgage collector a doctor the entire time!). Other times I'm not quite sure he remember's that he's being recorded as he asks Thompson for a copy of A Scream in the Streets because no one ever sent him one. Still, Novak is more charming than anything as his vulgarity could stand toe to toe with that of a man a quarter of his age! |
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| Before we wrap things up here, I should mention the excellent job done by Johnny Legend who serves as moderator for the whole affair. He is a true icon for trash fans and we greatly appreciate his knowledge and experiences. Even if he approaches this commentary like no one will probably ever listen to it (whose cell phone keeps ringing at the end?!). Still, Legend is a legend and Novak is an enigma as his memory seems to spring to life when clothes come off...go figure! This is worth a look for anyone interested in wonderful films of a bygone era! |
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| I give this one 4 bails of 'recycled hay' out of 5 |
| Review by Joe Canistro 07.31.2005 |