SCHOOLGIRL HITCHHIKERS
*** ½ Out of 5
Tagline- Sex Kittens Who Stop at Nothing
Release Date- August 16th, 1973
Running Time- 79-Minutes
Rating- NR
Screenplay- Natalie Perrey
Director- Jean Rollin
Starring- Joelle Coeur, Gilda Stark, Marie Helene Regne, Francois Brincourt, Reine Thyrion
Released in 1973 Schoolgirl Hitchhikers is a semi forgotten film by Jean Rollin as there really isn’t a lot of info out there about it. While this film by no means great I personally found to be a lot of fun. I’m no expert on the films of Jean Rollin, but what I have seen thus far I have actually enjoyed for the most part and Schoolgirl Hitchhikers is no different. Films like this are truly from another era and would never work in today’s world. The first 30-minutes features 3 sex scenes including girl on girl, which isn’t as exploitive as one might think and there is also a 3some, which is the tamest of all the sex scenes. The women often get naked even when there is no sex involved and we simply do not see this anymore due to everyone seemingly being PC. I don’t need sex and nudity to hold my interest, but its refreshing to see films like this since most filmmakers these days don’t have the nerve to do anything like this. After we get 3 sex scenes, Schoolgirl Hitchhikers get into what there is of a plot.
2 girls Monica (Coeur) and Jackie (Stark) head off to a house they think is abandoned and spend some quality time together. Later that night Monica comes across Fred also hiding out in the house. The 2 of them have sex and later Jackie joins in on the fun. The next morning they leave and when and Beatrice (Regne) shows up we learn she and Fred are jewel thieves and the jewels are now missing. The thieves find Monica and Jackie and take them back to the house believing they stole the jewels and torture the girls to find out where they are hidden.
The screenplay by Natalie Perrey is really fun and campy, but I don’t think anyone goes into these movies for a well written script. However I did like Monica and Jackie and all the characters are the very least fun even if they have zero depth not that it really matters in a film like this. The actual plot doesn’t get underway until roughly 30-minutes in and seeing as the film is only about 79-minutes plot isn’t very important. In a sense it’s the same scene over and over again, but yet the script retains a fun factor throughout. Besides the thieves trying to get back the jewels we also have a subplot of a bumbling private investigator (Brincourt) and his secretary (Thyrion). While I can’t say the script is very good, but again its a lot of fun.
Director Jean Rollin (under the name Michel Gentil) crafts a really fun and campy movie and despite the amount of nudity and sex I never found the film sleazy for the most part. In general it’s the same scenes over and over again, but yet Rollin keeps it fun and the pace never lags. From the start, Rollin establishes a fun tone and is able to retain that throughout the entire running time. The sex scenes aren’t very believable since put it this way when Monica and Jackie are having sex their heads are a little too high to be doing what they are supposed to be doing, but rather than be sleazy there is something sensual about it and believe it or not does come across as more 2 girls really into each other rather than exploitive. The other sex scenes are more exploitive however, but this film is meant to be sexual and again Rollin crafts a really fun flick. Though the film does slightly take a mean approach when one of the thieves begins to torture Jackie, but its also quite erotic at times as it borders S&M. Overall Jean Rollin may not make a film that’s great, but its a lot of fun, sexy and silly.
Overall Schoolgirl Hitchhikers isn’t a film for everybody and while there is a plot its quite light, but overall I actually really enjoyed this film and not just for the sex and nudity. Joelle Coeur and Gilda Stark are quite easy on the eyes so their scenes are a highlight, but the film always for me at least remains fun and at only 79-minutes the film moves pretty quickly.
Last Road Reviews 