I know why this film's so compelling
For ages it bugged me, because there are so many ways in which this film is just ridiculous and terrible (e.g.unrealistic, exploitative) But I know that I've watched an re-watched it several times and will continue to do so.
I think it's just the look of it and the sound of it - the general aesthetic is is really appealing - the sound of Rocky's shoes in a corridor, the music playing when Smitty is bullying Rocky just before Rocky goes beserk, the good directing.
Plus the characters are really good, quite larger than life, but in a good way. Smitty, Rocky, Queenie and Mona are a really intriguing combination of room-mates.
And the script isn't bad - or even if it is, Queenie has such good lines it makes up for it.
And maybe it's because it's so obscure a film that makes it appeal to me. And the fact that despite all its possible faults, I've never seen another film like it - it's unique.
And I think the structure and narrative is quite tight too - the order and flow of it seems right.