Well, from someone who doesn't live "a life of quiet desperation," i have to point out that
Dorothy Stratten's situation was very unique to the countless attractive young people who were trying to use their looks to break into show business in the 70's. Her boyfriend was a dangerously egotistic sociopath, who's jealousy led him to an act of murder/suicide. The 70's were a very special time, where people found the freedom to express themselves and live out their dreams, like never before. It was quite possibly the most glamorous and exciting decade since the 1920's. Women like Farrah Fawcett, and the rest of 'Charlie's Angels" and stars like Jodie Foster and Brooke Shields fared far better than Stratten, who was that kind of beautiful and fascinating 70's girl. Heffner loved beautiful women, and enjoyed photographing them in glamorous and exotic situations, without ever crossing the line into vulgar pornography. Personally I love the whole 70's culture, and have to disagree that it was somehow "unhealthy" for women to be beautiful and sexy. They were having a great time doing it, and we were having a great time watching it. But I do agree, "Autumn Born" certainly deserves a dvd release. It is undoubtedly a cult film, and iconic in it's own right. I also found it to be a good movie, despite it's very low budget. People seem to like this more than "Galaxina," and that film is readily available..so why not this one? I can imagine a deluxe box-set release, that includes a booklet of Dorothy Stratten photos. she was so beautiful that it almost hurt to look at her. and she had (IMO) the same innocent but powerful aura and screen presence that Marilyn Monroe had, and her fate is at least as tragic. It would be a nice tribute to her as well. This movie was so much better than I thought it would be, as was Dorothy Stratten's performance. also it was far less explicit and exploitative than i was expecting, and more artistic. So let's have a limited release of this gem of a film, in a newly restored print..
Fabio Testi is GOD
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jingster6666
8 years ago
Hefner was the ultimate power-lecher who used women as fantasy objects for both himself and his male colleagues/mansion guests. HIS Bunnies were expected to put-out sexual favors on demand. Weren't they really self-imposed sex slaves hoping to catch the brass ring somewhere down the line? I'm afraid you've rationalized the 70's apparent "glamour" and "excitement" and made it a part of your own personal fantasy world. (Still got that pristine collection of Playboy Magazines stored lovingly somewhere in the garage?) No, the miscalculated excesses of the 70's led straight to Ronald Reagan and the ultimate conservatism of the 80's. Nothing's free, and the price paid by the controlled and dependent women like Dorothy is inestimable. There's a huge difference between the authentic media stars with portfolio you've named and the overwhelmingly lost and wandering non-entities roaming the boulevards of L.A. Dorothy went from her pimp husband to her pimp Hollywood director without missing a beat. And I'm absolutely certain that you "were having a great time watching it." The horribly frightful end to Dorothy's young life (20 years old) paints a much clearer picture of the 70's than does the "Brooke Book."
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