Superchick

Joyce Jillson seemed to be a shaggy dog type waiting for the studio bosses and celebrities to adopt. She did well on stage, but on screen a peculiar deadpan voice seemed to emerge not very appealing in this film. Since she wasn't given many chances to improve, she found a niche for herself as an astrologer. Her suggestions for new projects weren't that bad, after all, The Love Boat became a long running hit TV show. Superchick is of course a low budget spoof of Superman and Supergirl. Meanwhile disguised as homely airline stewardess Tara B True, Superchick fought for truth, justice and the American way! Not a bad idea for a TV series, either. But you know nobody ever wants to put a good show on TV, so we're stuck with this turkey. Tara has 3 men she's in love with in different cities, and can't decide which one she wants to marry. Nice karate work, though. Somebody younger might have given the part a little more enthusiasm.

Tara B. True (Jillson) is the ultimate party-girl; she has enough love to share with the world, so she became a stewardess to romance the world. With a guy in every port, Tara hides her blonde bombshell body disguised as a brunette. This movie is so 1970's, that the fashions have returned. For those fans in the know, poor Louis Quinn probably went blind (see Archie Bunker's Place) by Tara's dazzling beauty. John Carradine has a wonderful cameo.

SUPERCHICK is so godawful that it is hysterically funny. Terrible acting, the worst fight staging ever seen, dialogue that makes you rewind just to make sure you heard it right ("Last one in bed gets no head" said by Superchick) Superchick is a dowdy brown haired stewardess who changes into a sexy long blonde haired daring adventurer who picks lovers like a kid picks candy. She's a sexually liberated woman who does what she wants - which mostly is baring a little breast, having sex under garish bedsheets and doing the worst karate moves ever done on Earth. The lead is played by Joyce Jillson who went ont to become a successful syndicated astrology columist.In fact, she became Nancy Reagan's personal astrologer and got a lot of press during Regan's presidency when it was revealed that Jillson's "readings" so influenced Nancy that she would have Ronnie follow them. Yikes!!! Hopefully she's a better astrologer than actress because she's very very bad. There's lots of quick nudity shots from what looks like washed-up, old strippers. There is a "verbal sex scene" that has to be seen to be believed. With an annoying yet catchy score, this movie has everything for the Ed Wood School Of Enjoyment.

I'm not a "bad movie" fan, but this one has to be one of the exceptions. Probably unwatchable in 1973, the lifestyles, the lingo, and the attitudes are so comically dated that they lift the film to the level of unintentional satire. The plot is terrific. At least I think it is. I never really figured out what the plot is. But the atmostphere is like Valley Of The Dolls with 1/3 the calories. Superchick wanders from bed to bed without any apparent reason, and stops to deliver a few ridiculously bad Karate shots on the unsuspecting bad guys. Well worth watching if you understand that you aren't getting The Maltese Falcon.

Back in the 1970's there was a lot of exploitation films: Sexploitation, Blaxpoitation, and others to mention. In "Superchick", you won't find it in a comic book! Here you have a stewardess(Joyce Jillson, 1945-2004) who wears her stewardess uniform. When she's off duty, she goes from brunette, to long hair blonde. The short hair brunette her is meek and mild. Her Superchick mode is adventurous and uninhibited. Consider this, the ultimate lover. She has three: A brain surgeon in New York; a beach bum in Miami; and a musician in Los Angeles. Each one knew nothing about the other. But the one in Miami was involved with a criminal mastermind. Unaware of the situation, she does her regular job as usual. In California, she goes to karate class where she meets the champion who is secretly bilingual. After a fine jostling, he gets the surprise of his life. After thwarting a hijacking, she has her "coming out" party. The funny part during the interview is when has her "news flash". This one is subtle, still true to its name. At least she didn't wear a cape and fly all over the US looking for love. That would be too corny! 2 out of 5 stars.