The Velvet Trap

This is a very odd film. It seems to have been set up as a 'rough' (sub genre of sexploitation movies epitomised by films of Doris Wishman) and then got cold feet. Its all here, sex, violence, rape and murder and yet it is not. Its more like a soft core roughie, still leaving a bad taste in the mouth but stopping short of fully delivering. The director has to take most of the blame because the cinematography is very good and far too good for most of the action. Leading lady, Jamie Karson tries hard but looks completely bewildered throughout, as well she might. Towards the end, just when I was ready to give up, there is a kidnap and our lead is thrust into a surreal setting with some 80 year old ex-starlet with an enormous cigarette holder and a range of women dressed as if for some 20s flapper session and what look like Christmas decorations hanging from the ceiling. Turns out this is supposed to be a brothel but for several minutes this plays out without us hearing the dialogue just a rather effective jazzy score (maybe they forgot to record the sound) and then we speed to a nihilistic ending which is probably the best section of this miserable attempt at a film.

I was almost lulled by the mere competence of photography and sound recording in this desultory porn film, but the cumulative impact of more than an hour of virulent misogyny wore me out. This is softcore garbage of the lowest order.

Filmmaker Ken Kennedy, who made several subpar action films, clearly was in a bad mood when he cranked out this filler, limning in near-"Perils of Pauline" fashion the downward spiral of busty waitress Julie (played by Jamie Karson), who seems to be a target for every mean-spirited male in Christendom. Or rather, in Kennedy's pornworld, where all men are despicable. Now the adult movie audience for which this was made was supposed to enjoy watching the heroine get abused (e.g., a Lee Frost or GWENDOLYNE approach), but I suspect the fans of 40-plus years ago were probably offended. That's why theaters always display a "NO REFUNDS" policy sign prominently.

Very slowly paced and listlessly directed, we are treated to the waitress raped after hours by her sleazy boss at the diner; a cheesecake photographer boyfriend arriving soon after to take her to Vegas on a whirlwind marriage/honeymoon/dumping all within 24-hours, stealing her money and even not paying the hotel bill.

Wandering the Vegas streets she is mauled when she goes for a job interview, not even escaping with her dress, then a victim of white slavers (!) after she pawns her ring for a paltry $7.50, even losing the bus ticket-outta-there she spends that meager bankroll on. The slavers stick her in a brothel on the outskirts of Vegas and I won't "spoil" this storyline by indicating the even lower depths that ensue en route to a miserable, nihilistic ending.

Star Karson was hired for her figure -she does bare her breasts for the fans after many a reel of waiting, but her face is truly unattractive. Imagine Allison Hayes after being hit by a truck. For a film in which the other femme roles are minor, that is a no-no in casting, especially when one considers the scores of beauties and all-time pin-up faves in films made during this period. Maybe Kennedy was not merely untalented but blind to boot.