It's a Sad, Sad Day for Cult Film Geeks!
"When I Die... I'll Make Films in Hell!" Doris Wishman
Father Geek here with not totally unexpected, but sad none the least news. That Grand Olde Dame of one-woman-film-production-crews, DORIS WISHMAN has finially crossed over onto the other side where she may learn the truth to the statement she posed to film lovers back in 1965... "BAD GIRLS GO TO HELL"... and Doris would have it no other way.
Back in 1962 as a 10th grader in San Antonio ol' Father Geek and some of his buds used the hypo-needle and cheap wine bottle strewn seedy alley exit to sneak into the forbidden NUDE ON THE MOON at the old decaying shotgun-style Prince Theater on west Houston Street (the same venue where I would see Russ Meyer's MUD HONEY and the long banned 1930's erotic classic ECSTASY. Flicks with overt T & A were simply not available on the big screen back then and this was a daring and dangerous adventure for us guys. The film wasn't really all that good, but there WAS plenty of the promised titty shots and a sizeable helping of butt cheeks to boot.
It would be 20 years before I was to learn that that film was almost totally the work of a desperately under-financed single, driven Female Haut-tour... Doris Wishman, a woman with an intense and burning desire to make films any way she could get it done. Annnnd it would be almost 20 more before I would meet the wonderful little whirl-wind of a woman at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema screenings of 1965's BAD GIRLS GO TO HELL and 1974's DOUBLE AGENT 73. And she was coooooool beyond belief... charming is the word, and insightful, and delightful. A real treasure! One that gave us HIDEOUT IN THE SUN, and BLAZE STARR GOES WILD back in 1960, and TOO MUCH TOO OFTEN in 67. If you've never seen BAD GIRLS GO TO HELL do whatever it takes to see it, it will suprize you. Its a REAL motion picture, not a nudie cutie.
Like her contempories on cinema's poverty row Ed Wood, Russ Meyer, Hershel Gordon Lewis, and Dave Friedman, Dorrie's films lacked the funding for much in the way of production values, but they made up for that and other shortcomings with a burning passion to make movies and more importantly... find an audience. And they did this by catering to low level cult sub-genres that the monied B- studios wouldn't touch... that is until these pioneers proved there was gold in gore, skin, and the weird. Dorrie, you opened wide that door for all of us... Thanks!
I awoke to find this on my monitor this morning...
It would be 20 years before I was to learn that that film was almost totally the work of a desperately under-financed single, driven Female Haut-tour... Doris Wishman, a woman with an intense and burning desire to make films any way she could get it done. Annnnd it would be almost 20 more before I would meet the wonderful little whirl-wind of a woman at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema screenings of 1965's BAD GIRLS GO TO HELL and 1974's DOUBLE AGENT 73. And she was coooooool beyond belief... charming is the word, and insightful, and delightful. A real treasure! One that gave us HIDEOUT IN THE SUN, and BLAZE STARR GOES WILD back in 1960, and TOO MUCH TOO OFTEN in 67. If you've never seen BAD GIRLS GO TO HELL do whatever it takes to see it, it will suprize you. Its a REAL motion picture, not a nudie cutie.
Like her contempories on cinema's poverty row Ed Wood, Russ Meyer, Hershel Gordon Lewis, and Dave Friedman, Dorrie's films lacked the funding for much in the way of production values, but they made up for that and other shortcomings with a burning passion to make movies and more importantly... find an audience. And they did this by catering to low level cult sub-genres that the monied B- studios wouldn't touch... that is until these pioneers proved there was gold in gore, skin, and the weird. Dorrie, you opened wide that door for all of us... Thanks!
I awoke to find this on my monitor this morning...
I awoke to find this on my monitor this morning...
You might remember me from past emails. I founded the Chicago Underground Film Festival and currently work for Landmark. The current Director of CUFF, Bryan Wendorf, was sent the following email from a friend of Doris. Please let your readers know.
Subject: Re: FW: Doris Wishman
Yes, it's true. She passed away saturday around 5pm with family members by her side. Apparently she just stopped breathing and went peacefully. I was very lucky to visit her when I did, the day I was traveling home was the day she went into intensive care. She was very realistic about her illness and knew it was the end but always kept a good attitude about everything. She was very weak but tried to joke a little here and there. At one point she told me she knew she was dying so I asked her if she was going to haunt me and she gave me her trademark smirk. I will miss that smirk.
She was a great friend and a true inspiration. She wasn't like most people who sit around and say I should do this, I could do that, instead she got off her tiny ass and did it. She was one of the funniest people I have ever met and I am heartbroken that I will never get another chance to joke around with her. I will really miss her.
Kent Rayhill
Father Geek back with a bit from Harry's review of BAD GIRLS GO TO HELL...
To wind this up, I'll leave you with the last question and answer for the evening. When the call for LAST QUESTION went out, a dismayed 'awwwwwwwww' rang throughout the room, and a booming voice yelled out, "SO MS WISHMAN, DO BAD GIRLS GO TO HELL?"
And Doris with those beady bright eyes looked out and with an innocent timbre and an unfaltering look and she exclaimed, "No...... not really...." So take heart you lusty ladies, cunning chicks and buxom broads according to the lady that made BAD GIRLS GO TO HELL, you won't. There's something lovely in that... ....isn't there?
Click Here for Father Geek's 15th most memorible film going experience... with photos of Doris Wishman
To Read Harry's Review of BAD GIRLS GO TO HELL just Click Here
Visit Doris' Site Here
See ALL Those Film Production Credits Right Here
