Betty Page: Bondage Queen

Starring:Bettie Page, Lili Dawn, Shirley Maitland, Lois Meridan, Mary Anne Harris, Renee Russell, Alice Mitchell, Lynn Lykle, Georgia Whitfield, Betty Cushman, Shirley Thompson (II), Shelley Leigh, Tina Farrar, Roz Greenwood, Norma Davis, Jonnie Wilson, Barbara Pauline, Elaine Della, Jackie Lens, Delores DuVaughn
Studio: C.a.V. Distribution
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
The opening titles correctly identify this collection of erotic arcana as The Classic Films of Irving Klaw: Volume 1, with Volume 2 not far off. Irving was a purveyor of pin-up photos in the 50's, primarily of legendary pin-up queen Betty Page, when he began getting requests for fetish-photos, models being bound and gagged, all dressed up (down?) in black-lace stockings and so forth. Since these items were scarce, Irving began making them himself, in film and photo, with tantalizing young models. They adorned themselves in spiked heels, satin lingerie, all manner of fetish-wear, engaging is perhaps unspeakable (for the time) practices like mutual corset lacing, paddling, slapping, spanking, whipping, wrestling, and the ever popular binding and gagging. It's a whole compendium of fetish practices, colored by the desires of the times to appear quaint to modern eyes. But at the time these 16mm films were labeled obscene and ran into legal trouble, which eventually led Betty Page, that imposing and sassy centerpiece to these films, to leave the biz. Whether it makes you want to gag or be gagged is, of course, a matter of taste. But there's no doubt this collection presents an historical record of underground practices that's valuable to know about, if only because it enlightens us as to the origins of Madonna's wardrobe. --Jim Gay

Average customer rating:

Betty Page: Bondage Queen (1998) d: Klaw, Irving

Five stars for content, docked two stars for presentation.

Betty Page:Bondage Queen DVD : Sort of a Disapointment.

Betty Page: Bondage Queen
Starring: Bettie Page , Lili Dawn , Shirley Maitland , Lois Meridan , and Mary Anne Harris
Manufacturer: Cult Epics
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video
( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Used DVDs | Stores | DVD | Video | Action & Adventure | African American Cinema | Animation | Anime & Manga | Art House & International | Classics | Comedy | Cult Movies | Documentary | Drama | Educational | Fitness & Yoga | Gay & Lesbian | Horror | Kids & Family | Military & War | Music Video & Concerts | Musicals & Performing Arts | Mystery & Suspense | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Special Interests | Sports | Television | Westerns
Similar Items:

Bettie Page: Varietease/Teaserama

The Bettie Page Collection

The Notorious Bettie Page

ASIN: B00002NDMA
Release Date: 1998-12-29

Amazon.com

The opening titles correctly identify this collection of erotic arcana as The Classic Films of Irving Klaw: Volume 1, with Volume 2 not far off. Irving was a purveyor of pin-up photos in the 50's, primarily of legendary pin-up queen Betty Page, when he began getting requests for fetish-photos, models being bound and gagged, all dressed up (down?) in black-lace stockings and so forth. Since these items were scarce, Irving began making them himself, in film and photo, with tantalizing young models. They adorned themselves in spiked heels, satin lingerie, all manner of fetish-wear, engaging is perhaps unspeakable (for the time) practices like mutual corset lacing, paddling, slapping, spanking, whipping, wrestling, and the ever popular binding and gagging. It's a whole compendium of fetish practices, colored by the desires of the times to appear quaint to modern eyes. But at the time these 16mm films were labeled obscene and ran into legal trouble, which eventually led Betty Page, that imposing and sassy centerpiece to these films, to leave the biz. Whether it makes you want to gag or be gagged is, of course, a matter of taste. But there's no doubt this collection presents an historical record of underground practices that's valuable to know about, if only because it enlightens us as to the origins of Madonna's wardrobe. --Jim Gay

Customer Reviews:

Betty Page: Bondage Queen (1998) d: Klaw, Irving.......2001-10-16

"...Cult Epics presents on DVD the complete volumes of the bondage, fetish and cat-fight films featuring Betty Page and other glamour girls." Betty Page first became popular in the 1950's when magazine store owner Irving Klaw began selling photos of pin-up girls for 5 cents each. Before long, certain patrons began requesting cheesecake and bondage photos. It was then that Irving Klaw started his studio, using models like Bettie Page, and burlesque dancers like Baby Lake, Tempest Storm, Blaze Starr, and of course Lili St. Cyr. After being accused of being a pornographer by the government, Klaw burned over 80% of his collection. "...Betty Page, famous for her pin up modeling appeared in these bondage short films. These unique classics are the first film sources of today's fetish and SM scene and appear nowadays surreal, tender and joyful." Excellent source of images for any serious collector of Betty Page or historical erotica.

Five stars for content, docked two stars for presentation........2000-03-30

If you have the heavily-bootlegged videotapes "The Classic Films of Irving Klaw" volumes 1 and 2, then you already have this DVD. Anyway, the picture quality of this disc is bad, having been taken from a bootlegged video (I assume) that was cobbled together from beat-up prints of the classic mini-films of Irving Klaw. True, Betty appears in less than a third of the films presented on this disc... but the aesthetic that made her so appealing is present in the other segments.

Another reviewer said that he was disappointed in the two-paragraph commentary by Page that is featured on the disc... Considering that Ms. Page had virtually slipped off the face of the Earth until a few years ago, it's simply wonderful to find out her perspective on any aspect of the phenomenon surrounding her.

When I first bought this disc, my computer's speakers were broken and I still watched and enjoyed this disc... The films included on the DVD were meant to be silent and the inane voiceover and stupid, tinkling music are wholly unnecessary.

Betty Page:Bondage Queen DVD : Sort of a Disapointment........1999-11-06

The new DVD :"Betty Page Bondage Queen" will be a desirable addition to any Bettie Page fan but I suppose that I was expecting the whole disk to be unpublished shots of the Queen of Curves as the title suggests. The several short movies presented are black and white films taken of some of Irving Klaw's models in their undies, being bound and gagged by Klaw's sister. Betty appears in a few and in many stills. The "exclusive commentary" by Bettie Page is a short written page or two, not the audio file I hoped for. I enjoyed the movies of the models in their bras and panties, dark nylons and ultra high heels as they tried to walk in them but a more truthful title for the DVD would have been "Irving Klaw's Bondage and Fetish models ,Featuring Bettie Page."

DVD:

DVD

Max Q - Emergency Landing