The Swinging Cheerleaders (1974)

Well Deserved Praise

Very disappointed :(

Dreadfully Boring

If you're interested in the topic at hand, you should just watch it and judge yourself because the reviews have gone very biased by people that didn't even watch it and just hate (or love) the creator. I liked it, it was well written, narrated, and directed and it was about a topic that interests me.

I'm not sure that I actually saw this film at the drive-in, where movies like this were a constant staple, but I did see a few like it. All of them seemed to have on goal in mind, to take the tops off of eager young women. At least that's the only thing I thought they were about back then. I found most poorly made and boring. But in watching this one I was surprised that there was actually a decent movie here although one made with a nearly non-existent budget.The story here revolves around the cheerleading squad at Mesa State. Kate (Jo Johnston) is the reporter for an underground newspaper on campus (face it all universities had them in the late 60s/early 70s). To get the gritty on the cheerleaders and how they are being taken advantage of by the team and alumni she goes undercover and becomes one of them. What she doesn't count on is discovering that they are just normal young women like here and that not all of the jocks are the jerks she assumed they were.She also didn't consider the fact she might find love with star quarterback Buck Larson (Ron Hajek). Buck is already involved with the head cheerleader Mary Ann (Colleen Camp) whose father is the most influential member of the alumni around. To cross her might mean the end of his scholarship. But this isn't the worst of the problems faced here.There is cheerleader Lisa who is romantically involved with her Professor Thorpe, her math teacher. They two plan to run off together as soon as he divorces his wife. Then there is Andrea, a virginal young cheerleader who can't quite seem to commit to a sexual involvement with her boyfriend who she dearly loves. We are also presented with a problem involving Thorpe, Mary Ann's father and the coach who are gambling on the team to make big bucks, so much so that the coach is willing to throw the game to advance their position.Kate's editor is a pot smoking radical who wants to do nothing less that stick it to "the man". When she begins to see that things aren't what they thought he doesn't take kindly to her new viewpoint. When Andrea goes to the newspaper's office to talk to her she's not there but he is. Taking out his frustration he rapes Andrea.The feminist viewpoints on display here, the sexual revolution that discusses both end of the scale from random sex to commitment, the discovery that the "straights" aren't as straight as thought and the "radicals" aren't nearly as progressive as they pain themselves all combine here to make an honest to goodness movie rather than a simple T&A drive-in flick. Yes, some of the jokes fall flat and are corny, yes the sets leave much to be desired at times, yes the acting ranges from solid to ludicrous but in the end the movie ends up being, well, a decent little movie. It has an actual story even if it is dropped down the most simplistic possible. But when you're shooting a movie in 12 days intended to do more than titillate teens what do you expect? That something good came from that is the most amazing thing.The Arrow Video release of this film is jam packed with goodies, like almost everything they are bringing out on blu-ray these days. I've hailed them for their quality product time and again and this time is no different. The movie looks beautiful on screen using the best possible print they could find. Extras include an audio commentary track with director Jack Hill made just for this release, a brand new interview with director Jack Hill, an archive interview with cinematographer Alfred Taylor, an archive interview with Jack Hill and Johnny Legend, a Q&A with Hill and actors Colleen Camp and Roseanne Katon recorded at the New Beverly Cinema in 2012, TV spots and a reversible sleeve featuring artwork by Graham Humphreys.If you have fond memories of going to the drive-in then by all means you'll want to add this one to your collection. It turns out to be more fun than you would expect and a better movie than most in the genre offer.

"The Swinging Cheerleaders" may not be one of cult filmmaker Jack Hills' best, but it's still a solidly engaging film of its type. It probably won't be nearly trashy enough for some people, but for others it should prove to be an agreeable way to spend just over an hour and a half.Hill and David Kidd wrote the story (using female pseudonyms), about the cheerleading squad for a college football team. Their newest recruit is an uptight gal named Kate (Jo Johnston), who initially is only becoming a cheerleader so she can get inside information for an expose that she wants to write. Among other story threads, the coach (Jack Denton), an alumnus (George Wallace), and a stats professor (Jason Sommers) are lured by the prospect of big winnings and begin to bet on the outcomes of the games.Once again, Hill does understand that there are requirements for this sort of entertainment, and some of the lovely young ladies do take off their tops. The yarn that he and Kidd spin here is actually pretty straightforward and enjoyable, and things never, ever get overly serious. Not that characters come out unscathed, however, as the virginal Andrea (ever adorable Cheryl "Rainbeaux" Smith) is taken advantage of by lowlife guys, to use one example.The performances are uniformly solid from the whole cast. Of the main cheerleader performers, sexy blonde Colleen Camp (playing the catty Mary Ann) went on to what is easily the most notable mainstream career of any of them. Future Playboy Playmate Rosanne Katon rounds out this foursome. Ron Hajak and Ric Carrott are fine as personable jocks Buck and Ross, Ian Sander is perfectly odious as creepy and arrogant campus radical Ron, John Quade and stunt coordinator Bob Minor are good as nasty security guards Belski and Ryan, and Mae Mercer is memorable as Professor Thorpes' scary wife.An amiable if somewhat mild example of 70s sleaze.Seven out of 10.

For adolescent boys with limited outlets, this may be a chance to get an eyeful of T&A. Anyone looking for a clever comedy, this isn't it. Totally High School, reminiscent of 70's "Mr. Microphone" cruising for "chicks". Were these cheesy tease-movies really necessary? A few episodes of "Charlie's Angels" or "Bay Watch" would be a better time investment. "Swinging Cheerleaders" looks and sounds as though it was "created" as they went along. Devoid of plot or memorable lines, this film is flat as dead Pepsi (or should I say TAB?). I give minimal crdit for the camp-quality and the occasional ha-ha scene. Serious or experienced film buffs need not waste their time.

The last time I saw this movie was in 1991 on USA "Up All Night" and I haven't seen it since. I first saw it in 1983 on cable when I was 12 years old,I had to sneak downstairs in the middle of the night to watch it,because it was a "dirty movie". Those were the days. It may be cheesy as hell,but I like it. I noticed that Colleen Camp is in this,and no, there are no nude shots of her. One thing I've wondered about this is what type of movie this is: Comedy? Drama? Action? I think it's all three. I miss this movie and I wish it was available on VHS. I see SWITCHBLADE SISTERS is! Why isn't this one?! SWINGING CHEERLEADERS is way better than SWITCHBLADE SISTERS!