Private Parts

Private Parts (1972) joins Lucio Fulci's Zombie (1979), Legend of Hell House (1973), and Horror Express (1973), among others, as another one of those lost horror gems of the '70s. Private Parts is a strange movie indeed. One part Psycho, one part Rocky Horror Picture Show, with a heaping of creepy southern gothic, all set against the backdrop of a hippie-infested Los Angeles.

Cheryl Stratton (Ayn Ruymen), a homeless runaway hippie, seeks out her distant Aunt Martha, the owner/operator of the rundown King Edward Hotel in L.A. Martha begrudgingly agrees to put Cheryl up in the hotel for awhile until she gets back on her feet. Cheryl settles in and soon discovers she shares the King Edward with a veritable circus of strange, including a closeted gay "priest" (it's unclear whether he's actually a priest or just likes to dress like one), a perpetually drunk old man, a tanning-obsessed crazy old lady, and George, an attractive but creepily voyeuristic young photographer.

Soon, a string of grisly killings within the walls of the King Edward lead Cheryl to start asking questions. What she finds is that the hotel residents are all hiding something about Alice, the girl who previously inhabited Cheryl's room and who disappeared without a trace. Why is Aunt Martha so obsessed with funerals? And why does she limit Cheryl's movements in the hotel? And why does George sleep with a blow-up doll that bears a remarkable resemblance to Cheryl? What are those noises outside Cheryl's room at night? And who exactly is spying on her, leaving her cryptic messages?

While Private Parts is not particularly scary, it can be very jarring in its twisted sexual imagery. In the end, what will stand out most about this film is the ambiguity of its message. Is it an elaborate warning against rampant and "unnatural" sexuality? Is it more broadly aimed at hippie counter-culture in general? Or is it a twisted celebration of all things perverse and depraved? For me, it's impossible to discern, especially in light of the short careers of the principle writers and director. No one attached to this movie had a stable career in film before or after Private Parts. Even the actors were rarely seen again, dropping off the scene entirely or retreating to the dreaded realm of television movies and bit parts in short-lived TV series.

In some ways, Private Parts is indistinguishable from a cadre of similar films, reactions to the extreme cultural upheaval of the 1960s, using extreme violence and sex to say something about a time in history where the rules of violence and sex suddenly changed drastically. But unlike so many others, the message in Private Parts is ambiguous. The morality doesn't hit you over the head. I take that back. The morality hits you over the head, but from all sides, so you are left bewildered.

Storyline & plot: 7/10
Cinematography & effects: 8/10
Music & mood: 6/10
Performances: 7/10

The Reverend says: 7/10