Did the arrival of XXX effectively kill sexploitation?

In books, mostly yes. I’m talking about the so-called sleazy paperback book trade, which prior to the 1970s, was profitable enough to draw the major interest of organized crime. (Sin-a-rama is a cool book on the subject.)

Did then the arrival of XXX effectively kill sexploitation in movies?

Only partly. The black and white “roughies” gave way to hardcore and “porn chic,” and many sexploiteers—including female directors, Roberta Findlay and Doris Wishman—slid into making XXX features.

But sexploitation films continued to be produced. As long as there were drive-ins and privately owned theaters. Roger Corman’s career as a B-movie mogul, for example, really took off with his disassociation from AIP (American International Pictures) in 1970, and the formation of his own company called New World Pictures. His first movie for New World? A sexploitation film. “The Student Nurses.” Other examples of classic Corman sexploitation fare include “Big Doll House,” “Women In Cages,” and “Big Bad Mama.”

In “Women In Cages,” Pam Grier (as “Alabama”) utters a classic line, in which she might also be assuaging guilt-ridden sexploitation—even exploitation film—viewers. (She says it after just being whipped by her former lover):“We all have our devils, my dear. Now cut me loose!”

“Pets” is another startling politically incorrect, low-budget sexploitation movie, which opened in grindhouses, competing with XXX movie fare.

 It memorably introduced Candy Rialson, who later made sexploitation films for Roger Corman.



The subgenre of sexploitation can further be divided into sub-categories:

The “Cautionary Tale” (my personal favorite and a source for the novel):

A subdivision of this might include the “slippery slope” story, which usually follows young women involved with stripping, drugs, and finally some form of prostitution—even death.

A more recent sexploitation/tabloid variation; part cautionary tale, part slippery slope.


(Drew Barrymore rules in this; great flick.)

Another made for TV sexploitation pip; part cautionary tale, part slippery slope.


(Jolie has some incredible scenes.)


(Lesbian sexploitation, too; but the “doomed” romantic underpinings are genuine;
 makes it work for me. [Drugs vs. Love—guess which one wins?])

There’s a parallel in “cautionary” young adult fiction, as well.

(Beauty Queen by Linda Glovach)


(Not a “real” diary. Same author
Linda Glovach was a contributor.)

The “juvenile delinquent” or the “amoral youth” story—which has had a more modern incarnation in the novel, Less Than Zero, and, going back, Lord Of The Flies, which explores the primal darkness in us all.

A more modern dark sexploitation tale might be Larry Clark’s “Kids” and “Ken Park,” both of which I’ll admit were very influential on me while writing the novel.

“The Defilers” is an early '60s take on the J.D. genre (or “amoral youth” story), which has been called a classic of the roughie sub-genre.

A huge sub-category of sexploitation paperbacks featured the “journey into Lesbos” theme, which is often coupled with a femdom theme.

Art by Eric Stanton. (Love that doorknob)

More subdivisions of sexploitation?