The Wild Pussycat (Blu-ray) Mondo Macabro

The WILD PUSSYCAT is an unsung classic of exploitation cinema. Produced in Greece in 1968, it was not officially released there until 1972 and then only in a cut and compromised version. The simple plot concerns a women whose sister was exploited and driven to suicide by a sleazy pimp. In order to get revenge on him the woman seduces the man, drugs him and imprisons him in a sound proofed room, tormenting him through a large one way mirror (he can see out, no-one can see in) by performing sultry strip tease dances and having sex with men and women while he can only look on, helpless to stop it or join in. Her final vengeance on him is so shocking it raises eyebrows even today.

In spite of its lurid subject matter and explicit visuals, The Wild Pussycat was not a low budget quickie with a cast of unknowns and a first time film maker. It was directed by Dimi Dadiras, one of the most successful director/producers of the period, and it features one of the big stars of Greek cinema – Gisela Dali, known in her day as ”the Greek Bardot”.