By Melissa Antoinette Garza
The world lost an angel yesterday. Sondra Locke was a fem goddess, an amazing actress and a woman who rose above controversy and chaos with grace, style and a classic feminist Fuck The World strength that I am both enamored with and respect the hell out of.
DEATH GAME (1977) or THE SEDUCERS as it is sometimes called stars Locke and Colleen Camp. Locke portrays Jackson. Jackson is a heavenly little minx looking for her idea of a good-time. Watch it boys! Her idea of a good time and your idea may on the surface seem the same, but they are vastly different come the end of the night.
The credits begin with a creepy but upbeat song called Good Ol’ Dad sung in a childlike voice. I love the contrast in tone from the song to the film that is about to follow.
On one late night in San Francisco, Jackson and her sensitive but equally crazy friend Donna (Colleen Camp) traveling by her side find themselves on the doorstep of George Manning (Seymour Cassel), a man neither girl has ever met. He’s a married man, but his wife (Beth Brickell) and children go out of town and he’s left all alone.
The night is met with thunder, lightning and a downpour when Jackson and Donna knock on the door. They’re drenched and claim to have gotten lost looking for a party. Surely, George can’t turn them away in the rain. After all, they just want to use the phone.
George is nice enough to bring the gals in to get them warm by the fire. What a gent! If these gals were actual damsels-in-distress, he’d definitely be a white knight, but he’s not so lucky. These girls need no help and they know exactly what they’re doing. I love them. I love these vampy faux-kittens who unleash the tigress inside just because they can. YUMMY
Well, Jackson claims that they ended up on the wrong side of town, but thankfully a friend is definitely on the way to pick them up. I mean, Jackson says so and she has no reason to lie. Right? Georgie-boy is in trouble!
George gives them a bathrobe and they start playfully wrestling in front of him. He enjoys the show and drops the fact that it’s his 40th birthday and he hasn’t gotten anything new. Hmmm…. hinting for a gift, maybe? Be careful what you wish for, George!
Donna and Jackson decide to have fun in the home sauna while George plays a bluesy romantic melody in the living room. When they don’t come out after awhile, he goes to find them. They’re in the hot tub, they’re having fun and invites him in to join. He tries to say no a few times, but as soon as Donna runs her hand down the front of his pants, he’s more than game.
The three engage in a magnificent threesome where the ladies pay as close attention to each other as they do to sexing up George. Jackson and Donna are two of the most enticing femme fatales that ever blessed the screen. A night with these bombshells may be worth dying for. I’m not convinced George isn’t still a very lucky man.
Come the morning, George is surprised to find the two women still there. They begin making breakfast when he asks about the ride that was supposed to pick them up. They claim the ride never showed. Donna tries to bed George once more, but he rejects her. Dude, you’ve already gone down that road and you’re a dead man. Enjoy it while you still can.
George offers to give the women a ride somewhere and the girls start showing their wacky side. Jackson laughs and says he can drive her to Paris while Donna says she wants to live with him. George doesn’t see the humor and loses his temper. He demands that they get their clothes and starts getting a tad aggressive by chasing Donna up the stairs. Fuck that guy!
I love movies like this. When it’s a home invasion and men are the invaders, I hate them. I’m always on the side of the victims, but here’s it’s quite different. When the goddesses are beautiful fems who get off on reading erotica while eating a banana, I’m all about them. To hell with George!
One of the greatest components is the different type of crazy that the gals play. Jackson is tough and strong and in charge of her sexuality. She’ll just as soon bring herself to an apex touching her breast and labia as she will bring Donna or George into the mix. She’s fierce and crazy and all sorts of ‘70s girl power that I love.
Donna plays more naive and innocent. She acts as though she just wants to step into the role of George’s wife. She wears her clothes and continuously flirts with him. It’s only when he doesn’t want to play anymore that she starts getting rough. Donna claims that she is under the legal age or jailbait. I like to put that under the bullshit category. These are women. That’s a ploy. These gals are definitely in their early 20s. Now, we can enjoy their wonderful sexcapades BDSM adventure the way God intended! Although you may have to get over the fact that George is no longer a willing participant. I say YOU may, because I’m good with it.
George isn’t really a victim I feel for. Maybe I just relate too much to Jackson and the devil that lives on her shoulder. My issue is that the only reason he doesn’t have his dick in his hand ready for round 2 is that he knows the chicks are crazy and he’s worried his wife is going to find out. He’s an alpha-male pussy who doesn’t know how to be handled. With his wife, he can pick her up and toss her on the bed and be in control. With these two dames, they know what they want and they’ll do anything to get it. Sure, they’re psycho, but sexy, little, resourceful psychos.
Not to mention, George didn’t have to play. It was a test. When Jackson was working his body with her amazing mouth and Donna was exciting him manually with the pressure of her fingertips, he could have pushed both of them away and called the police. He didn’t . He jumped right into that tub and now he’s throwing a tantrum because the fems are reveling in their victory.
Pretty sure, I’m going to lose all my male and many of my female readers with that analogy, but if you haven’t figured out I’m a crackpot with unique attractions yet – that’s on you.
When George threatens to call the cops on them, Jackson takes the lead and says that he’ll go to prison. Donna antes in by saying she’ll tell the police that George was rough and tied her up. Damn these vixen hotties came to play! Can someone just please give Jackson a spanking cane or a cat whip. I’m not picky, but that gal is a dominatrix queen without even trying.
The girls eventually agree to have him drop them off somewhere only to be the victim of a sneak attack later. They tie him to the bed and then play makeup with Mrs. Manning’s cosmetics. This is my favorite scene. Jackson’s finished look is so hellishly naughty and on a delightfully goth enchantress level of beauty.
When Donna is done painting herself up, she walks over to the bed and sits sits atop her captive. She talks about either a real or imagined desire she had for her stepfather before running away. She then gets violently roused and begins choking and hitting George. The girl has issues but Jackson enjoys the spectacle and lets her friend run wild. She comes over and gives Donna a little spanking before the two start dancing in a very naughty sexy number where Jackson is in garters and fishnets.
The two then take much delight in dragging George down the stairs and biting him on the way down. Maybe, they’re a little out of control, but I don’t want it to end. These are the type of fems that make being a voyeur worthwhile.
Never let it be said, that Jackson and Donna aren’t fair. They do give Georgie-boy a trial, but if you’re rooting for him I have some bad news. Jackson is the judge – a vampy charmer with angel’s eyes and a devil’s bite. Yummy. Um… I mean, George is fucked, guys.
This is one of my favorite 70s films and if you research the production there was a bunch of controversy surrounding it. Remakes have been made, but they weren’t nearly as spectacular.
I highly recommend this one. You may not have the same wild affection I do for Jackson and Donna and that’s probably a good thing. I just love them. I love their style, their badness and even their homicidal flare. The entire time that they nearly kill George, there’s a wickedness in me that says, “Do it! Do it.” If you’re bothered by that notion, let me remind you that this is a dramatization. No real Georges were hurt during the filming of this movie.
Currently this is free on YOUTUBE. Celebrate Locke by giving it a gander online. The last few seconds will shock if not dishearten the crazies among us. Either way, you won’t be sorry. Watching this flick is time well spent. It is certainly in need of an uncut remastering and hopefully someone will dive in and get the rights.
Scared Stiff Rating: 9/10
RIP Sondra Locke
