The movie mingles sleazy grindhouse gore and the shock-laden laughs of John Waters, all on the budget of Roger Corman. While the comedy in the films “Pervert!” pays tribute to were almost always unintentional, the laughs in “Pervert!” are not only warranted, but frequent.
“When dealing with schlock, it’s easy to fall into silly parody,” director and producer Jonathan Yudis says. “Our goal was to not only make ‘Pervert!’ technically proficient, but legitimately funny. Of course, when it comes down to it, there’s nothing in this movie to be taken seriously. We didn’t.”
In addition to being inspired by films from the 1970s, “Pervert!” seeks to re-ignite the midnight movie phenom from that decade, in which young people would gather in theaters to watch cult movies, often shouting out lines in unison.
“Entertainment has become so portable that a lot of people don’t get the communal experience of sitting in a dark theater with a couple of hundred strangers simultaneously freaking out,” Yudis said. “Hollywood movies, even comedies, don’t usually illicit that type of reaction, and it’s exactly what ‘Pervert!’ delivers.”
In a recent meeting, John Waters asked writer/co-producer Mike Davis where he found the girls for his movie. Davis responded that an extensive search was performed at every topless bar, juke joint and shopping mall in the greater Los Angeles area. The first to sign on was Legend Video contract star and former candidate for governor of California, Mary Carey.
Carey saw the role of Cheryl as her opportunity to cross over. She reportedly was a joy on the set, bringing a smile to the face of even the most hardened crew member. “Her infectious attitude translated perfectly into her bubbly on-screen performance,” Yudis said.
“Pervert!” made its North American festival premiere at the Silverlake Film Festival in Hollywood, Calif., following an international debut at the Night Visions Film Festival in Helsinki, Finland. The film currently is playing for a month-long run of weekend midnight screenings at Laemmle’s Sunset 5 theater in Los Angeles. The DVD is available through the movie website, PervertTheMovie.com.
