Opening with a disclaimer that the producers have no memory of making the motion picture, the indie feature obviously revels in that era of exploitation, immediately passing itself off as a ’70s no-budget, B-horror pic as authentically as it can: heavily embedded grain and scratches, a couple of “SHOT MISSING” frames, reel-to-reel tape decks, lava lamps, licking coke off glass ...
As with most of that corner of cult film’s product, story takes a backseat to sleaze. Rex Romanski (Michael Reed) is this movie’s Tony Manero: a disco king who’s a hit with the ladies both on the dance floor and on the box springs. One of his latest conquests is Rita Marie (Ruth Sullivan), who doesn’t like being treated like dirt. When you eff with Rita Marie, you literally eff with the devil.
To put it another way, copulating in a pentagram? Very bad idea. Don’t.
Much of DIY director Richard Griffin’s flick is purposefully awful, which is perfectly OK since he’s making a comedy here. Mind you, it’s a comedy partially set amid porno producers, so expect some real gross-out moments and NSFW sequences of copious nudity that would have the MPAA all flustered (and that I’d love to see). While not entirely successful, The Disco Exorcist is something of a really rough gem waiting for a following to discover it even exists.
Those well-versed in the history of 42nd Street’s sticky-floor cinema — and not from spilled soda, but seed — are more apt to get its jokes: "Who do you think you are, Klute Gulager?" Everyone else may be mortified at how far Griffin dares to go. It definitely has its moments, most of which will have the latter group leaping for the eject button.
Me? My dark side enjoyed it. Now where can I find an MP3 download of Matthew Jason Walsh’s “Exordisco” theme? —Rod Lott
