Originally posted on 7/8/20
The trailer describes it as "Mondo Mansfield", which is fitting since THE WILD, WILD WORLD OF JAYNE MANSFIELD (Severin Films, 1968) plays just like one of those old "mondo" mockumentaries, but in this case narrated by and presided over by the curvaceous Miss M herself.
Fans of both the strikingly oddball "mondo" film genre and of the well-endowed actress herself should be enthralled by this cinematic grab bag consisting of footage of Jayne traveling the world mixed with comedic sexual vignettes and other naughty material that originally garnered it an "X" rating.
Such fans won't be put off, as will many other viewers, by the overwhelming cheesiness of the entire affair, as Jayne sashays through the streets of Rome, Paris, New York, and Hollywood amidst throngs of fans, visiting famous tourist attractions by day and more forbidden haunts such as strip clubs, gay bars, drag contests, avenues of prostitution, and other titillating sites by night.
All the while we're treated to her running commentary ("Even midgets and dwarves need sex", "In America, a girl with a beautiful bust line can make her fortune. Well, look at me! I'm proof of that", "The boys looked more feminine than the girls!") which, in fact, was dubbed post-production by a voice actress.
This is augmented by stills and footage from Jayne's films such as 1960's "The Loves of Hercules" (where she met future husband Mickey Hargitay), "Promises..... Promises!" (1963), "Primitive Love" (1964), and one of her most famous film appearances in "Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?" (1957). We also get to see her nude layout in Playboy.
Helping the film earn its "X" rating are some scenes of nudity on beaches and in burlesque houses as well as some topless shots of Jayne as she contemplates joining some nudists but is too shy to go "all the way." There's also much risque' humor as well as the various other adult themes which were quite strong stuff at the time.
While the film has the same jauntily silly attitude and wince-inducing comedy as other such titillating travelogues, as well as the same home-movie production values, its final ten minutes of so take a jarring turn into true exploitation territory with graphic photos and descriptions of Jayne Mansfield's tragic death in an auto accident during production.
Grainy news photos of her horribly smashed car and lifeless body lying covered on the side of the road remain as shocking as ever, and even the small dog that Jayne clutches so fondly during the entire film is seen lying dead amidst the debris.
Here, Jayne's "wild, wild world" suddenly morphs into a stridently-narrated wallow in total sleaze as one can sense the filmmakers realizing what an exploitation gold mine their work-in-progress had suddenly become upon the death of their star.
It culminates in maudlin footage of her husband Mickey Hargitay and their two sons mourning her loss at their once-happy mansion with its heart-shaped swimming pool inscribed by Mickey with the words "I Love Jayne."
The Blu-ray from Severin Films is scanned from Something Weird's rare 35mm archival print and retains that wonderful grindhouse look--specks, scratches, faded color, and so on--which fill me with such an old-movie lover's delight. The bonus menu contains the SD video master version of the film as well, with its richer color scenes.
Also included is the featurette "The Devil and Jayne" which covers her surprising and, for me anyway, downright shocking connection to satanist Anton LaVey and all that very unhealthy and off-putting stuff. There's also a trailer and a bonus full-length "mondo"-style documentary, "Wild, Weird, Wonderful Italians", which is much more of a true-to-life travelogue than the main feature.
As with most films of its ilk, THE WILD, WILD WORLD OF JAYNE MANSFIELD will be like garlic to a vampire for many viewers less receptive to the sleazy, the shamelessly exploitative, and the wretchedly cheap. But for the recklessly adventuresome grunge-movie gourmet, it will be like garlic on a big, scrumptious Italian pizza with everything on it.
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