- Square-up
A square-up was a common feature of
exploitation films in the 1940s and 1950s. With the exception of mostburlesque features during the 1950s, the films would begin with a written message about what social or moral issue the film was planning to address. For instance, ""She Shoulda Said 'No!'" " contained a square-up concerning youthdrug abuse , and "Child Bride " the issue of child marriage.The first square-up has been traced to
Eureka Productions 's 1912 film "The Evil Art (or) Gambling Exposed ". The general reasoning for the square-up was an expression of regret for presenting the subject of the film followed by a statement with the desire that the film will help in efforts to combat the subject. Often, these justifications were created with the intent to work around theproduction code , giving the films educational or social value as opposed to being simply exploitation features, but also served the purpose of warming up the audience for the upcoming film contents.Square-ups gained another meaning with some exploitation films.
David F. Friedman has explained that, in some cities, the police would not allow a full screening of a film withnudity or other objectionable content. Following the announcement to the now-upset crowd, the edited film was shown, and, after the film was over, a second reel with the excised material was shown. Coming from thecarnival term "squaring a beef," these "square-up reels" became typical. In some cases, such as "The Girls of Loma-Loma ", the entire film became a short square-up reel.References
*
Eric Schaefer , "Bold! Daring! Shocking! True!: A History of Exploitation Films, 1919-1959" (Durham, N.C.: Duke University Press, 1999; ISBN 0-8223-2374-5).
* Felicia Feaster and Bret Wood, "Forbidden Fruit: The Golden Age of the Exploitation Film" (Baltimore, Maryland: Midnight Marquee Press, 1999; ISBN 1887664246).
* "Sex and Buttered Popcorn " (2001, Kit Parker Video)
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