Takin' it All Off

Takin' It All Off is a 1987 straight-to-video release from Ed Hansen and Robert T.Gervasoni's Hansen / Gervasoni productions company, and provided a quick sequel to Hansen and Gervasoni's popular 1985 feature "Takin' It Off". The cast includes Kitten Natividad, cult actor George 'Buck' Flower, adult actress Jean Poremba and the British glamour model Gail Harris.

The plot

A school for striptease artistes is in financial trouble. The students audition for the owner of the Chez Bob A Ree Bob, a renowned strip club, except the glamorous newcomer (Poremba) can't bring herself to take her clothes off in public. Veteran stripper Betty Bigones (Natividad) suggests hypnotism, and although this helps Poremba to shed her shyness and her clothes, it has the unfortunate side-effect of making her strip whenever she hears the film's theme song - which, as you might expect, gets played everywhere.

Reaction and criticism

Hardly designed to appeal to the highbrow critics, "Takin' It All Off" is best judged for what it is - a cheap and cheerful straight-to-video softcore romp with comedy elements.

"The script is pathetic, the jokes are non-existent and the acting is absolutely dire - these people would make a school play look like the height of professionalism!" - TC Raymond, IMDB

"As with most of these boobie movies, a little is never enough and seriousness is looked down upon. This little gem is good for what it is, a whole bunch of chicks getting nekkid for little to no reason, and the usual stereotypes are in full swing. The only bad mark that this flick has is the constant and annoying use of its title song. Believe me, after 20 minutes of hearing it, you'll want to shoot someone. But put the TV on mute and you will have a good time." - Chad, IMDB

"Sure, it's a great skin flick (and it's ALL female skin, thankfully--I'm sure anyone would be struck sterile if forced to take a gander at Buck's Flower), and there's a really bad "1980's gay stereotype/dance instructor" to laugh at, but Buck's performance as the disgruntled father forced to sell his attractive daughter into a life of stripping is fantastic. And the daughter is nothing to sneeze at either." - Josh Chambers, IMDB

"There's lots of bad 80s hair and hideous 80s fashions. The acting is largely beyond horrible. Kitten Natividad recites many of her lines like a child in a big paper costume in a school play, but Buck Flower himself is a hoot as Allison's hillbilly father...The movie is padded with extra nudity to get close to 90 minutes, but that's what a mom-and-pop video store customer would have rented Takin' It All Off for. Kitten Natividad was 40 when this movie was made and her face was starting to age, but her body here is still in good shape. Sadly she hit the wall soon after. Candie Evans (Jean Poremba) married one of the American Gladiators, started a family and left showbiz entirely in 1988. Their beautiful bodies are preserved on VHS tape. Takin' It All Off must have been a hugely successful rental as used copies pop up on ebay all the time." - skinnyjoeymerlino, IMDB

External links

[http://bigassmovies.blogspot.com/2007/07/takin-it-all-off.html Big Ass Movie Reviews' review]

[http://www.gailharris.com/takinitalloff.htm The British video release sleeve]

[http://www.hypno-movies.com/comedy/takin_it_all/index.html Screenshots from the film (no nudity)