Georgia Sothern in: Star and Garter



1942 | B&W | 2½ min.
Produced By: Film Theatarettes, Inc.

georgiasothern01

Fashion sure is a funny thing, isn’t it? What’s hip one day is regarded as passé the next. Women seem to be hit much harder than men, with popular fashion bouncing between the “Girl next door” look to the “Girl on the street corner” look faster than you can say “Paris Hilton.” The image of the “ideal” woman too, is seemingly in constant flux. Voluptuous, busty women gave way to slender, waif-like beanpoles, only to be replaced by today’s bizarre infatuation with gargantuan buttocks. Personally, I blame Sir Mix-a-Lot.

While women’s fashion may be as fickle as women themselves, there is one thing about women that certainly hasn’t changed over the years, and that is the pure, unadulterated insanity of strippers. There is a timeless, almost comforting quality about their particular brand of nuttiness. Case in point, this wonderful little slice of madness from the legendary burlesque performer, Georgia Sothern. Gadding about the stage like a coked-up Kathy Griffin in a mosh pit, Ms. Sothern manages to put on a display that will be forever burned into my mind. With an upbeat little piano tune playing in the background, Ms. Sothern flails her arms wildly like a fleshy cat-o’-nine-tails; kicks her legs as frantically as Bruce Lee with an atomic wedgie; and bangs her head in a way which would put someone in the front row of a Metallica show to shame. It’s truly a sight to behold. Sexy? Maybe not, but definitely entertaining.

I must admit there is something rather endearing about her manic level of enthusiasm (one certainly can’t accuse her of merely going through the motions) but the simple fact that men from my grandparents’ generation found this even the slightest bit erotic is nothing short of disturbing. Speaking of disturbing, I just used the words “grandparents” and “erotic” in the same sentence. If you’ll excuse me, I think I’m going to go have a shower and a good cry.

Reviewed by Derek Miller
Posted August 25, 2009



Enjoy this piece of burlesque history for yourself for free.
Courtesy of Archive.org.








 

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