Satan in High Heels

Last updated
Satan in High Heels
Satan In High Heels - 1962 - Poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Jerald Intrator
Written byHarold Bonnett (story)
John T. Chapman
Produced byLeonard M. Burton
Starring Meg Myles
Grayson Hall
Del Tenney
CinematographyBernard Hirschenson
Edited by Armond Lebowitz
Music by Mundell Lowe
Distributed byCosmic Films Inc.
Release date
  • March 23, 1962 (1962-03-23)
Running time
89 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Satan in High Heels is a 1962 American sexploitation film directed by Jerald Intrator and starring Meg Myles and Grayson Hall.

Contents

Plot

Stacey Kane, a cunning and ambitious striptease dancer in a cheap carnival, tricks her heroin-addicted husband out of his money and leaves him, clothed only in a corset and raincoat. On a plane to New York, she meets a well-heeled businessman, Louie, who falls for her charms and sets her up in a hotel. He arranges an audition for her at a Manhattan midtown club run by an elegant, world-weary lesbian named Pepe.

Stacey wows them with her vocal ability and begins being groomed as a leading chanteuse at the night club. Arnold Kenyon, the club's owner, falls in love with Stacey and makes her his mistress, unaware that while he is lavishing her with expensive gifts and grooming her for a singing debut at his club, she is also having an affair with his playboy son, Laurence.

On her opening night, Stacey's estranged husband, Rudy, arrives at the club. Using both emotional and sexual appeal, Stacey persuades him to kill Arnold; but Rudy bungles the murder attempt and confesses his intention to Arnold. Her double-dealing nature out in the open, Stacey is abandoned by all the men in her life, put out of her apartment, and left alone on the streets.

Cast

Production notes

The film used Manhattan locations Club Le Martinique at 57 West 57th Street and Sutton Place neighborhood for the apartments where Pepe and the Kenyons live.

Producer Leonard Burtman was a major New York publisher of dozens of fetish magazines such as the pioneering Exotique , Bizarre Life, High Heels, Unique World, and Corporal. In 1962, a few of his publications ran photo-features promoting this film.

Soundtrack

Satan in High Heels
Soundtrack album by
Mundell Lowe and His Orchestra
Released1962
RecordedNovember 30 and December 22, 1961
New York City
Genre Film score
Label Charlie Parker
PLP-406
Producer Aubrey Mayhew
Mundell Lowe chronology
Themes from Mr. Lucky, the Untouchables and Other TV Action Jazz
(1960)
Satan in High Heels
(1962)
Billy Jack
(1971)

The film score was composed, arranged and conducted by Mundell Lowe and the soundtrack album was originally released on the Charlie Parker label. [1] The soundtrack was also released as Blues for a Stripper.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Down Beat Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [2]
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [3]

In his review for the June 6, 1963, issue of Down Beat magazine, jazz critic John S. Wilson wrote: "Guitarist Lowe has put together a walloping big band, given it some strong punchy arrangements to play, and has come through with a set of rousing performances." [2]

The Allmusic review states "Mundell Lowe's score for the exploitation flick Satan in High Heels is an immensely enjoyable collection of exaggeratedly cinematic jazz. Lowe runs through all sorts of styles, from swinging big band to cool jazz, from laid-back hard-bop to driving bop". [3]

Track listing

All compositions by Mundell Lowe.

  1. "Satan in High Heels" - 3:24
  2. "Montage" - 2:11
  3. "The Lost and the Lonely" - 3:38
  4. "East Side Drive" - 2:48
  5. "Coffee, Coffee" - 3:27
  6. "Lake in the Woods" - 3:30
  7. "From Mundy On" - 3:27
  8. "The Long Knife" - 2:22
  9. "Blues for a Stripper" - 3:27
  10. "Pattern of Evil" - 2:26

Personnel

Staged adaptation

In 2012, Trustus Theatre hosted a reading of a stage adaptation of Satan in High Heels written by playwright and screenwriter Robbie Robertson. Directed by Timothy Gardner, the staged reading featured Vicky Saye Henderson as Stacy Kane, Rodney Lee Rogers as Arnold Kenyon, and Larry Hembree as Pepe.

A 2012 staged reading of a new adaptation of Satan in High Heels at Trustus Theatre. SataninHighHeelsstagedreading.jpg
A 2012 staged reading of a new adaptation of Satan in High Heels at Trustus Theatre.

Home media

The film was released on Region 1 DVD by Something Weird Video in 2002.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mundell Lowe</span> American jazz guitarist (1922–2017)

James Mundell Lowe was an American jazz guitarist who worked often in radio, television, and film, and as a session musician.

<i>Further Definitions</i> Compilation album

Further Definitions is a 1962 jazz album by Benny Carter and his orchestra, rereleased on CD in 1997 coupled with his follow-up album, 1966's Additions to Further Definitions. The earlier album features an all-star octet that includes Coleman Hawkins, with whom Carter had recorded in Paris in 1937, using the same configuration of instruments: four saxophones, piano, guitar, bass, and drums.

<i>Subconscious-Lee</i> 1955 studio album by Lee Konitz

Subconscious-Lee is a jazz album by Lee Konitz although a few tracks were issued on 78rpm under Lennie Tristano's name. It was recorded in 1949 and 1950, and released on the Prestige label.

Al Klink was an American swing jazz tenor saxophonist.

George "Buster" Cooper was an American jazz trombonist.

<i>Breath of Life</i> (World Saxophone Quartet album) 1994 studio album by World Saxophone Quartet

Breath of Life is an album by the jazz group the World Saxophone Quartet. It was recorded in 1992 and released on the Elektra/Nonesuch label in 1994 and features performances by Hamiet Bluiett, Arthur Blythe, Oliver Lake and David Murray with Fontella Bass and a rhythm section.

<i>A Grand Night for Swinging</i> 1957 studio album by Mundell Lowe

A Grand Night for Swinging is an album by American jazz guitarist Mundell Lowe featuring tracks recorded in 1957 for the Riverside label.

<i>Porgy & Bess</i> (Mundell Lowe album) 1958 studio album by Mundell Lowe and his All Stars

Porgy & Bess is an album by American jazz guitarist Mundell Lowe and his All Stars featuring their interpretations of the George Gershwin folk opera Porgy and Bess recorded in 1958 for the RCA Camden label.

<i>Soul Street</i> (album) 1962 studio album by Jimmy Forrest

Soul Street is an album by saxophonist Jimmy Forrest compiled from four different sessions between 1960 and 1962 and released on New Jazz Some tracks appear as CD bonus tracks on other CDs but this is the only album on which the Big Band tracks appear.

<i>Salute to the Flute</i> 1957 studio album by Herbie Mann

Salute to the Flute is an album by American jazz flautist Herbie Mann featuring tracks recorded in 1957 for the Epic label.

<i>Our Mann Flute</i> 1966 studio album by Herbie Mann

Our Mann Flute is an album by American jazz flautist Herbie Mann released on the Atlantic label in 1966. The album features tracks from sessions that produced the albums The Common Ground (1960), My Kinda Groove (1964) along with more recent recordings.

<i>Late Date with Ruth Brown</i> 1959 studio album by Ruth Brown

Late Date with Ruth Brown is an album by vocalist Ruth Brown featuring tracks recorded in 1959 and released on the Atlantic label.

<i>Gloomy Sunday and Other Bright Moments</i> 1961 studio album by The Bob Brookmeyer Orchestra

Gloomy Sunday and Other Bright Moments is an album by jazz trombonist and arranger Bob Brookmeyer recorded in 1961 for the Verve label. Brookmeyer said: "I consider it my pride and joy. I took many creative risks here, most based on the heels of working with Bill [Finegan]. I used woodwinds, double reeds and other instrument configurations I hadn't used before. My attitude toward the orchestration was really a big step forward in my development".

<i>California Soul</i> (album) 1968 studio album by Gerald Wilson Orchestra

California Soul is an album by the Gerald Wilson Orchestra recorded in 1968 and released on the Pacific Jazz label.

<i>Blue Rabbit</i> 1964 studio album by Johnny Hodges and Wild Bill Davis

Blue Rabbit is an album by American jazz saxophonist Johnny Hodges and organist Wild Bill Davis featuring performances recorded in 1963 and 1964 and released on the Verve label.

<i>The Complete Commodore & Decca Masters</i> 2009 box set by Billie Holiday

The Complete Commodore & Decca Masters is a 3CD box set of recordings by Billie Holiday, released by Hip-O Records in 2009, compiling all the master takes released as 78rpm singles by Commodore and Decca Records. It includes an essay by Ashley Kahn.

<i>Stan Kenton Conducts the Los Angeles Neophonic Orchestra</i> 1965 album by Stan Kenton

Stan Kenton Conducts the Los Angeles Neophonic Orchestra is an album by bandleader Stan Kenton recorded in 1965 by Capitol Records.

<i>Son of Drum Suite</i> 1961 studio album by Al Cohn and His Orchestra

Son of Drum Suite is an album by Al Cohn and His Orchestra recorded in 1960 for the RCA Victor label. The album is a sequel to Manny Albam and Ernie Wilkins, The Drum Suite.

<i>Music for a First Love</i> 1957 studio album by Dinah Washington

Music for a First Love is the eighth studio album by American jazz singer Dinah Washington released in 1957 via Mercury label. The tracks were recorded in various sessions between January 1946 and September 1950.

<i>Live at Rockland Palace</i> 1997 live album by Charlie Parker

Live at Rockland Palace, also released as The Complete Legendary Rockland Palace Concert, is a live album by jazz saxophonist Charlie Parker, recorded in 1952 with strings at Rockland Palace in Harlem. The event was a benefit concert for local politician Benjamin Davis.

References

  1. Mundell Lowe discography accessed August 23, 2012
  2. 1 2 Down Beat: June 6, 1963 Vol. 30, No. 13
  3. 1 2 Erlewine, S. T. Allmusic Review accessed August 23, 2012