The Swinging Barmaids is a 1975 American exploitation film about a serial killer who targets cocktail waitresses. The film was directed by Gus Trikonis, and stars Bruce Watson, Laura Hippe, William Smith, and Dyanne Thorne. It was re-released in 1980 as Eager Beavers.
William Smith later recalled "Jesus Christ, that was a wild fuckin’ movie! (Laughing) Yeah, that was kind of fun."
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Plot
After murdering Boo-Boo, a cocktail waitress at the Swing-A-Ling Club, Tom, a psychotic killer, disguises himself and gains employment as a bouncer at the same club where he continues his killing spree. While police lieutenant Harry White attempts to stop him, Tom sets his sights on 'pure' waitress Jenny.
Cast
Bruce Watson as Tom
Laura Hippe as Jenny
Katie Saylor as Susie
Renie Radich as Marie
William Smith as Lieutenant Harry White
Dyanne Thorne as "Boo-Boo"
Zitto Kazann as Zitto
Jim Travis as Dave
Ray Galvin as Jack
John Alderman as Andrews
Milt Kogan as Dan
Judith Roberts as Sally
Cult status
Quentin Tarantino screened the film at his festival in 2007. A critic at the screening wrote:
This flick is kind of bizarre. It’s a serial killer flick that’s not really high on the gore or suspense. It’s a sexploitation flick without much titillation. It’s a William Smith movie where he’s kind of unthreatening (until the end when he’s as badass as you want him to be). None of that means it’s a lame movie. Not at all.
Shock magazine wrote "By normal critical standards, this is the dregs. But as no-budget 70s exploitation goes, this crap succeeds on every necessary level (I particularly enjoyed the crude, handheld camerawork during the murder scenes). Laced with fitfully sleazy kicks and a surprisingly energetic, corpse-laden finale, this inept flick is a wonderful example of the bad-is-good nature of drive-in cinema."