exploitation

Erotic Thriller ‘Poison Ivy’ Isn’t the Lolita Story You Think You Remember

Erotic Thriller ‘Poison Ivy’ Isn’t the Lolita Story You Think You Remember

Katt Shea’s subversive 1992 erotic thriller Poison Ivy, like its teenage villainess, is misunderstood, and American media remains obsessed with devious girls.

‘Tiger King’ and the Post-Truth Culture War

‘Tiger King’ and the Post-Truth Culture War

Tiger King -- released during and dominating the streaming-in-lockdown era -- exemplifies in real-time the feedback loop between entertainment and ideology.

The Working Class Awakens: ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ and the Birth of the Multitude

Playing Sophisticated Trash: ‘Duke Nukem 3D’ and the History of the First Person Shooter

Playing Sophisticated Trash: ‘Duke Nukem 3D’ and the History of the First Person Shooter

Trashy gameplay calls for trashy presentation, and sophisticated gameplay calls for sophisticated presentation. However, Duke Nukem 3D is a game that is constantly in tension between these two principles.
The Value of Exploitation: Of Puppies and Pornography, Violence and Vixens

The Value of Exploitation: Of Puppies and Pornography, Violence and Vixens

Guess which two characters appeared in the half hour trailer featured at E3 for Metal Gear Solid V? Diamond Dog and the Quiet. Guess why? You shouldn't have to guess.
School’s Out Forever in ‘Class of 1984’

School’s Out Forever in ‘Class of 1984’

Aiming for an incisive social commentary on the increasing violence of youth gangs, Class of 1984 falls short.

With Great Vulnerability, Comes Great Brutality: The Evisceration of Lara Croft

Defending Lara

‘Shadows of the Damned’: Punk’s Not Dead?

Electronic Empire Expo: The First World Problem of E3

‘Shock Corridor’: The Enemy Within