Alvin Purple/Comments

• Alvin Purple has a classic Sexploitation premise. Alvin is an ordinary-looking Australian man who for some reason is irresistible to women. The film starts off with Alvin kicking off what he hopes to be a “sexless seventies” before his beautiful neighbour comes around and he kisses goodbye to his vow. We then follow Alvin’s adventures as he is seduced by his schoolteacher’s wife, constantly mobbed by every girl in school and eventually finds a job as a “sex therapist”. The film was a huge success when initially released in Australia. Since then, some critics have claimed that it’s a “one joke film”. Although Burstall and writer Hopgood are careful not to use the same situation for each sexual encounter. For a sexploitation film that was made to exploit the new R rating and sell tickets, it doesn’t feel the need to turn every possible situation into a sex scene. It’s funny, features some great performances by Australian stars (especially Graeme Blundell in the title role) and Australia’s number 1 sex symbol at the time, Abigail. It even has a car chase. --Angel