Like most things that fall over into the ever expanding trap of 70s revivalism, it's kitsch and it's fun but in a rather restricted way.
Switchblade Sisters (1975)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:19
Fresh:10
Rotten:9
Average Rating:5.4/10
Runtime: 1 hr 43 mins
Genre: Action/Adventure
Synopsis: Quentin Tarantino brought this gleefully over-the-top exploitation classic to a new generation with its re-release through his Rolling Thunder production company in 1996. The story chronicles the... Quentin Tarantino brought this gleefully over-the-top exploitation classic to a new generation with its re-release through his Rolling Thunder production company in 1996. The story chronicles the Dagger Debs, gang girlfriends of the Daggers. When sexy new girl on the block Maggie (Joanne Nail) joins the gang and befriends its tough-talking leader Lace (Robbie Lee), she arouses the jealousy of Patch (Monica Gayle), Lace's former right-hand woman, and catches the eye of Lace's boyfriend (Asher Brauner), the stud leader of the Daggers. When he's shot down at a bloody roller rink gunfight, Maggie steps in as leader and enlists the help of a tough band of black militants in getting revenge. Through it all, Patch keeps driving a wedge between Maggie and Lace, leading to treachery, and more bloodshed. Acclaimed exploitation director Jack Hill (COFFY, FOXY BROWN) invests this gem with his strong character development, colorful action, and zingy dialogue, and the result is a truly rewarding trash experience. With everything from lesbian prison brawls to machine gun warfare, this film deserves its high cult status and should be considered required viewing for 1970s exploitation fans. [More]
Starring: Robbie Lee, Joanne Nail, Monica Gayle, Janice Karman
Starring: Robbie Lee, Joanne Nail, Monica Gayle, Janice Karman, Kitty Bruce, Marlene Clark, Asher Brauner, Don Stark
Director: Jack Hill
Director: Jack Hill
Screenwriter: F. X. Maier, Jack Hill, John Prizer
Producer: John Prizer
Reviews for Switchblade Sisters
This is a film with all the itchily sweet passion of a Shangri-Las anthem, cranked up to full volume.
A nifty little movie, full of all the lurid teases, off-the-cuff production values, and trenchant topicality that make exploitation movies the fascinating cultural time capsules and filmmaking treasures that they are.
This movie never pretends to be more than what it is, which is pure exploitation.
The gung-ho corniness, colorful characters, and unflinching bad-ass attitude are just so damn entertaining, and Hill is never apologetic...
A terrific example of efficient, resourceful filmmaking, and its depiction of urban ills is, if anything, all too prophetic.
To watch Switchblade Sisters is to visit a never-never land of shopworn media images colliding in a tabloid high school of the mind.
A 1975 exploitation dud, this is the kind of movie Cinemax screens late at night. It's not just bad, it's execrable.
Just good enough to make it understandable why someone else might really like it. And it's just bad enough to make you wonder about such a person.
Switchblade, like most of its genre cousins, tries to live up to the impact of its generative poster, and it comes very close to delivering what the artwork promises.
So hilarious, so trashy, and so utterly enjoyable that it truly must be seen to be believed.
More DVDs
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
| 25% 25% | Four Christmases |
| 68% 68% | Funny People |
| 95% 95% | Star Trek |
| 14% 14% | The Ugly Truth |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 83% 83% | Harry Potter and the H… |
| 67% 67% | Public Enemies |
| 75% 75% | Julie & Julia |
| 95% 95% | The Cove |
| 85% 85% | World's Greatest Dad |
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Sponsored Links
Around The Network
- Switchblade Sisters at Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh Links
Featured

Subscribe to RT's YouTube channel and don't miss a second of our cracking video content.

Follow Rotten Tomatoes and join us as we tweet about the week's releases.



Top Critic

