March 10, 2021

Ah, the good old days when Hollywood idealized, feminized, exoticified, and basically fronted eye-candy appeal stories for pretty women. Such women spent countless hours making themselves attractive to men and simply lounged around until a man came along to get the story moving. And of course they were surrounded by other pretty women, making all men swoon and lust after them. Here's the front cover to the pressbook for Cobra Woman (1944). Maria Montez plays the exotic woman and her twin  sister (points for twins!). I wish I had the whole pressbook, but this cover will have to do for now. Leonard Maltin called it a camp classic. You may call it something else. Of course, what's a pretty woman without a tropical locale? Here it's Cobra Island. Along with the prettiness you have Sabu and the not so pretty Lon Chaney Jr. What more can you ask for in a camp classic?