The Swinging Cheerleaders

Social dynamics & corruptions at a SoCal university in the early 70s

A student journalist (Jo Johnston) gets on the cheerleading squad intending to expose female exploitation, but discovers more than she bargained for.

"The Swinging Cheerleaders” (1974) is a low-budget examination of the social workings of any American university of the time period, including the good, the bad and the ugly. It only took 12 days to shoot with the script started in late January and the movie released in May(!). Interestingly, it was originally said to be titled "Stand Up and Holler," but changed to the more exploitive title for obvious reasons. Some of the female cast members said they wouldn’t have signed on had they known this.

There’s the criticism that the film tries to be too many things: Is it a sexploitation flick? A serious drama about male mistreatment of young women at college? A morality tale of the drawbacks of the loose sex lifestyle? A commentary on gambling and the corresponding rigged football games? Or just a campy quicky about cheerleaders saving the day?

Yes, it ambitiously features all of these angles, but surprisingly works, despite the micro-budget and no-name actors. True, three of the actresses appear top nude for brief flashes, but this is way more than a one-dimensional sleaze flick. Everything it includes are realities at institutions of higher learning, back then and today.

Cheryl “Rainbeaux” Smith (Andrea) and Colleen Camp (Mary Ann) stand out in the feminine department. Colleen was 20 during shooting and went on to play the squaw playmate in “Apocalypse Now” (1979) and the French maid in “Clue” (1985), not to mention the mother in “Valley Girl” (1983). This is the best movie to see her in her early years since her part is fairly big.

The lovely "Rainbeaux" Smith was only 18 during shooting and in the early stages of pregnancy with her son Justin. She had a genuine innocent quality, appearing in many 'B' flicks throughout the 70s & early 80s. Unfortunately, she fell prey to hard drugs and contracted hepatitis, which ultimately killed her by the too-young age of 47 in 2002.

The film runs 1 hour, 31 minutes, and was shot in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles (football field), and areas nearby, like Playa Del Rey (Kate flees after the police bust), Carthay Studios (interiors) and West Los Angeles (the Putnam residence).

GRADE: B