Pick Up

The ultimate underrated hippie movie.

Looks like we're stuck in 1975, since today's entry was also filmed in 1975 in a 14 month non stop working time. Originally the film was to be called "Swamp Lord" and/or "Pazuzu" but both titles proved to be non commercial, so once the movie was sold and distributed to nationwide drive-ins it was retitled as "Pick Up" an apparently much more attractive title that would drive audiences to actually care about the drive-in movie while getting a killer blowjob from their current escort lady.

Anyways, Pick Up has been negatively criticized in the internet circles, regarded as a softcore sexploitation show that lacks substance to be actually called a movie, and I say "Fuck them" we're talking about sexploitation and those reviewers should show some respect for the genre.These guys got it wrong, I didn't so I will tell you why Pick Up is a great film. The film is obviously low budget...but not in a bad way whatsoever! They made with what they had...the acting (for that time), was very good, the directing was great, and I would just like to point out the editing...excellent! You know, back then it wasn't easy like it is now, and there's some trippy stuff you see in between shots as well. Oh, and both of the girls...absolutely beautiful. 

The groovy opening font.

RV of hippie doom.

Pick-Up, actually about a hippie trip with drugs, sex & mother nature.

The film, like someone said at IMDB, plays like a "trip"....and I absolutely gotta agree with them! Definitely a trip I would love to be on that's for sure. I WILL NOT give away the ending, but to this day it's stuck with me and I always think about it. The pacing is great, both of the girls are excellent (as characters and actresses)...the guy that owns the RV place always cracks me up lol

Seriously though, the other reviewer did a top notch job, and I can't think of anything else to say other than this:

Want to see a film that is original and unlike any other film you have seen? Tired of the films that try and pass as "grindhouse" films nowadays and want the real thing? Pick up "PICK-UP" today and go on one hell of a ride =)

I'm so high I could fuck a horse.

Satan's church.

Twisted politician V/S hippie guitar bitch.

But, what is Pick-Up about? 

 

A young man is transporting a lavish bus across Florida (the film was actually shot in Florida) to a specific destination, picking up two female oddballs from California, getting lost and trapped within the Everglades swamp after a detour sends him off route.

The remainder of the film details the trio, how both girls enter sexual relations with their male transporter. We also see inside the psychology of all three. How astrology spiritualist Maureen(Gini Eastwood), rambling on about Pazuzu and the goddess Apollos, was molested by her Catholic priest. A look at Carol's(Jill Senter) first sexual experience. Or, how living in an oppressive environment with his domineering, demanding, overbearing mother shaped Chuck(Alan Long)into the free-spirit he soon become. Each character has reasons for the type of person they are.

Outdoors sex goddess.

Carol, with all of her expressive sensuality, seems to have stopped maturing psychologically at the age of 13. Carol takes to this tiger doll as if it's real, chatting and toying with it as if she were an adolescent.

Chuck just doesn't adhere to the pressures exhibited across the phone from his employer(Tom Quinn)who pleads with him to get the bus to it's desired location on time. Chuck's past with a mother(..there's a hint of possible incest) seems to have deprived him of pleasures he now seeks after, without a care about societal demand.

Embrace mother nature's sex call.

Maureen is wrought with troublesome dementia, receiving visits from a clown and politician, not to mention this goddess. There's evidence throughout that practically all we see within the landscape of the enchanting Everglades setting could be a product of Maureen's mind.

The RV driver knows how to cash.

This movie is way out there("Woah, far out man")..I would certainly classify / categorize this as "weird cinema", probably deriving from some sort of drug-induced state. A collection of dreams / fantasies culled from the use of some kind of trippy acid. Unlike other films of this type(..if there's a film as oddball as this), director Bernard Hirschenson has serious talent, his cinematography and editing quite impressive despite the enigmatic nature of John Winter's script..there's a kind of power the movie has due to the visual work and alluring location. Injecting an assortment of strange situations and characters(..who may or may not be real, perhaps a product of Maureen's mental state), accompanied by musical interludes, accentuates the dream-like spirit Hirschenson seems to be striving for.

Oh dear, fuck me once more.

The leads are quite beautiful and Hirschenson's camera worships their every pore. I do forewarn future viewers interested in Pick Up, it's not exactly worried about forwarding a plot to you in the usual fashion, opting instead to leisurely explore the dynamic of relationships and the environment of an otherworldly place.

RV sex ride.

Pick-Up Trivia:

 

The films original working titles were "Swamp Lord" and "Pazuzu", however when the film was purchased for distribution it was renamed "Pick-Up" as the distributors felt it would be more marketable under that title.

 

The film was shot in 14 days. 

Fucking outdoors, what a hippie thing that is.

The environment is also important in this movie.

According to star Gini Eastwood after shooting scenes deep in the swamps she spent weeks picking chiggers off of her skin.

Don Penny, who plays the politician in the film, also played the part of the bizarre clown that Maureen sees in the swamp. 

 

Did you notice girls spend most of their time naked & fucking?

Sex is all over baby.

During an interview Gini Eastwood said that while shooting the surreal "alter" scene one night in the swamp a group of poachers wondered onto set and were quite confused by the whole weird scene. Eastwood also added that at one point the crew stumbled upon a group of armed Cuban Commandos while shooting in the swamp. 

 

Overall, a great entertaining film that focuses its efforts in bringing you the ultimate acid trip experience, and believe me, it doesn't fail on its attempt, in fact it'd make you want to have an acid trip and fuck strangers in the road for sure.

 

Here's the movie trailer: