Best Exploitation Movies
Exploitation films are characterized by their focus on sensational or controversial topics, often made on low budgets with an emphasis on shock value or titillation.
1. Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! (1965)
Russ Meyer‘s cult classic follows three go-go dancers on a violent desert rampage.
Why it’s great:
- Iconic performances, especially by Tura Satana
- Subversive portrayal of female empowerment
- Influential visual style and editing
2. Coffy (1973)
Pam Grier stars as a nurse seeking revenge against drug dealers in this blaxploitation classic.
Why it’s great:
- Grier’s powerful lead performance
- Blend of action, social commentary, and exploitation elements
- Influential soundtrack
3. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
Tobe Hooper‘s low-budget horror film became a landmark in the genre.
Why it’s great:
- Intense, visceral horror without excessive gore
- Influential visual style and sound design
- Commentary on 1970s American society
4. Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS (1975)
This controversial Nazi exploitation film pushes the boundaries of taste and acceptability.
Why it’s great:
- Dyanne Thorne’s memorable performance as Ilsa
- Exploration of taboo subjects and power dynamics
- Influence on subsequent exploitation cinema
5. Cannibal Holocaust (1980)
Ruggero Deodato’s found footage horror film sparked controversy for its graphic violence and real animal deaths.
Why it’s great:
- Pioneering use of found footage technique
- Blurring of reality and fiction
- Commentary on media exploitation and Western attitudes towards indigenous peoples.