I remember watching “The Cheerleaders” on skinemax back in the mid-nineties when they were never afraid to expose audiences to the delights of the grindhouse sub-culture. “The Cheerleaders” is one of my favorite bits of grindhouse fare ever made, a bonafide entry in the rare cheersploitation sub-sub genre that explores the lives of a group of jail bait teenagers who partake in lustful delights as a form of sexual expression. Particularly there’s jail bait Stephanie Fondue who is the Lolita of the group, indulging in group activities when the occasion calls for it. “The Cheerleaders” actually has a hilarious and clever premise to it, and one that will stretch in to two more movies.
As you guessed it the innuendos and double entendres fly fast and loose almost as quickly as the limbs do (you have to love the cheer: “Come on boys! Come! Come! Come on boys!”), and the corny jokes and goofy winks to the audience more than make up for the bad performances from the entire cast, all of whom are barely competent enough to deliver a quick one-liner let alone an entire monologue about the woes of not making the team. Jeannie is a fifteen year old Lolita who is woefully unaware of her sex appeal and is desperate to make the cheer team. With her ability to do whatever it takes to make the squad, she hangs with the cheerleaders and helps them oblige their home team.
One obligations includes them distracting the rival team from conquering the up and coming championship game by sexing them near collapse which involves a night of non-stop sexcapades where the ravenous team risk STD’s just to keep them busy for the entire night. Of course this plan is ingenious, and manages to keep the rival team at bay worn for the wear, while Jeannie seeks out a man who can take her virginity. As cheersploitation Paul Glickler’s 1973 sexploitation comedy is a sweet bit of softcore porn with some inventive one-liners and hilarious sex scenes that are never too graphic or taken seriously. There’s even a ridiculous girl on girl moment involving an exercise bike. This is one of my favorites of the sub-genre, and I advise you to come take a look at the goodies flying in this cinematic offering.