JACK HILL: THE EXPLOITATION AND BLAXPLOITATION MASTER, FILM BY FILM by Calum Waddell

Man, that is one long title! I apologize for not having a picture of the cover of the book, but they were pretty scarce and pretty small. I thought the poster for Switchblade Sisters would suffice. Also, because I'm lazy, we will be referring to the book just as JACK HILL throughout the rest of this piece.
I was a fan of Jack Hill's before I knew his name. See, here in the wilds of Kalamazoo, Michigan we had two drive in theaters. It was at The Portage Drive-In that I first saw Switchblade Sisters. It was on a double bill with Pinball Summer. I remember Switchblade Sisters so well that I can see the movie playing out in my head from the car I was sitting in. That is the initial impression that the film making of Jack Hill had on me. And it's more than just nostalgia. I've watched this film a number of times and it always plays well.
After Switchblade Sisters was Spider Baby and it was also a wonderful film. The along came Coffy, Foxy Brown, The Big Bird Cage and The Big Doll House. The man was on fire! At least in my opinion.
Then after Sorceress, he was gone. I actually remember seeing a trailer for the flick Sorceress and thought it would be good. But that's always the case with Roger Corman trailers. They all look goo.
Then you watch the movie.
So, JACK HILL comes along and covers each and every film that Jack Hill ever made. Each film is given the space for pertinent information as well as a plot synopsis. Then we get interviews with Jack Hill and Sid Haig as well as others that helped along the way.
In that respect I found the book...a bit thin. There was so much more that I wanted to know from Mr. Hill as well as others. If he went to the trouble of interviewing Sid Haig, then why not Pam Grier? Why not spend the time and energy and find Robbie Lee?
Even the interviews with Jack seemed too short. There was mountains of information that I'm sure would have come out in an interview concerning his time with Roger Corman and other producers. Where was all of that?
And then came the final blow:
The author called Screwballs a bad movie?!?
What does that have to do with the career of Jack Hill at all? Since the book does nothing but praise Jack Hill and his work, then why put in a cheap shot like this? He didn't make Screwballs. He has no connection with Screwballs. Why give Screwballs such a short shrift? I have always been a fan of this ridiculous teen comedy. It almost plays like a live cartoon. If anything, Jack Hill would have probably liked the damn thing.
So, JACK HILL gives us a brief look at a gentleman who has made some of the more lasting, amazing films back in the good old days of seat of your pants film making. Unfortunately, it is too brief.