Tura! is an absorbing and heartfelt documentary about the iconic cult movie star Tura Satana, most famous for her role as Varla in Russ Meyer’s immortal classic, Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! Written and directed by friend of The Video Vacuum, Cody Jarrett who also directed Tura in the great Sugar Boxx, it offers a whirlwind look at her tumultuous life. Tura endured an unspeakable rape as a preteen and faced racism during WWII, and yet, she was somehow able to channel that pain and hate into a career as a burlesque dancer where she quickly became immensely popular. At the insistence of silent movie star Harold Lloyd, she took up acting and before long, she appeared in Faster, Pussycat, which cemented her legendary status.
Some of her exploits play almost like a movie themself. Just take a look at her romances with big name celebrities (most famously Elvis Presley) or the fact that she was actually able to get revenge on the men who raped her as a little girl. Many actresses can only play a badass, but Tura was the genuine article onscreen and off.
The interviewees are a nice mix of friends, family, and admirers. John Waters is naturally front and center since it’s widely acknowledged that his proclamation that Faster, Pussycat was his favorite movie of all time is what helped give the film a second life. We also have Ted V. Mikels, who directed Tura in The Astro-Zombies, as well as fellow Meyer actress (and Sugar Boxx co-star) Kitten Natividad. Margaret Cho acts as our narrator and sometimes gives voice to Tura via entries in her diary.
Jarrett’s film cuts deeper than most documentaries on cult film stars. It doesn’t shy away from the accounts of Santana’s assault and the racism she suffered. There are also some rather revealing revelations that occur in the final act.
Overall, this is one of the best documentaries I’ve seen in quite some time. If you always thought Tura was a badass, you owe it to yourself to check this out. Trust me, you only know half the story.
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