She directed several interesting short films while there and
gathering the necessary financing and personnel she started production in 1969
on HOLLYWOOD 90028. As this would be her debut film, she chose an
exploitation-type subject which could be easily sold, hopefully making some
money and could be used as a steppingstone in the industry. Unfortunately like
many low budget filmmakers she saw her creation disappear into the murky depts
of shady distribution. Filmed in fits & starts starting in 1969, it was finally
released in 1973 and was retitled several times including TWISTED THROATS and
THE HOLLYWOOD HILLSIDE STRANGLER (to cash-in on an actual serial killer) in the
coming years. Interestingly her classmate at UCLA Richard Blackburn wrote &
directed the amazing LEMORA: A CHILD’S TALE OF THE SUPERNATURAL in 1973 which sadly
ended up with much the same fate.
For decades afterwards the only way to see HOLLYWOOD 90028 was
a truly horrible video tape derived transfer that left many scenes
intelligible. In 2024 Grindhouse Releasing put out a spectacular looking
Blu-ray packed with extras.
Initially made during the time when adult films were moving
from softcore to full-on XXX, it is sometimes referred to as feminist manifesto
on the porn industry, but it’s mostly a combination of a character study of
people working in the lower level of the porn industry along with a serial killer plotline. When it was
released in 1973 the height of the “porn chic” era was in full bloom where it
was thought that adult films might become a legitimate genre and XXX films like
DEEP THROAT were outgrossing Hollywood blockbusters, but by contrast HOLLYWOOD
90028 deals with people working in the lower rungs of the industry.
We first meet Mark (Christopher Augustine) as he strolls
down a nighttime Sunset Strip. Stopping at a diner, he meets a woman, and they
go to her small apartment where he methodically strangles her as they begin to
make love. From this first sequence we know we are in a different place exploitation
-wise as the camera slowly prowls around her living quarters showing us her
various knickknacks and record albums (Paul McCartney’s first solo album can be
seen) which gives the victim an identity and individuality.
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The next day Mark heads off to work where he works as a cinematographer and editor for Jobal (musician Dick Glass – one of a few music connections in the film) who produces porn loops. Mark is very conscientious in his work as he efficiently bustles about arranging lights and the camera. The shoot is a solo with a single female performer and Hornisher films it in the most unerotic way possible. There is no soundtrack music, only the noise of the camera and Jobal’s increasingly uncomfortable sounding voice commands & heavy breathing while focused from up above on the woman as the camera pushes slowly into his sweating face.
Later at another shoot this time with S&M themes Mark
strikes up a friendship with one of the female actors Michelle (Jeannette
Dilger). He gives her a ride home and they have coffee and later she cooks him
dinner. The sequence puts the viewer on edge as we keep waiting for “it” to happen,
but the pair seem to strike up an actual friendship. Michelle refuses to have
sex with Mark which sends him on a trip to an adult bookstore to seek out a
loop starring her. This sequence is made even more uncomfortable by the salesclerk
watching a religious show on a TV with the preacher droning on as Mark enters a
booth.
During their time together Michelle relates her sad story to
Mark as she tells of coming to L.A. from a small Midwest town in order to break
into movies and how instead she started the slow slide from posing for “art”
photographs to ending up working in porn loops. Michelle sees her work as the
bottom her career while Mark sees porn as steppingstone to work in legitimate
films. We see him at a job interview where unable to show any of his work in
films he offers the excuse that “everything is back in New York City” but we
witness the futility of his career hopes.
Later Mark murders another woman that he picks up
hitchhiking in a lengthy sequence involving a sailboat and the woman’s constant
inane babbling as we slowly begin to witness his further mental decline. Before
he picks her up, we see footage of him driving alone along streets much like Jacques
Demy’s MODEL SHOP 1969. This may seem like a way to pad out the running time,
but it also shows his isolation from society.
At various times during the film Mark relates his life story
and we see photographs & home movies of him as a child where he is an
outsider even to his own family and it is hinted at that he was responsible for
his brother’s death. With these Hornisher seems to be looking back at Roman
Polanski’s REPULSION 1965 and Michael Powell’s PEEPING TOM 1960 while also
looking forward to the “loner serial killer” films in the 80’s such as DON’T
ANSWER THE PHONE! 1980 and MANIAC 1980. The PEEPING TOM references will
especially come to fruition in the films horrific climax which while invoking
Powell’s film also stands as one of the most shocking final shots in 70’s
cinema.
Although shot entirely in Los Angeles this not the sunny
palm tree-lined city but the dirty and sordid backstreets, porn shops, and smog
chocked street. Even when Mark and Michelle stroll through Century City the
streets are eerily quiet and deserted making them look totally alone and
isolated.
With his first screen credit Basil Poledouris (CONAN THE
BARBARIAN 1982) composes a beautifully evocative score which is included on a CD
with the Grindhouse Blu-ray.
Sadly, this would be Christina Hornisher’s only feature
film. She passed away in 2003 with HOLLYWOOD 90028 still being a forgotten film
at the time. From 1966 to 1970 she was married to Jean Pierre Geuens was
cinematographer on this film along with Richard Blackburn’s LEMORA: A CHILD’S
TALE OF THE SUPERNATURAL.
