7 INTO SNOWY (I977) 79 Minutes.
p – David F. Friedman, w/d – Antonio Shepherd. Cast: Abigail Clayton, Kay Parker,
Paul Thomas, Bonnie Holiday, Kristine Heller and the uncredited Magnificent 7 (John
Leslie, Turk Lyon, John Rolling, Carl Irwin, Richard Logan, Clay Hyde and Paul Scharf).
The best example I can think of where a film can be called ‘almost’ superior or superlative
but just falls short. The film opens with the finest adult theme I have ever heard, a perfect
piece of film music written by director Shepherd called “Once Upon A Time, Dream.” It
sounds like the Lettermen or the Sandpipers and the words and melody are superbly
soothing. The tone is set.
Abigail is the sexy, virginal Snowy Weatherly with Kay Parker as the evil stepmother
Fedora. Needless to say, in this fairy tale takeoff, Kay hates Snowy because the magic
mirror doesn’t lie. Kay charms Rodney (Paul Thomas) and enlists his help to abuse and
scar innocent Snowy’s mind and then leave her to die. So far so good.
Bonnie Holiday is brought in to bed Snowy, but the result is the hottest lesbian 3 way
ever, with Abigail, Bonnie and Kristine Heller on the bed, then in the shower with Mozart’s
“Eine Kleine Nachtmusik” (K-525, A Little Night Music, for the highbrows, I’m even hip to
the K number) on the soundtrack. Paul and Abigail in the sand (beginning the seduction
weekend) is an all time tender erotic moment. So far sensational.
The film is charming, erotic as possible, Abigail is perfect and Kay is marvelous as the
campy Fedora. However, the orgy which features the Magnificent 7 (for the first time ever,
the identities are revealed in the credits) is not the bargain you may read about from writers
who never saw the film but read the pressbook hype. It is a dud and such a bust, it hurts.
Therefore, 7 INTO SNOWY ranks as the ultimate almost. Director Shepherd (CHORUS
CALL) is a real Hollywood guy and his sensibilities are fully evident, particularly with musical
scoring. Don’t miss this one.