The Swinging Barmaids, Lovely Cocktail Waitresses Shredded

A great waitress can have you returning to any establishment.  Sure, the drinks may be watered down... but talent is talent.  A comely smile and a tight posterior makes up for the bad beer. A smile, a wink, and perhaps some flirting...and now you are off your diet and ordering the special.  When the barmaids start dying horribly, this is a real tragedy.  Afterall, if we wanted a wholesome meal, we'd go to Denny's. Today we look at 1975's "The Swinging Barmaids," directed by Gus Trikonis.

Four sultry barmaids work their trade at a seedy nightclub.  The lovelies are dressed like Playboy Bunnies, except without the ears and tails.  After hours, the gals catfight and giggle.  Sultry blonde barmaid Boo-Boo (Dyanne Thorne) returns home not knowing a weird customer of hers has followed.  Boo-Boo's murder is heartbreaking. The killer, Tom (Bruce Watson) chases her around the apartment and strangles the life out of her after stripping her.  Tom, a real psycho, poses Boo-Boo's nude body and photographs her. Boo-Boo's three colleagues walk in on this photo session and see the killer. Tom flees, changes his appearance, and gets a job at the same nightclub.

Now Tom, the new bouncer, is the unofficial protector of the three surviving lovelies. He has a crush on Jenny (Laura Hippe)...an apparent clean cut gal who is engaged to a doctor, Dave (Jim Travis). Tom decides to save her for last. Lt. White (William Smith) is on the case and places the gals under police custody.  This won't work.  Marie (Renie Radich) is next.  Tom will charge into the swimming pool with her and another elongated death scene occurs.  Poor Marie, her bikini will be torn off and her corpse will be placed on a pool chair for a tan.  Jenny will have pre-marital sex with Dave, and peeping tom Tom will witness it.  Susie will get a part in a movie and Tom will go after her.  Lt. White is slow moving and not a very good detective.  Tom seems to have everyone beat in the brains department and Susie and Jenny might find this out the hard way.

Will Tom succeed in wiping out every barmaid at the nightclub?  Did Denny's ever have this same problem? Will the sultry surviving barmaids ever get a clue and be able to mount a counter-offensive against Tom the psycho?  The cheese factor is way past a perfect 10 in this exploitation film. For some prurient thrills and a peek back at a time when many enjoyed the Playboy Club for a few cocktails and dinner, see "The Swinging Barmaids."