Cougar Queen: The Jodie Fisher Film Festival!

In an ephemeral industry, Jodie Fisher has staying power! (BuddyTV)

[Warning: Contains material for mature audiences.]

It is somewhat amazing, despite her two-year career exploration as a “marketing consultant” for Hewlett-Packard CEO Mark Hurd, that sex kitten Jodie Fisher still found time to revive and extend her movie career. (Update: Subsequent publication of her allegations of sexual harassment by Mr. Hurd clarifies that, more than a marketing consultant, even Ms. Fisher at some point realized she was actually hired to accompany Mr. Hurd on out of town trips and service him sexually. Mr. Hurd, who resigned from H-P after the scandal broke, continues to deny those allegations.)

In an industry where a career can be as ephemeral as a one-night-stand, the staying power of  Ms. Fisher is noteworthy.

Ms. Fisher, born in 1960, didn’t break into the soft-core porn film industry until an age – 32 – when most housewives are joining the garden club, not threesomes. (Although an alert reader points out 20-year-old Jodie posed for Playboy in the September 1980 issue’s “Girls of the Southwest Conference.”)

Rollicking debut: Jodie as wavering Rachel (Amazon)

Even in her debut film role, in the evergreen late-night cable classic “Intimate Obsession” (1992), Ms. Fisher had top billing. As “Rachel Taylor”, Ms. Fisher gives a convincing performance as a bored, unsatisfied housewife who thinks she is seducing a hunky acquaintance of her husband, Tom.

The two-timing Tom, however, has hired Rick to pleasure his wife – with the idea of proving her infidelity, to win a favorable divorce settlement from her. But as a woman scorned, Ms. Fisher’s “Rachel” proves to be a formidable adversary as she exacts her revenge.

This saucy role, in which Ms. Fisher appears to perform her own stunt work, has propelled “Intimate Obsession” to a long run on such cable networks as “Showtime”. It no doubt has provided Ms. Fisher with a steady stream of residual income over the 18 years it has been in release. Initially available only on VHS, the film’s lasting appeal – and Ms. Fisher’s memorable delivery of lines like “Oh, Rick!” – led to its re-release on DVD in 2002.

Sequel found original a tough act to follow (Amazon)

Despite the acclaim generated by “Intimate Obsession”, four long, hard years of auditioning for more starring roles followed for Ms. Fisher. This “interregnum” for the aspiring porn queen apparently gave Ms. Fisher time to have breast enhancement surgery – if comparisons between her charms in “Intimate Obsession” and 1996’s “Body of Influence 2” can be made. Now at age 36, Ms. Fisher once again plays to type, as a housewife, “Leza Watkins”, dealing with infidelity, steamy adulterous sex and, ultimately, murder.

Although, like “Intimate Obsession”, “Body of Influence 2” proved as enduringly popular and has had its original release on VHS followed by a 1998 DVD, Ms. Fisher’s second starring role is not as memorable as her stirring debut.

Some have taken issue with writer/director/producer/music supervisor Brian J. Smith‘s handling of his actresses. “Save your bills,” says a reviewer. “This movie might have an average attractive woman and a couple other woman that take it off. The fact is though lots of the erotic scenes are repeated and in the scenes that aren’t repeated the movement is mostly too fast and the plot is too upsetting.” Sadly, “Body of Influence 2” has proven to be Mr. Smith’s first, last and only feature to date.

Still, the DVD commands up to $100 among resellers. Maybe the movie’s tagline has something: “Just try to resist…”

Dreaming of meatier roles (Amazon)

In 1998, now 38, Ms. Fisher was finding more – not less – opportunities to display her talents in the skin industry. She appeared in three features that year, although in none as the star. Two roles, as an unnamed “housewife” in “The Outsider” and an ill-fated lingerie model “Dana” in “Sheer Passion“, were rather forgettable.

But in the cult classic “Dead by Dawn“, Ms. Fisher got to strut her stuff alongside the estimable porn legend and former Playmate Shannon Tweed. Although Ms. Tweed has, arguably, the juiciest role, Ms. Fisher’s “Kim White” more than holds her own in this tale of “a dizzying orgy of exclusive parties, exotic cars and beautiful women.” It seemed like a role she was made to play: “In the hills high above Hollywood, life is a party that never stops…”

Cult classic (Amazon)

Highly sought-after by VHS collectors (unfortunately, still not on DVD – a real omission), “Dead by Dawn” is variously reviewed as “an underground cult classic,” a “true sleeper” and Ms. Tweed’s “finest role.”

“Jodie Fisher’s character development will surprise,” said one reviewer, “even some women viewers.”

As the “Big Four-Oh” approached, Ms. Fisher appeared in her final feature, 1999’s “Blood Dolls” as Mercy Shaw. This unique film explored the genres of mutilation, psychopathy, perverse sex and physical deformities. Although the DVD came out during the initial release period, the film languished in a film library for six years until its limited theatrical release (in France).

Ms. Fisher’s film career then experienced a decade-long hiatus, as she appeared in a variety of television, cable and internet roles. She showed her range by appearing on home shopping networks, exercise videos and infomercials, and as a reality TV show contestant (sadly, eliminated in the first round on a “cougars vs. kittens” dating show).

Fab at fifty! (TV Guide, 2010)

Still, it was both refreshing and rewarding to see Ms. Fisher back on the Silver Screen in 2009’s  well-received “Easy Rider: The Ride Back“. It was unfortunate that her role as a bartender was little more than a cameo.

Encore!

Jerry Garrett

August 9, 2010