KNEEJERK PRESENTS: ROBERTA FINDLEY DOUBLE BILL
2 films in this collection
Knee Jerk presents a double bill of Roberta Findley films: A WOMAN'S TORMENT (1977) and TENEMENT (1985).
A female director in a male-dominated grindhouse economy, Findley not only directed but also shot, edited, and produced. She moved fluidly between pornography and horror/exploitation, and her career is shaped less by personal branding than by opportunistic production contexts—working under pseudonyms, re-editing existing material, or tailoring films to distribution niches (42nd Street theatres, regional bookings).
A female director in a male-dominated grindhouse economy, Findley not only directed but also shot, edited, and produced. She moved fluidly between pornography and horror/exploitation, and her career is shaped less by personal branding than by opportunistic production contexts—working under pseudonyms, re-editing existing material, or tailoring films to distribution niches (42nd Street theatres, regional bookings).
TENEMENT
(1985, USA, Roberta Findlay)
94 mins18
A drug-dealing gang descends on a South Bronx apartment building, terrorizing the residents and turning their home into a war zone. As the night unfolds, the tenants fight to survive, navigating escalating violence and growing chaos.
Roberta Findlay turns the building itself into a character, capturing the claustrophobia and decay of urban life while pushing the boundaries of exploitation cinema. The film combines gritty realism with relentless tension, creating a raw and punishing thriller where fear and desperation rule every moment.
Roberta Findlay turns the building itself into a character, capturing the claustrophobia and decay of urban life while pushing the boundaries of exploitation cinema. The film combines gritty realism with relentless tension, creating a raw and punishing thriller where fear and desperation rule every moment.
Upcoming Screenings
No upcoming screenings
KNEE JERK PRESENTS: A WOMAN'S TORMENT
(1977, USA, Roberta Findlay)
84 mins18
Upon overhearing that plans are being made to have her committed to an asylum, mentally unstable Karen runs away and takes refuge in an empty beach house on a remote shore. Slowly, her grip on reality diminishes, and a series of violent delusions and escalating impulses take hold as she spirals deeper into isolation and confusion.
Roberta Findlay directs this raw, unsettling piece of 1970s exploitation cinema with a gaze that blends psychological horror and intense emotion. The film moves through surreal, disturbing territory as Karen’s inner turmoil erupts into acts that are both shocking and bizarre, combining elements of horror, sexploitation, and stark character descent.
Roberta Findlay directs this raw, unsettling piece of 1970s exploitation cinema with a gaze that blends psychological horror and intense emotion. The film moves through surreal, disturbing territory as Karen’s inner turmoil erupts into acts that are both shocking and bizarre, combining elements of horror, sexploitation, and stark character descent.
Upcoming Screenings
No upcoming screenings