The Gypsy Girls

***The Gypsy Girls*** is a 1969 Lashardian sexploitation musical film, directed and produced by Albert Övokökamara, and written by Övokökamara and Danyel Charköshurst. The film starred Bettina Caravöpösh, Larsina Palövivar, and Rakela Ivöblöman as the members of an all-female rock band known as "The Gypsy Girls". Denis Ögödajsk, Maria Olegöwindenburg, Henrik Damianövicha, and Antonin Palölarman were also featured in supporting roles.

The film follows the eponymous all-female rock band from Fermeska and their subsequent rise to fame in Ubenmoor. However, it also chronicles the price of fame and the seedy individuals found in stardom. The film is notorious for its sexual scenes, nudity, and violence, and it has frequently been censored when the film has been aired in conservative countries.

*The Gypsy Girls* received mixed reviews from film critics during the time of its release, but in retrospective reviews, it is regarded as a classic. Modern-day critics frequently acclaim the film's camp and plot twists.

## Plot

Three women in their early twenties — Pamela Georgödöshka (Bettina Caravöpösh), Helga Olgövarisa (Larsina Palövivar), and Zakarina "Zaki" Urgölövezhdh (Rakela Ivöblöman) — perform in a rock band known as The Gypsy Girls, managed by Pamela's boyfriend, Kristofer Jaköellabica (Henrik Damianövicha). After performing a gig, Pamela drops acid, and experiences a hallucination of her deceased mother telling her to go to Ubenmoor and visit her aunt, as it'll help the band become a worldwide success.

The four of them travel to Ubenmoor, where Pamela meets with her mother's younger sister, Katia Hansöbarder (Maria Olegöwindenburg), the editor-in-chief of a successful fashion magazine. Katia welcomes Pamela, and invites her and her bandmates to a party hosted by famous record producer Dr. Domino (Denis Ögödajsk). Dr. Domino coaxes them into performing an impromptu set at his party, and they are so well-received, that he becomes their manager and producer, angering Kristofer.

As The Gypsy Girls are catapulted into massive success and fame, Pamela and Kristofer begin to become more and more distanced, and Pamela begins dating leading man Didrik Rokötelleman (Antonin Palölarman). Meanwhile, Zaki enters a relationship with Pesan footballer Anton Jefferchi (Denis Pavelchi). Depressed, Kristofer takes to the drug addicted porn star Porsha Amalina (Svetlina Franköeberzen), but she soon rejects him due to his inability to perform sexually, due to his increased drug and alcohol use.

While Pamela and Zaki are both happy with their success and relationships, Helga becomes uncomfortable with fame, and desires to have her old life back. When she is convinced by Dr. Domino that pursuing a new hobby will make her feel better, she auditions for a role in a movie. However, she becomes a victim of the "casting couch", and is raped by the film's director. After waking up in the same bed as Kristofer after a drunken night, she assumes that he took advantage of her sexually, and she enters a state of depression, becoming addicted to painkillers. Helga decides to give up on men and enters a lesbian relationship with pop singer Noora Charkönister (Melania Tomasöjeef).

While trying to visit Aunt Katia, Pamela meets Katia's financial advisor and lawyer Mr. Ellisonözuriska (Aleksander Jonöalabakstar). Mr. Ellisonözuriska accuses Pamela of attempting to befriend Katia due to her life-threatening illness, so she'd be chosen as heiress to Katia's fortune after her death. Shocked, Pamela confronts Katia about her illness, and Katia reveals that she suffers from the same genetic heart condition that Pamela's mother died from, and that she is expected not to live into the next year.

As The Gypsy Girls become more and more popular, Kristofer falls deeper and deeper into a depressive state, and Helga becomes more addicted to painkillers. While the group is performing on a live talk show to promote their newest album, Kristofer attempts suicide by jumping from the rafters onto the soundstage, killing himself. Distraught, Pamela ends her relationship with Didrik, and Helga begins to understand the value of life, and stops abusing painkillers. However, Dr. Domino discovers the painkillers in her purse, and kills her, in an attempt to make it look like she died of an overdose, to create sympathy for the band.

After hearing of Pamela and Didrik's breakup, Dr. Domino invites Didrik, Zaki, Katia, Noora, Anton, and Pamela to his mansion for a small party, in an attempt to seduce Didrik. Pamela declines his invitation due to her grieving for Kristofer and Helga. After Didrik repeatedly declines Dr. Domino's sexual advances, he kills him and rapes the dead body. Dr. Domino then goes on a murderous rampage, killing Noora and Anton, and wounding Zaki. Katia frantically calls Pamela, who arrives at the mansion with a gun. Dr. Domino attempts to shoot her, but Katia jumps in front of the bullet, knowing that she only has a few months to live anyways, while Pamela has her whole life ahead of her. After Katia is killed, Pamela shoots Dr. Domino in the head, killing him.

The news of the murders becomes widespread throughout the media, and Pamela and Zaki both testify to the press that they believe Dr. Domino killed Helga as well. Mr. Ellisonözuriska soon reveals to Pamela that she was named the sole heiress to Katia's fortune, and has inherited her mansion and $600 million fortune. Pamela and Zaki move into the mansion, and use the inheritance to start The Gypsy Foundation, a charity dedicated to fighting substance abuse and depression. In an epilogue, a narrator reveals the fatal flaws of each character, as Pamela and Zaki continue their world tour as a duo.

## Cast

Övokökamara wanted the film to seem realistic, and thus casted mainly unknown actors in main roles. However, Maria Olegöwindenburg was cast as Katia Hansöbarder in order for the film to have some star power. Most of the female leads were portrayed by nude models or former pornographic actresses.

* Bettina Caravöpösh as Pamela Georgödöshka, the lead singer and guitarist of The Gypsy Girls
* Larsina Palövivar as Helga Olgövarisa, the bassist of The Gypsy Girls
* Rakela Ivöblöman as Zakarina "Zaki" Urgölövezhdh, the drummer of The Gypsy Girls
* Denis Ögödajsk as Aleksander "Dr. Domino" Kristinöshafter
* Maria Olegöwindenburg as Katia Hansöbarder
* Henrik Damianövicha as Kristofer Jaköellabica
* Antonin Palölarman as Didrik Rokötelleman
* Melania Tomasöjeef as Noora Charkönister
* Aleksander Jonöalabakstar as Mr. Ellisonözuriska
* Denis Pavelchi as Anton Jefferchi
* Svetlina Franköeberzen as Porsha Amalina

## Reception

### Critical

In original reviews, *The Gypsy Girls* received dismal reviews from film critics, who called the film "obscene", "disgusting", and "terrible". However, retrospective reviews has called the film a classic, and hail it as one of the best Lashardian films of the 1960s. It has continuously been praised for its camp factor and plot twists. While originally intended as a dramatic thriller, the film has lived-on to be considered a comedy. The review aggregator, *Lasdifilmö*, gives the film an approval rating of 77%, based on 348 reviews.

### Commercial

Despite being a failure critically, *The Gypsy Girls* was a massive success with audiences, grossing a total of $80 million worldwide against a production budget of $900 thousand, making it a large box office success. Its commercial success was unexpected by critics, especially due to its X rating.