Satan in High Heels

Satan in High Heels is a quintessential pulp cinema experience from the 1962 movie scene. Directed by Jerald Intrator, it stars Meg Myles, Grayson Hall, and Mike Keene. The film is an intoxicating blend of drama and excess, shedding light on the gritty street life's underbelly and bringing alive the Mid-20th Century New York’s entertainment and nightlife scenes as its showcasing backdrop.

The film’s leading lady, Meg Myles, steps into the high heels of the central character, Stacy Kane. A cunning and ruthless carnivalesque worker from a Midwestern town, she is a woman provoked to desperation by the harsh realities of her existence. Disconnected from the glamorized world of Hollywood, Stacy's story unravels her journey set against the backdrop of drug abuse, illegal activities, and personal tumultuous relationships. In an attempt to escape her bleak existence, Stacy finds herself in the dazzling city of New York, a place that promises to change her destiny forever.

Stacy's journey to self-empowerment isn't straightforward, as the city is overflowing with its own vices. Myles treads a path fraught with danger as her character sinks deeper into the world of manipulation and unforgiving materialistic aspirations. Filmmaker Intrator is unflinching in his depiction of the city's underbelly, spotlighting the gritty ambience and the unforeseen perils that lurk in its corners.

Starring alongside Myles, Grayson Hall delivers a memorable performance as Pepe, a woman who maintains a controlling grip on her world and the people that inhabit it. Pepe, who owns Club 66, is a hard-edged, hard-drinking, and hard-living character. The film unfurls her complicated relationship with Stacy, fostering an atmosphere of tension and intrigue throughout the narrative. Grayson Hall takes command of these facets of her character with assertive confidence, making her portrayal memorable.

Mike Keene plays the part of Rudy, a man who is deeply weakened by his intriguing, complicated past. He stands as one of the driving forces steering Stacy's story to unfold down a darker path. With Keene's compassionate portrayal, Rudy comes across as a drastic contrast to Stacy's unapologetic hunger for a better life. His sombre and heartrending character arc acts as a poignant counterpoint to Stacy's fierce ambition.

The director, Jerald Intrator, is adept in maneuvering the movie through its gritty reality and the various character arcs. He showcases a realist approach to storytelling usually uncommon in the films of that era. The central plot surrounding the three main characters' complex relationships adds layers of suspense, intrigue and dark allure to the narrative. At its core, the film is a gripping drama that provokes thought around the themes of ambition, hardships, survival and the distorted morals that often corrode the journey to self-empowerment.

Intrator is hugely successful in crafting together the ingredients of stark urban landscapes, intense relationships, and a pulsating storyline, garnished with a smooth jazz score that sets the perfect rhythmic tempo. The lively visuals, coupled with breath-taking performances, render Satan in High Heels not just as a movie, but an era in itself. The fact that it still manages to grip the viewers after nearly six decades from its release is a testimony to its timeless appeal.

Satan in High Heels serves as a snapshot of the seedy, yet fascinating, underbelly of Mid-20th Century nightlife. By following the journey of one ambitious woman’s struggle to overcome her circumstances, the narrative provides an unflinching examination of the infusion of power dynamics, manipulation, and the dichotomy of human aspiration and survival. It offers an intriguing viewing experience, especially for those interested in pulp cinema and classic reflections of New Yorker nightlife during the 1960s.