TURA! – THE TURA SATANA DOCUMENTARY – Join ‘Team Tura’ and Help With Their KICKSTARTER Campaign

Filmmakers Cody Jarrett and Siouxzan Perry are raising funds through Kickstarter to complete their documentary TURA!,the Incredible True Life Story of Tura Satana, the Russ Meyer & Burlesque Superstar, Asian American Cinema Pioneer and Ultimate Self-Empowered Female. Read the We Are Movie Geeks tribute to Tura HERE

The Kickstarter link can be found HERE https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1486618309/tura-the-tura-satana-documentary

Here is a video from the filmmakers discussing their project and showing some of the footage they’ve already shot:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1486618309/tura-the-tura-satana-documentary?ref=user_menu

“TURA!” is the true life story of cult movie icon & burlesque dancer TURA SATANA, chopped straight from the pages of her handwritten memoir. Best known as the star of Russ Meyer’s classic film Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!, Tura stunned 1960’s movie audiences as the sexy, dominant, fast-driving, karate-wielding lesbian gang leader Varla. Her groundbreaking look, attitude, and performance were all years ahead of their time and continue to influence everyone from Quentin Tarantino and Rob Zombie to John Waters and Dita Von Teese.

Still, Tura’s screen life was nothing compared to her real life. As a child, Tura was imprisoned at Japanese American WWII internment camp Manzanar. As a pre-teen, she was the victim of a brutal, racially-motivated gang rape. But instead of letting those early tragedies destroy her, Tura flipped it around, reinventing herself into a world famous burlesque dancer, Asian American cinema hero, and most importantly, the living definition of female self-empowerment.

Featuring incredible new interviews with John Waters, Dita Von Teese & more, and narrated by Margaret Cho, TURA! will be a fascinating, thrilling white-knuckle ride through the life and career of one of the most infamous “bad girls” in cinema history. TURA! also serves to finally place Tura Satana alongside Bruce Lee in the pantheon of the most influential Asian American performers the world has ever known.

The production of this film was Tura Satana’s deathbed wish. Help her, and the filmmakers, make it a reality. TURA! — Just do it!

(This film is the AUTHORIZED DOCUMENTARY Tura Satana personally initiated prior to her death, being produced by her estate and closest friends).

Despite her underground popularity and huge internet presence, Tura’s accomplishments and vast influence remain largely unrecognized. Tura fought long and hard for gains that others have since reaped the benefits from. It’s time to set the story straight! Tura didn’t just ‘open the door’ for modern Hollywood’s dominant leading ladies, she literally kicked that hole through the wall, blazing the path for others to follow. She deserves acknowledgement for that, and this film – created by those who knew and worked with her – gives her the respect and recognition she is long overdue. Tura’s “If I can do this, anyone can” attitude has inspired countless people in the past, and can now go on to inspire even more!

Once the film is completed (the filmmakers estimate a year or less), they will use all of the means at their disposal to find the best possible release and distribution for the film. That includes screening at key festivals, distributor screenings, and inclusion at international film markets. The filmmakers are very confident that the film will find wide release platforms, so all of their work will be shared with the world.

TURA! The Tura Satana Documentary

Starring: TURA SATANA   Narrated by MARGARET CHO

Featuring Interviews with:

JOHN WATERS – Writer/Director, Hairspray, Pink Flamingos  DITA VON TEESE – Burlesque Star, Fashion Designer  MARGARET CHO – Actor, Comedian  KITTEN NATIVIDAD – Beneath The Valley of the Ultra-Vixens  SHANNON LEE – Producer, Daughter of Bruce Lee  DAVID HENRY HWANG – Playwright, M. Butterfly  ALLISON ANDERS – Director, Mi Vida Loca, Four Rooms . TED V. MIKELS – Director, Astro-Zombies, Doll Squad, Corpse Grinders  LORI WILLIAMS – Actor, Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!  DENNIS BUSCH – Actor, Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!  PAMELA DES BARRES – Author  SELENE LUNA – The Cho Show  ERIC CHARMELO – Writer/Producer, Supernatural, Ringer  Plus more all the time!

Meet the filmmakers!:

Cody Jarrett – Producer/Director
Cody Jarrett is a Los Angeles-based director, writer and producer. Initially a musician and actor whose Hollywood film career began with a role in 20th Century Fox’s The Adventures of Ford Fairlane, Cody’s feature directing credits include SUGAR BOXX (Showtime Networks, Entertainment One) and FROG-G-G! (Koch Distribution). SUGAR BOXX was also Tura Satana’s last film as an actress prior to her death.

Siouxzan Perry – Producer
Siouxzan was Tura’s long-time personal manager and confidant, as well as manager of numerous other “Russ Meyer” women. Siouxzan was granted all rights to Tura’s entertainment estate, likeness, and image upon Tura’s passing. She also possesses literally thousands of Tura’s belongings, including pictures, personal items, home movies, and more. Siouxzan is committed to Tura’s final wish of seeing this documentary produced.