cult film freak: LARAINE STEPHENS HEADS THE 'DALLAS COWBOYS CHEERLEADERS'

Lauren Tewes & Laraine Stephens Year: 1979 Rates: ***

An exploitation propaganda for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders as they're investigated by roving reporter Jane Seymour, working for sleek Bert Convy who wants to know not only what makes these girls tick, but what's wrong with the entire organization...

Other than a handful of sympathetic beauties trying desperately to become one of the famous pom pom girls, there's not much here, really; although a few decent performances eek out, not including middle-aged beauty Laraine Stephens, always an effective strong woman in charge...

Featuring Lauren Tewes as a blackmailed girl-next-door, robbing suspense from Seymour in having a race-against-time to expose the Cheerleaders; a conceited would-be actress Kathrine Baumann; and school teacher Ellen Bry (dating horrendous "actor" Bucky Dent): But it's voluptuous starlet Jenifer Shaw who steals the show, and that's within the first five minutes when she tells two new girls, including scream queen Pamela Susan Shoop, how hard she'd tried out the previous four years and REALLY HOPES to make it this time... This monologue alone captures what the entire TV-movie aspires to: The seeking/anticipation for as opposed to the excitement/pressures of being involved with one of the hottest franchises during the glitzy disco era.