Joseph P. Mawra

Directing

Joseph P. Mawra

Joseph W. Mawra grew up in Queens , NY. From 1956-59 he attended Hofstra University, where he took courses in such subjects as English and creative writing. He got his start in show business as a freelance joke writer for talk show host Jack Paar. Mawra went on to edit advertising spots and trailers for motion pictures. He eventually wound up working for Stan Borden, who owned the production / dis…

Known For

Rain for a Dusty SummerRain for a Dusty Summer · 1971
Rain for a Dusty Summer
★ 4.31971
MovieDramaWestern
In Mexico, a mad general is leading his own war against the Church. Priests are rounded up, churches burned down and religion outlawed. The suffering of one pious catholic priest could bring the tide of change however.
Nature's SweetheartsNature's Sweethearts · 1963
Nature's Sweethearts
★ 4.01963
MovieDrama
Nudist boat trips, nude horseback riding, a nekkid fashion show (!?) and a nudist wedding all figure in this vintage skin flick starring "Famous Figure Model Queen" Maria Stinger.
Six She's and a HeSix She's and a He · 1963
Six She's and a He
★ 5.01963
MovieHorror
A soldier stranded on a desert island is captured by a tribe of sadistic women who torture and mutilate the men who oppose them.
Shanty TrampShanty Tramp · 1967
Shanty Tramp
★ 5.31967
MovieDramaCrime
On a hot night in Dixie, the local shanty tramp heads out for adventure and leaves disaster in her wake. The lust she excites in the local men leads to fights, murders, lynch mobs, ruined reputations, and broken homes.
Olga's House of ShameOlga's House of Shame · 1964
Olga's House of Shame
★ 4.51964
MovieCrimeDrama
In this third installment of the "Olga" series, our heroine adds jewel smuggling to her repertoire of dope pushing and white slavery. As the vicious Olga (Audrey Campbell) expands her criminal empire, she also encounters more resistance as a string of once-trusted partners turn traitor in an effort to steal the successful racket out from under her. The result is exactly what fans of the series expect, a barrage of torture scenes featuring soldering irons, floggings, spankings, and even an electric chair. As with its predecessors, Olga's House of Shame is a silent black and white film with narration to explain the action, but even with direct commentary it's difficult to keep track of the characters and Campbell (who is occasionally caught laughing out loud at the absurdity of it all) has all the menace of a kindergarten teacher, even when wielding a machete.
White Slaves of ChinatownWhite Slaves of Chinatown · 1964
White Slaves of Chinatown
★ 4.91964
MovieCrimeDrama
The beautiful, brutal Olga procures prostitutes and pushes heroin for the syndicate, confining and torturing her pretty victims in a private dungeon located in New York City's sinister Chinatown.
All Men Are Apes!All Men Are Apes! · 1965
All Men Are Apes!
★ 3.81965
MovieComedyDrama
A woman in prison relates her downfall from precocious thief of her mother's boyfriends to murderess. Plus, stripping! And a dude in an ape costume!
Olga's GirlsOlga's Girls · 1964
Olga's Girls
★ 4.61964
MovieHorrorCrime
Ruthless narcotics dealer and white slavery ring leader Olga keeps her harem of girls in line by hooking them on addictive drugs. Olga suspects an informant in their midst and uses various brutal methods of torture to weed out the squealer. Meanwhile, several of Olga's girls plot their revenge against Olga for her continual sadistic treatment of them.

Filmography

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Olga's House of ShameOlga's House of Shame · 1964
Olga's House of Shame
★ 4.51964
MovieCrimeDrama
In this third installment of the "Olga" series, our heroine adds jewel smuggling to her repertoire of dope pushing and white slavery. As the vicious Olga (Audrey Campbell) expands her criminal empire, she also encounters more resistance as a string of once-trusted partners turn traitor in an effort to steal the successful racket out from under her. The result is exactly what fans of the series expect, a barrage of torture scenes featuring soldering irons, floggings, spankings, and even an electric chair. As with its predecessors, Olga's House of Shame is a silent black and white film with narration to explain the action, but even with direct commentary it's difficult to keep track of the characters and Campbell (who is occasionally caught laughing out loud at the absurdity of it all) has all the menace of a kindergarten teacher, even when wielding a machete.

Director

Olga's Dance Hall GirlsOlga's Dance Hall Girls · 1969
Olga's Dance Hall Girls
★ 4.41969
MovieDrama
This last gasp of the grindhouse "Olga" series is a tossed off shrug of a movie that nonetheless entertains in a tacky, surreal style. Audrey Campbell no longer stars as the sinister femme fatale Olga, and her replacement retains none of her clumsy menace. Instead she languidly lounges about the flimsy sets smoking cigarettes and looking pale and sweaty. This new Olga is apparently too bored by the proceedings to even torture her white slaves. Instead the dirty work is handled by her partner Nick (Larry Hunter), a slimy, weasel faced man who lures innocent housewives into prostitution by offering them jobs as "dance instructors" in Olga's dance hall. Group sex, nude dancing and pretty ladies wrestling in their underwear are the results, along with several long, seemingly impromptu scenes where the characters talk endlessly and in circles.

Director