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A Taste of Flesh + ScreenTalk with Jaye Hudson and Selina Robertson (18*)

Queer 60s

,Cinema 2
A black and white film still of two women just about to kiss.

Three women, including a sinful lesbian, are held hostage by two violent criminals in Doris Wishman’s deliriously trashy noir. Can they team up and thwart their male foes? 

Doris Wishman was truly a one-of-a-kind. She was a rare female director working in the exploitation subgenre, although there are few proto-feminist messages to be found in her films. She put a lesbian character centre in A Taste of Flesh (1967), a sensational thriller made on the cheap and shot entirely in one apartment, featuring three women who are held captive by two male crooks planning an assassination on a visiting foreign president. 

The results have to be seen to be believed. One of the women is a predatory lesbian, who, despite the problematic nature of her character, is underestimated by the two men who threaten her. There is a jaw-dropping queer daydream sequence that is worth the ticket price alone. While it is first and foremost a sleazy exploitation thriller, this is one of Wishman’s most fascinating films.

Tagged with: Cinema Queer 60s

Please note this film contains a scene of sexual violence. 

This screening will be followed by a discussion about Wishman and her legacy with Jaye Hudson and Selina Robertson, chaired by season curator Alex Davidson. 

Film information
  • Release year   1967
  • Country of origin   USA
  • Director   Doris Wishman
  • Runtime   1hr 13mins

Jaye Hudson is a film programmer and trans historian. Often presenting under the name TGirlsonFilm, she has worked for BFI Flare, Fringe! Queer Film and Arts Festival and Squiff.

Selina Robertson is a film programmer, researcher and founder member of queer feminist curating collective Club des Femmes. In 2025 she co-curated Sun, Sex and Socialism: The Cinema of Stephanie Rothman.  She is an associate lecturer at Birkbeck. 

Queer 60s

Cinema 2

Location
Barbican Cinema 2 & 3 are located on Beech Street, a short walk from the Barbican’s Silk Street entrance. From Silk Street, you’ll see a zebra crossing that will take you across the road to the venue. 

Address
Beech Street
London
EC2Y 8DS

Public transport
The Barbican is widely accessible by bus, tube, train and by foot or bicycle. Plan your journey and find more route information in ‘Your Visit’ or book your car parking space in advance.