People I'm telling you, when I was growing up in the '60s and early-'70s there was nothing hotter than the Raquel Welch poster from One Million Years B.C.
My parents would have freaked, well actually, my mother would have freaked if I had put it up in my room or even had it in my possession, so we would make special trips on our bikes to the local stationery store - which also carried posters - just to ogle at the poster and trade lascivious quips.
Of course, it wasn't just the poster - there was also nothing hotter than Raquel Welch, she simply embodied steaming female perfection for the time: outrageous body, huge eyes in a perfect and slightly exotic (Bolivian father) face, fierce and proud but with a certain vulnerability too. Great voice. Damn.
Raquel is back with a smoking 5-DVD collection of some of her better-known films: One Million Years B.C.; Bandolero!; Myra Breckenridge; Mother, Jugs & Speed; Fathom.
Welch was recently quoted as saying, "Americans have always had sex symbols. It's a time-honored tradition, and I'm flattered to have been one. But it's hard to have a long, fruitful career once you've been stereotyped that way. That's why I'm proud to say I've endured."
- The sexy star of 1966's One Million Years B.C., Bandolero! (1968) and 1970's quirky Myra Breckinridge is now one of the few silver-screen divas to be pinned with Hollywood's newest badge of distinction: a DVD collection honoring her career.
The Raquel Welch Collection, in stores this week from Fox Home Entertainment, $50, includes five of the star's best-known movies. In addition to B.C., Breckinridge and Bandolero!, the set includes Mother, Jugs & Speed, a 1976 comedy about an offbeat ambulance service co-starring Bill Cosby and Harvey Keitel, and the 1967 espionage spoof Fathom.
Welch, who at 63 has just finished shooting a new film, as yet untitled, with Burt Reynolds, is clearly pleased about the collection she helped to produce.
"It's certainly wonderful to have those things out there for a new audience," Welch says. "I just finished doing a commentary for another one of my films that's coming out soon on DVD, The Last of Sheila. It's almost like there's a movement afoot to have a Raquel Welch library of DVDs."
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Article comments
1 - Chris Kent
Eric,
That Fantastic Voyage is a classic. One of my fav sci-fi films...
But let's not forget Kansas City Bomber, the greatest female roller derby film ever made.....
2 - Eric Olsen
Tragically, that appears to be unavailable, at least on Amazon.
3 - Chris Kent
I saw Kansas City Bomber at the drive-in, my sister and I thinking it was the best thing since Wizard of Oz, only more violence!
A friend once told me they will show it on TNT some nights.
4 - jadester
THAT is raquel? woah. I always thought she was fine, but i only saw that One Million Years BC promo pic (the top one) in a much later Amiga mag from the late eighties/early nineties (CU Amiga or something). It was in a preview of either Chuck Rock or Chuck Rock 2: Son Of Chuck
5 - Eric Olsen
She is still very attracitve (for 63) but she was at maximum hotness through the '60s and '70s.
6 - visualsimplicity
How about Raquel Welch in the catfight with Julia Louise Dreyfuss scene of "The Summer of George" episode of Seinfeld? "That woman is a menace!" - Kramer.
7 - Eric Olsen
She is a true icon - I'm glad she's getting her due.
8 - Rodney Welch
i Kansas City Bomber
is my favorite bad movie of all time. Man, how those tits flouncing beneath that jersey used to set my mind aflame!
9 - Chris Kent
I normally just dream of Raquel Welch, but after this blog I've been thinking about her. Hannie Caulder was a pretty good film she starred in too. I believe she co-starred with Robert Culp AND Christopher Lee? She's a gunfighter out for revenge? Stephen Boyd (her co-star from Fantastic Voyage) keeps making an appearance, dressed in black or something - what in the same hell was he doing in the movie anyway?!
Oh well, I saw that as a kid too and thought it was really good.
10 - Eric Olsen
She was definitely a cut above "sex symbol/B movie star," though she never quite made it to being considered a "serious A list" actress. She wasn't Marilyn Monroe but she wasn't Jayne Mansfield either. And the thing is, she's still at it, having just finished another movie.
11 - tom haewood
i think u are sexy and i want to bone you for the very last time nice tits and arse
12 - Paul
Every fifty years a woman is born who is Perfect in every way. She is the maiden of the Gods, Raquel Welch is/was that woman, but I think the crown has been passed to Angelina Jolie. I think Raquel was hotter at the same age as Angelina, but Angelina is the new Perfect, other worldy, beautiful. If you are not attracted to Raquel Welch, check your pulse?
13 - zanthor
Hannie Calder absolutely! That scene where she's taking a bath to break in those leather pants made me realize that I was indeed a man. I bet they destroyed the outtakes from that too, darn it!