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The Gore Gore Girls (1972) movie poster

Timeline

The Gore Gore Girls (1972) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
1972 · 81 mins · English
Directed by
Herschell Gordon Lewis
Starring
Ray Sager, Henny Youngman, Frank Rice, Hedda Lubin, Phil Laurenson, Russ Badger

In screaming color A ditsy reporter enlists the help of a sleazy private eye to solve a series of gory killings of female strippers at a Chicago nightclub.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (12)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like The Gore Gore Girls
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch The Gore Gore Girls (1972)

Where can you watch The Gore Gore Girls? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Cultpix, Mometu and Amazon Video: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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12 events in order · contains spoilers

The Gore Gore Girls Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of The Gore Gore Girls (1972) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Assignment Offered by The Globe

    Nancy Weston, a reporter for The Globe, approaches Abraham Gentry with a $25,000 offer to investigate the brutal murder of stripper Suzie Cream Puff. She sweetens the deal with an additional $25,000 bonus for solving the case, contingent on The Globe getting the exclusive story. Gentry agrees to take the case, and Weston accompanies him to begin the inquiry.

    When
    Evening
    Where
    The Globe offices
  2. First Lead at the Club

    Inside the club, Gentry confronts a loud-mouthed waitress, Marlene, whose obnoxiousness nearly matches his. He nudges his way to speak with another stripper and quickly pins down his first suspect, Joseph Carter. The early clues push the investigation toward the club and its personnel.

    When
    Night
    Where
    Strip club
  3. Candy Cane’s Death Expands the List

    Shortly after, Candy Cane is murdered, expanding the suspect pool. Gentry includes Grout, a volatile Vietnam veteran who enjoys crushing the heads of squashes and keeps his own peculiar trophies. The mounting violence confirms the club as the central crime scene.

    When
    Night
    Where
    Strip club
  4. Pickles Is Found Murdered

    Lola Prize, known as Pickles, is found murdered with her buttocks mutilated by a meat tenderizer. A Women Right On! badge is discovered at the scene, tying the crimes to a possible motive or group. Gentry begins to consider radical feminist tensions as part of the case.

    When
    Night
    Where
    Strip club
  5. Weston’s Drunken Distraction

    Gentry buys Weston many drinks to keep her drunk and out of the way so he can focus on the work. Weston, in a drunken moment, admits she is attracted to him, but Gentry remains focused on the investigation. The tension between professional distance and personal interest continues to simmer.

    When
    Night
    Where
    Bar/club area
  6. Mobilie’s Trap-Setting Deal

    Gentry travels to Mobilie, the owner of the strip clubs in town, and pressures him into staging an amateur stripper contest with a $1,000 prize. The plan is designed to lure out the killer under the pretense of entertainment, creating a trap. Mobilie reluctantly agrees, setting the trap in motion.

    When
    Evening
    Where
    Mobilie's establishment
  7. Amateur Contest and Consequences

    During the contest, Weston performs and goes all out, eventually taking the prize by stripping and winning the $1,000 cash. Gentry uses the event to keep Weston close while maintaining the trap's momentum. The contest scene also serves as the bait for the killer's next move.

    When
    Evening
    Where
    Contest stage, Mobilie’s venue
  8. The Trap Strikes

    After a few drinks, Gentry escorts Weston to her apartment and pretends to leave, then waits for the killer to strike again. He ambushes the killer behind a door, ripping off the hood to reveal Marlene. The killer's burn marks on her chest expose a history of self-inflicted injuries and jealousy over the others' beauty.

    When
    Night
    Where
    Weston’s apartment
  9. Marlene Falls to Her Fate

    Marlene charges toward the balcony, but tumbles over as a car passes, crashing her head on the street. Gentry reveals his trap and what he has learned, sealing Marlene's fate. The violence underscores the killer's dangerous motive.

    When
    Night
    Where
    Street outside Weston's apartment
  10. Gentry’s Grand Monologue

    Gentry delivers a long monologue to Nancy Weston, explaining how the burned marks and prior clues fit together. He recounts that Marlene burned herself in a fire and used jealousy over the other strippers' beauty as motive. Weston listens, torn between anger and admiration for how the trap uncovered the killer.

    When
    Night
    Where
    Weston’s apartment
  11. Resolution and Romance

    Weston is angry that she was used as bait, but she concedes the risk was worth it. They profess their love for each other and celebrate a sensational Globe exclusive. Gentry closes the case by addressing the audience, asserting that the story will be a great contribution to The Globe.

    When
    Night
    Where
    Weston’s apartment
  12. The Movie is Over

    Closing credits roll with the line 'this movie is over!' as the audience is reminded that the case is finished. The camera lingers on Gentry and Weston together before the film ends.

    When
    End
    Where
    Credits

Last updated: October 09, 2025 at 09:33

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Timeline questions answered

The Gore Gore Girls Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of The Gore Gore Girls (1972): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why was Marlene killing the strippers?

Marlene was a former stripper who suffered severe burns in a fire, losing her breasts. Her motive was twisted jealousy and vengeance against women who still had the beauty she could no longer claim. She targeted strippers because she envied their bodies and the attention they received.

Foreshadowing: Earlier scenes show Marlene working as an abrasive waitress at the club, displaying a hostile attitude toward the dancers.

  • marlene killer motive
  • jealousy
  • burns
  • stripper murders
Q2

How did Gentry know the killer would target Weston?

Gentry used Weston as bait deliberately. He understood the killer was drawn to attractive performers and set up the amateur stripper contest specifically to lure her out. When Weston performed publicly, Gentry anticipated the killer would strike at her apartment next.

Foreshadowing: Gentry pressures Mobilie to host the amateur stripper contest, using the promise of a new victim to draw out the killer.

  • gentry trap
  • weston bait
  • amateur contest
  • killer lure
Q3

Why was Grout a suspect in the murders?

Grout was a volatile Vietnam veteran who expressed his trauma through violent fantasies, crushing squash heads and drawing faces on them before destroying them. His violent tendencies and presence at the club made him an early suspect, though he was not the actual killer.

Foreshadowing: The timeline notes Grout as a prime suspect early in the investigation due to his violent nature.

  • grout suspect
  • veteran
  • vietnam
  • crime scene
Q4

What was the significance of the Women Right On! badge found at the crime scene?

The badge was a red herring planted at the crime scene to mislead investigators. It pointed toward the radical feminist protest group that was demonstrating outside the club, but the real killer was Marlene. The badge was likely placed to frame the feminists or create confusion.

Foreshadowing: Earlier scenes show feminist protesters outside the club carrying signs with phrases like 'Women Right On!'

  • women right on badge
  • fake evidence
  • crime scene
  • lola prize murder
Q5

How did Marlene die after being exposed as the killer?

After Gentry ripped off her hood revealing her identity, Marlene panicked and fled through the apartment. She ran to the balcony and tumbled over the edge, landing on the street below where a passing car struck her, causing fatal injuries.

Foreshadowing: The trap scene shows Gentry waiting behind the door, ready to ambush whoever came for Weston.

  • marlene death
  • fall
  • balcony
  • escape
Q6

Why did Gentry keep Weston drunk throughout the investigation?

Gentry deliberately kept Weston intoxicated to keep her out of the way while he worked the case. He needed to focus on investigating without her interference. This also allowed him to observe her and ultimately use her as bait for the killer without her fully understanding the danger.

Foreshadowing: At the bar, Gentry buys Weston many drinks while she admits her attraction to him.

  • weston drunk
  • gentry manipulation
  • investigation
Q7

Who was Joseph Carter and why was he investigated?

Joseph Carter was an early suspect in the stripper murders. Gentry interrogated him at the club as part of his initial investigation. However, as the case progressed and more clues surfaced, Carter was ruled out as the killer.

Foreshadowing: Gentry pushes through to speak with Carter early in the investigation after encountering Marlene.

  • joseph carter suspect
  • initial investigation
  • interrogation
Q8

Why was Marlene working as a waitress if she was a former stripper?

After her disfiguring fire, Marlene could no longer work as a stripper. She took a job as a waitress at the club where she was constantly surrounded by the women she envied. This proximity allowed her to observe their routines and plan her attacks while harboring resentment.

Foreshadowing: Marlene's abrasive attitude toward Gentry and the dancers hints at deeper resentment.

  • marlene waitress
  • former stripper
  • club employment
  • disfigurement
Q9

How did the murders connect to the strip club owner Mobilie?

Mobilie owned the strip clubs in town and was coerced by Gentry into hosting the amateur stripper contest. While Mobilie wasn't the killer, his establishments were the crime scenes. The contest was Gentry's strategy to create a public event that would attract the killer.

Foreshadowing: Gentry travels to Mobilie's establishment and pressures him into staging the contest.

  • mobilie strip club owner
  • contest
  • trap setup

Movie threads

More Movies Like The Gore Gore Girls, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes The Gore Gore Girls tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Sleazy Grindhouse Investigations Like The Gore Gore Girls

Cynical, exploitative crime stories set in the urban underbelly. Explore movies like 'The Gore Gore Girls' that delve into the grotesque underbelly of crime. If you enjoyed the sleazy investigation, dark humor, and violent grindhouse aesthetic, this thread features similar exploitation stories with cynical detectives and sensational murders.

  • grindhouse
  • sleazy
  • violent
  • campy
  • sensational
  • cynical
  • Tone: dark, cynical, campy
  • Pacing: steady, pulpy
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories in this thread typically follow a flawed or cynical protagonist investigating a series of brutal crimes within a corrupt or decadent subculture. The narrative is linear and focused on the procedural, yet the tone is consistently lurid, embracing the grotesque and morally gray nature of the world.

Why they belong together: Movies are grouped here for their shared commitment to a specific aesthetic: the gritty, low-budget feel of exploitation cinema, combined with a darkly comedic tone and a focus on sensational violence within a sleazy setting.

Grotesque Dark Comedies Like The Gore Gore Girls

Stories that mix pitch-black humor with shocking violence and psychological trauma. Find movies similar to 'The Gore Gore Girls' that blend brutal violence with darkly comedic tones. If you liked the grotesque murders, psychological trauma, and campy self-awareness, this thread features stories where horror and humor uncomfortably coexist.

  • darkly comedic
  • grotesque
  • violent
  • psychologically disturbing
  • campy
  • tense
  • Tone: darkly comedic, grotesque, tense
  • Pacing: steady
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives often feature a mystery or conflict that escalates into increasingly absurd and gruesome territory. The emotional journey is a mix of shock and perverse amusement, as the film doesn't shy away from violence but frames it with a layer of ironic or campy commentary.

Why they belong together: They are united by a unique tonal blend that balances heavy, disturbing themes like bodily horror and trauma with a deliberately campy or darkly humorous presentation, creating an experience that is both unsettling and strangely entertaining.

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Movies Like The Gore Gore Girls

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Every angle

The Gore Gore Girls (1972) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about The Gore Gore Girls in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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