The Mislayed Genie (1973) 720P

The Mislayed Genie is a bizarrely fantastical artifact from the 1970s exploitation era. It is a goofy slapstick comedy with lots of penetrating shots and terrible supporting actors.

The film features a mix of legitimate cult actors and staples of the 1970s adult film industry: Tobar Mayo (a very very tall man) plays the genie, Franklin Anthony plays David Bates or Master Bates (pun intended). Rene Bond plays the hands-on teacher (unfortunately could not make the cut). Margot Devletian plays Mary Jane. Tobar Mayo (Genie) was a legitimate stage actor. He later co-founded the Open Gate Theatre in Los Angeles and is beloved by cult film fans for his roles in The Specter of Edgar Allan Poe (1974) and his later role in the blaxploitation classic Abar, the First Black Superman (1977).

Eric Jeffrey Haims and Shelley Haims directed the film and the script was co-written by Tom Reamy. Tom Reamy was a highly respected, award-winning science fiction and fantasy author and tragically died at age 42 in 1977. His involvement in this 1973 adult parody remains a bizarre and fascinating footnote in sci-fi literary history. The movie was shot on standard 35mm film with an aspect ratio of 1.85:1, which was typical for theatrical adult features looking to project in urban cinemas during the 1970s. Only copies circulating are sourced from degraded VHS bootlegs. The reviews call the movie an absurd, campy curio that struggles with its identity.

The narrative follows David Bates (Franklin Anthony), a young man that makes a magical discovery: if he rubs his own anatomy long and hard enough, he acts as a human "magic lamp" and summons a Genie (Tobar Mayo).

The movie enjoyed a highly profitable run on the drive-in and grindhouse theater circuit and was presented with alternate titles like The Miss Layed Genii, Miss Layed Geni, Le Sexe mystérieux (France theatrical), and La guerre des trous de balles (France video release). It has a strict adult rating. In Australia, the original 91-minute uncut version was banned outright. A heavily butchered 64-minute version was banned by the Queensland Films Board of Review. In 1994, it was finally allowed with a full adult rating in Australia.

The film was shot on location in and around Los Angeles, California, utilizing standard house sets, offices, and basic studio spaces common to the LA-based adult industry of the era. It was a massive success in the gritty urban grindhouses and dedicated adult theater chains (like the Pussycat Theaters) across Times Square and Hollywood Boulevard. The film's original theatrical poster featured one of the most unapologetic taglines: "See David's magic lamp??? If you rub it long enough... If you rub it hard enough... You'll come out smiling…”