The Exotica Girl thread

Spurred by the Black Velvet thread, I thought it would be a good thing to pay homage to the Exotica girl, a concept spawned but not limited to Martin Denny's record covers. The Exotica girl can be, but must not be, a Polynesian wahine. Or she can be of Asian descend, like Vladimir Tretchikoff's models. More often she is a mix of several exotic races, and can even have a dash of oriental heritage. But she is always dark haired, dark eyed, and slightly dark skinned. Her almond eyes are hypnotic, and her gypsy temperament makes her seem dangerous and seductive.

If you have images that fit the above genre, from whatever medium, please post them here.

The woman who gave the genre its name, Sandy Warner

One of my favorite LP cover girls:

I believe that first the experiences of American G.I.s, and then the American business travelers contributed to the rise of the Exotica girl image.

Movies always used the allure of the "other", of course.

This post is really an excuse to share the most amazing Exotica girl performance I have ever seen, Debra Paget doing the snake charmer dance in Fritz Lang's "The Indian Tomb" (his first German production after Hollywood):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkVzQ1dJ7I8&feature=related

Don't mind the hokey snake, watch zee girl!

Ms. Paget (now Mrs. Kung I think?) went to my church in Houston when i was young and her son to the school where I went (though he was much younger).
I was always fascinated by her and still have a big ol' girl crush on her, ever since "Broken Arrow" with Jimmy Stewart.

Usually playing the super-wholesome gal (e.g., one of Moses' daughters), it's therefore super-wowie to see her like that!
!!Yowza!!

Gotta giggle at your claiming the Exotica Girl is dark-haired, Sven, as the Martin Denny Girl Sandy Warner was blonde but got the dark wig treatment often. And often not! But i agree, the raven-tressed pseudo-Asian girl is the norm.

Always wished I had dark eyes and dark hair myself. Tried the black hair thing once.
Bad idea. BAD.

Waspy McWasp except when I pull out the black wig,
F

Somehow I think this is gonna be one of my favorite
threads to visit! Love "The Indian Tomb"...haven't
seen that in awhile. Very Hypnotica! Thanks for sharing!

Velvets by J. Sallin

[ Edited by: Iokona Ki'i 2009-05-28 11:41 ]

On 2009-05-28 11:29, Formikahini wrote:
Waspy McWasp except when I pull out the black wig,

Not so! Since your performance with Robert Drasnin you indubitably are an Exotica girl, at least in my book! :)

There clearly ARE exceptions to the dark haired rule:

According to imdb, Miss Paget tried out for the Sheena part but didn't get it.

Nice thread Bigbro.

Here is another blondie, Melody May from Jungleland.

DC

This post from Cool Manchu in Tiki Music covers a lot of ground.

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=32134&forum=11&hilite=album

DC

On 2009-05-28 11:09, bigbrotiki wrote:
Spurred by the Black Velvet thread, I thought it would be a good thing to pay homage to the Exotica girl, a concept spawned but not limited to Martin Denny's record covers. The Exotica girl can be, but must not be, a Polynesian wahine. Or she can be of Asian descend, like Vladimir Tretchikoff's models. More often she is a mix of several exotic races, and can even have a dash of oriental heritage. But she is always dark haired, dark eyed, and slightly dark skinned. Her almond eyes are hypnotic, and her gypsy temperament makes her seem dangerous and seductive.

If you have images that fit the above genre, from whatever medium, please post them here.

[

Sven, how did you find afro gypsia???? That is so rare! My Mom had it in her record collection and as a child, I was soooooo in love with that woman!!!!!!!!!

[ Edited by: lucas vigor 2009-05-29 12:17 ]

Was there a precursor to the Exotica/Mystery Girl? Did black and white photography have any influence on the models choice of hair color?

For me it's all about the eyes. The right make-up or touches can make any women appear like an Exotica Queen, regardless of her surroundings. Above is a pin-up art of Lou Shabner.

HUBAHUBA!!

I appreciate your excitement at rediscovering your long lost childhood sweetheart, Luke, but please edit out all that doubling up of my complete image string, that just wastes a lot of space.

And folks, is that all you can come up with for REAL Exotica girls? C'mon, here, I'll show some more examples:

As the term entails, the emphasis is on "exotic"

Barbara Luna, or any woman from a 60's Sci-fi show.

here are two of mine:

A few that I haven't posted before:

model Sandy Lane with idol :down:

[ Edited by: Sabu The Coconut Boy 2009-05-28 21:18 ]

Some may not agree, but Yvonne De Carlo/Lily Munster fits the mold for me!

OK, exquisitecorpse, I'm not sure that topless/cornfed exactly fits the bill!! :lol: :lol:

People, lest you not get the joke, this is not a thread about today's term "Exotic Dancing", aka "Buck Nekkid" or Poledancing with Pasties.
Let's stick to the topic (unless of course, the "Here's two of mine" comment was not jokingly referring to her two, um, her two outstanding, um.... never mind. :roll: Shame on you for trying to lead the readers astray!).

(I love and have your second and very appropriate one. Nice! Haven't looked at it in years; she deserves a gander.)

Dorothy Lamour

[ Edited by: KING BUSHWICH THE 33RD 2009-05-28 22:40 ]

A few favorites from my record collection (excuse the quick and sloppy photography and tilt)

On 2009-05-28 11:09, bigbrotiki wrote:
The woman who gave the genre its name, Sandy Warner

Since this never got posted on TC, I guess I should go ahead here. I found this old photo of my mother in the attic upstairs.

Not.

Yes, that's a real, dead, armadillo (made into sewing basket in the I think 1890's by a German immigrant).
Some scorpion bowls are little deadlier than others....

This post is really an excuse to share the most amazing Exotica girl performance I have ever seen, Debra Paget doing the snake charmer dance in Fritz Lang's "The Indian Tomb" (his first German production after Hollywood):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkVzQ1dJ7I8&feature=related

Don't mind the hokey snake, watch zee girl!

Loved the German dialogue! They obviously get a LOT of German tourists in that particular part of India!

Seriously - what an amazing clip!

Very nice likeness, Alice. The cover that inspired the Exotica generation!

This thread can absolutely contain contemporary homages to the Exotica girl, but please don't let it become a generic T&A thread. The emphasis of the Exotica girl is on allure, not overt sexuality.

Oh, and here is the painting that inspired me to start this thread:

[ Edited by: GROG 2009-05-30 00:08 ]

Woah, it's a Tretchikoff come alive! :)

[ Edited by: GROG 2009-05-30 00:12 ]

[ Edited by: GROG 2009-05-30 00:12 ]

This one's a given.

Grog beat me to the Green Orion Slave Girls, but I've always also been partial to "The Dolman" --

Oooo.

-- but look out for that knife...

[ Edited by: Son-of-Kelbo 2009-05-29 11:53 ]

[ Edited by: Son-of-Kelbo 2009-05-29 12:08 ]

This seems like a good place to post these:

This is an early draft cover for our last CD featuring model/vocalist Sherrie Shaoling. Photographed by Jason Goodman in HI.

This from another shoot by Jason Goodman, in Boston, featuring Countessa Vanessa.

Again, the lovely countessa.

[ Edited by: The Mayor Of Exotica 2009-05-29 12:04 ]

[ Edited by: grog 2009-05-30 00:07 ]

On 2009-05-29 12:01, The Mayor Of Exotica wrote:
This seems like a good place to post these:

[

+1000 on Shaoling, as well!!

[ Edited by: lucas vigor 2009-05-29 12:17 ]

[ Edited by: lucas vigor 2009-05-29 12:19 ]

[ Edited by: The Mayor Of Exotica 2014-03-31 22:11 ]

Rad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

From The Tiki Gardens Pamphlet.

And I've Always loved this one! Trader Frank Accepting a new tiki.
I have another shot from this event, and will also look for My Torch Girls photos
From Tiki Gardens...

One more

TG
http://www.exotic-tiki-gardens.com

[ Edited by: TikiGardener 2009-05-29 12:35 ]

[ Edited by: TikiGardener 2009-05-29 12:40 ]

Here's one that subscribes to the blond exotic theme.

And a pre-tiki exotic look from Clara Bow.

Very nice Murph, very iconic. She's got the hypnotic lookin-at-you eyes. Love the cocktail and cigarette in one hand.

Just face it, all girls of yesterday in little outfits pretty much fit the bill.

On 2009-05-29 12:31, lucas vigor wrote:
Rad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And this is why I could never be in either Waitiki or Don Tiki...I literally would not be able to concentrate on my playing!!

We hired Summer, one of the Don Tiki dancers, to play a private party with us. I look out in the audience and there was one guy, clutching his heart with a look of pain on his face...having a panic/heart attack because this gal is seriously one of the most exotic, beautiful dancers in the world. On a break she started talking to me, and I was..."blah, blah, blah, blah"..I could not talk! Could not even concentrate on what she was saying to me!!

This is one of the best threads ever!!!!!!

[ Edited by: GROG 2009-05-30 00:14 ]

[ Edited by: GROG 2009-05-30 00:16 ]

Here's one I think the casting agency messed up.
They sent the girl over that was actually booked for the "Guten Tag Deutschland" album cover. :D

[ Edited by: Murph 2009-05-29 13:54 ]

On 2009-05-29 13:33, GROG wrote:
Can you guess the artist?

Here's a shot: Nagel?

The hottest woman ever (Salma Hayek) paying tribute to the hottest album cover ever.

Hmmm. I guess I opened the floodgates for generic contemporary tropical and Polynesian models. I was looking for something with a more specific, intriguing, mysterious effect.

Something like THIS:

:D

On 2009-05-29 13:53, Murph wrote:

On 2009-05-29 13:33, GROG wrote:
Can you guess the artist?

Here's a shot: Nagel?

Nope. Ernie Keen

[ Edited by: GROG 2009-05-30 00:19 ]

Whoa! My eyes!

This is just a tad bit better :D