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‘Tura!’ Trailer:

Quentin Tarantino and John Waters’ Idol Tura Satana Is Honored with Posthumous Legacy Doc.

Quentin Tarantino would give five years of his life to collaborate with this late legend. John Waters thinks one of her films is the among the greatest features of all time. Of course, both auteurs are speaking about the one and only TuraSatana.

Late actress Satana’s history is one for the record books: An Asian American trailblazer onscreen, Satana got her start in burlesque (she went by the stage name “Miss Japan Beautiful” as a teenager) and went on to lead the iconic 1965 classic “Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!,” which solidified her status as a karate master in action films.

While Satana’s life had all the glitz imaginable (she infamously dated both Elvis and Rod Taylor), her traumatic childhood in part led to her acting career. At age nine, Satana was kidnapped, assaulted, and left for dead in a race-driven hate crime post-Pearl Harbor in 1948. She vowed to take revenge on her attackers, and did by way of her success.

Now, Satana’s full story is being told in the long-awaited, authorized documentary simply titled “Tura!” The film, directed by Cody Jarrett and in the works since 2017, is narrated by Margaret Cho and includes interviews with John Waters, Dita VonTeese, Pamela Des Barres, Ted V. Mikels, original FPKK and Russ Meyer cast members and Satana’s two daughters. “Tura!” uses home movies, never-before-seen cult film footage, and the late Satana’s personal archives.

The film is billed as showing Satana revisit her “innermost feelings as she experienced the events that molded and impacted her and those around her, from childhood to her [passing] in 2011.” Director Jarrett helmed Satana’s final film, “Sugar Boxx.”

“Anyone who ever met Tura Satana came away with something unforgettable. She radiated,” Jarrett said in a press statement. “She was authentic. She was charming and a good listener. She was also wildly, hilariously unpredictable, at times bawdy, and could still kick ass right up until the end. There were a lot of popular, sexy women and cult movie stars in the 1960’s, but few have left the widespread, lasting impact on society that Tura has, and she deserves recognition for that. It’s easy to admire Tura for being the sexy, groundbreaking bad-ass we see on screen, but what it took, the sacrifices she made to get to that place and become that person we all admire so much — that’s where the true love and respect begin.”

He continued, “I knew Tura, and this film is a labor of love, not just for me but all our cast and crew who either knew her or were affected by her on a personal level. So it was important for us to get it right; to really get to the core of who Tura was and express her feelings about her life experiences, not just observe them with an outsider’s point of view. Tura’s deathbed wish was for the making of this film. She wanted her fans to know everything, especially how much they meant to her. So, thank you for joining us in Tura’s journey.”

“Tura!” is produced by Jarrett and Siouxzan Perry. Cho and Sarah Martin executive produce, with Max Borges and Joseph Dickstein as co-executive producers.

Quiver will release “Tura!”

in select theaters August 2025

TURA!

DIRECTED BY CODY JARRETT

Asian American Panorama | USA | Cult, Documentary | English 2024 |105 Mins

World Premiere

The one and only Tura Satana.

Best remembered for her role as the fierce Varla in Russ Meyer’s 1965 cult classic Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!, Tura’s real life was just as wild and unapologetic as her on-screen persona. And her post-film legacy was just as noteworthy, leaving a fist-shaped mark on pop culture and an indelible signature in burlesque stages, queer clubs, and comic conventions everywhere.

TURA! is a powerful homage to female rage and resilience, tracing the exploitation star’s tumultuous journey for independence and revenge. Narrated by Margaret Cho, the film features interviews with legends John Waters and Dita Von Teese, alongside Tura’s family, friends, and colleagues as they dish about her dangerous lifestyle, her body count, and her life off-camera. Rare archival footage offers a glimpse into the gritty corners of the entertainment industry where Tura thrived, shining as a larger-than-life figure.

The documentary paints an intimate portrait of a previously enigmatic femme fatale, a trailblazing Asian American woman who reclaimed control over her fetishsized identity and redefined what it meant to be a strong, provocative woman in entertainment. More than just a screen siren, Tura Satana was a force of nature who shattered stereotypes, leaving a lasting legacy for future generations of badass women. Hail Satana!

– Carmela Prudencio

TURA! PREMIERE!

"You WILL find it down there, Columbus!"

Everyone is super-psyched!

At long last, fans of TURA SATANA will get an advance screening of the film "TURA" at the 2024 SAN DIEGO ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL.

This is the film's official (sneak preview) premiere, and the film will roll out into theaters and streaming platforms in early 2025.

See ya' there, Pussycats!

TURA! ROCKS SAN DIEGO

TURA! premiered Saturday, November 9th at SDAFF

and, naturally, kicked through the theater ceiling!

The packed house was treated to a special video intro by narrator/executive producer Margaret Cho and a cast & crew Q&A moderated by KPBS' Beth Accomando, who looked quite a bit like Tura Satana herself!

In 2025 you'll find TURA! kicking ass at theaters everywhere, so we'll see you there, Pussycats!

Tura Satana

Officially Licensed Action Figure

ORDER NOW

White Elephant Toyz and Odeon present the first officially licensed action figure of Tura Satana!

This limited-edition action figure is 8″ tall and features a detailed outfit, natural hair, motorcycle gloves, and boots. Tura is ready to kick your other action figures’ asses.

Each Tura Satana Action figure comes in vintage style packaging with striking artwork

by Joseph Michael Linsner, creator of “Dawn.”

Act now and get a limited-edition postcard (while supplies last)

“I never try anything. I just do it.”

About White Elephant Toyz:

Formed by Jason Schiermeyer, a veteran toy designer and collector. He has helped bring several exciting, licensed properties to Action Figure collections: King Features the Phantom and Flash Gordon as well as a recent very successful kick-starter campaign for Strike Force Alpha.

About PlaidStallions

PlaidStallions is a pop culture and toy website dedicated to the 70s and 80s created by Brian Heiler. The publisher of Toy-Ventures Magazine and the newest book “Knock-Offs: Totally Unauthorized Action Figures.” Under their Odeon Toys division, they have released licensed action figures of Captain Canuck, the Mego Museum Super Collector, and their mascot Brick Mantooth. Plaidstallions.com

Press Contact: Brian Heiler: toyventuresmag@gmail.com