View source for Square-up

{{Short description|Feature of exploitation films in the 1940s and 1950s}}
{{other uses|Square up (disambiguation){{!}}Square up}}
{{no footnotes|date=August 2023}}
A '''square-up''' was a common feature of [[exploitation films]] in the 1940s and 1950s.  With the exception of most [[burlesque]] features during the 1950s, the films would begin with a written message about what social or moral issue the film was planning to address.  For instance, ''[[She Shoulda Said No!]]'' contained a square-up concerning youth [[drug abuse]], and ''[[Child Bride]]'' the issue of child marriage.

The first square-up has been traced to Eureka Productions' 1912 film ''[[The Evil Art (or) Gambling Exposed]]''.  The general reasoning for the square-up was an expression of regret for presenting the subject of the film followed by a statement with the desire that the film will help in efforts to combat the subject.  Often, these justifications were created with the intent to work around the [[production code]], giving the films a veneer of educational or social value as opposed to being simply exploitation features, but also served the purpose of warming up the audience for the upcoming film contents.

Square-ups gained another meaning with some exploitation films.  [[David F. Friedman]] has explained that, in some cities, the police would not allow a full screening of a film with [[nudity]] or other objectionable content.  Following the announcement to the now-upset crowd, the edited film was shown, and, after the film was over, a second reel with the excised material was shown.  Coming from the [[carnival]] term "squaring a beef," these "square-up reels" became typical.  In some cases, such as ''[[The Girls of Loma-Loma]]'', the entire film became a short square-up reel.

==References==

* [[Eric Schaefer]], ''[{{Google books| CSBZqe0zPaMC |page=69|plainurl=yes}} Bold! Daring! Shocking! True!: A History of Exploitation Films, 1919-1959]'' (Durham, N.C.: Duke University Press, 1999; {{ISBN|0-8223-2374-5}}). Pages 69-73.
* Felicia Feaster and Bret Wood, ''Forbidden Fruit: The Golden Age of the Exploitation Film'' (Baltimore, Maryland: Midnight Marquee Press, 1999; {{ISBN|1-887664-24-6}}).
* ''Sex and Buttered Popcorn'' (2001, Kit Parker Video)

[[Category:Exploitation films]]

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