Shaun Costello

Shaun Costello

Born: January 1, 1944
Died: July 5, 2023
in The Bronx, New York City, New York
Shaun Costello began directing for "loops" (10-minute scenes shown in coin-operated viewers in adult theaters) in NYC in the early 1970s, and soon was directing (and acting in) full porn movies and other grindhouse "roughies" shown in Times Square's 42nd Street adult theaters. Costello took work where he could get it, often working for the Mob, who owned many adult theaters and distribution, and working under different aliases for different theaters so that no one (at the time) knew that he was his own competition. Eventually moving on to a mainstream documentary career, Costello written and directed grindhouse movies - rough and violent and reflecting of their times - have seen a resurgence as the 2010's have seen these movies be remastered and re-released and often seen for the first time in decades. Anyone interested in the history of American porn or grindhouse/exploitation theater of the late 1960s and 1970s will likely have encountered Shaun Costello's work, often unknowingly due to his prolific use of aliases.

Movies for Shaun Costello...

Hymns from the Abyss
Title: Hymns from the Abyss
Character: (archive)
Released: August 2, 2021
Type: Movie
Images of moral panic, cult followings and the edges of madness from sex and death.
bee
Enrapture
Title: Enrapture
Character: Cigar Shop Man
Released: March 30, 1990
Type: Movie
In this erotic thriller an out of work actor is forced to take a job as a limousine driver. He drives for a beautiful woman and her husband who has ties to the mob. When the girl turns up dead, he is accused of her murder.
bee
Double Pleasure
Title: Double Pleasure
Character: (as Russ Carlson)
Released: April 23, 1982
Type: Movie
When these Hollywood superstars double their pleasure, they’ll also double yours, because watching this unusual fetish on your home screen can be incredibly erotic. All the greats are into it!
bee
Mistress Electra
Title: Mistress Electra
Character: Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Released: January 8, 1982
Type: Movie
While watching porn loops at a stag party given by his friend Harry, a husband is shocked to see his wife performing hardcore sex in one of them. He hires a private detective to find out what's going on.
bee
Pandora's Mirror
Title: Pandora's Mirror
Character: Waiter / Man in Audition Line
Released: December 28, 1981
Type: Movie
While out for lunch with a friend, Pandora feels an unexplained compulsion to visit a small antique shop. While browsing, a large mirror catches her attention, seemingly casting a spell over her. Despite warnings by the shop keeper to be wary of its enveloping powers of sensuality, Pandora cannot overcome her strange desire to gaze into it, visiting the store again and again. Each time learning a bit more about the mirror’s debauched past and corrupting powers – a sensation Pandora is soon a slave to…
bee
New York Construction Co.
Title: New York Construction Co.
Released: April 1, 1980
Type: Movie
A foreman is called back to his construction site on a Saturday morning. He goes into the bowels of the building to a repair a power failure — and explore some other bowels as well.
bee
More Than Sisters
Title: More Than Sisters
Character: Martin Randall
Released: July 5, 1979
Type: Movie
A young woman has been experiencing terrifying nightmares set in an asylum. Her husband, powerless to help her, enlists the aid of a detective to investigate her past, hoping for a clue to her present visions, but what he uncovers is more shocking than anyone could imagine.
bee
The Two Lives of Jennifer
Title: The Two Lives of Jennifer
Character: Bob O'Connor
Released: January 1, 1979
Type: Movie
A writer finds out that his wife is leading a double life, which includes a second husband who lives on the other side of town. He presents this story to his editor, who is so intrigued by it that she takes her male secretary along and sets out to find out whether the writer's wife is actually doing what he says she is.
bee
Slave of Pleasure
Title: Slave of Pleasure
Character: Richard Anselm / Masked Guy
Released: August 30, 1978
Type: Movie
Private detective, Dan McCord has been hired by Richard Anselm to find his beautiful wife, Eileen. As he digs into the case, he discovers that she might have been kidnapped by white slavers.
bee
A Taste Of Bette
Title: A Taste Of Bette
Character: S.R.
Released: January 1, 1978
Type: Movie
When the leader of a sadistic sex cult is killed, its members have to choose a new person to lead them.
bee
Daughters of Discipline
Title: Daughters of Discipline
Character: Bruno
Released: January 1, 1978
Type: Movie
A young woman gets involved in a sex-and-death cult, and finds out that she is slated to be the cult's next victim.
bee
The Fire in Francesca
Title: The Fire in Francesca
Character: Troy Winston
Released: December 1, 1977
Type: Movie
A private detective is hired by a Hollywood agent to find out who killed a beautiful young movie star.
bee
Joy Of Humiliation
Title: Joy Of Humiliation
Character: Biker with Cigarette
Released: June 16, 1977
Type: Movie
Vanessa's psychologist husband recounts the kinky case history of an insatiable patient.
bee
Cherry Hustlers
Title: Cherry Hustlers
Character: Company Investigator
Released: May 1, 1977
Type: Movie
An accountant embezzles $80,000 from his company, in cahoots with a beautiful company executive. However, he starts worrying about getting caught and lets his partner know that he wants to stop. She, however, doesn't want to dry up her cash cow, so she finds some "persuasive" ways to convince her partner to keep up his end of the deal.
bee
Betrayed Teens
Title: Betrayed Teens
Character: Bobby
Released: March 9, 1977
Type: Movie
After her daughter is kidnapped by a gang of bikers, Helen hires a private detective to find her.
bee
Schoolgirl's Reunion
Title: Schoolgirl's Reunion
Character: Football Announcer (voice) / Autograph Seeker / Guy at Party
Released: March 1, 1977
Type: Movie
Two former classmates reunite at their school's athletic stadium to reminisce about their youth, but the discussion, and ensuing flashbacks, soon take them back to shocking and perverse memories.
bee
Dirty Susan
Title: Dirty Susan
Character: Bob Gilroy
Released: January 1, 1977
Type: Movie
A private detective is hired to find a mysterious girl named Susan. He soon realizes that "Susan" is the girl he spent the previous night with, and with whom he had the best sex of his life. His investigation leads him into a variety of sexual situations.
bee
The Dark Side of Danielle
Title: The Dark Side of Danielle
Character: Bruce / Betty's Master
Released: October 10, 1976
Type: Movie
Young Danielle finds her parents' kinky sex diary, and as she reads it she starts imagining what it must have been like to do the kinds of things her parents were doing
bee
Tortured Woman
Title: Tortured Woman
Character: El Gringo
Released: October 1, 1976
Type: Movie
Two young women come across secret papers having do with with foreign diplomats.
bee
That Lady from Rio
Title: That Lady from Rio
Character: Sex Slave (uncredited)
Released: August 2, 1976
Type: Movie
Vanessa is the leader of an international organization of white slave traders who supply women to brothels all over the world. Her mob is expanding and her number one henchman has plans for taking over the whole operation. She has to duck the law as well as her enemies to stay on top of things, one of her favorite things is Jamie Gillis. Vanessa and Jamie light up the screen with their lovemaking. Will Vanessa keep her empire of lust? Or, will she be swallowed up by the mob with the cops not too far behind?
bee
The Fury in Alice
Title: The Fury in Alice
Character: Chip Carson
Released: June 1, 1976
Type: Movie
A domestic tragicomedy which follows a slutty housewife through her kinky extra marital affairs.
bee
Girl Scout Cookies
Title: Girl Scout Cookies
Character: Mr. O'Malley
Released: May 1, 1976
Type: Movie
When the mayor's campaign to drive prostitutes out of the city threatens to put a crimp in two hookers' livelihoods, one of them gets the bright idea of dressing up like a Girl Scout and selling her "cookies" door to door.
bee
The Story of Eloise
Title: The Story of Eloise
Character: Edgar Frank
Released: March 31, 1976
Type: Movie
Zarryl Danuck, the head of Universal American Pictures, is in danger of being ousted from his position. Can his niece Eloise, newly-arrived in New York City, reverse his studio's failing fortunes as their new "All-American Girl" movie star?
bee
Sensuous Fly Girls
Title: Sensuous Fly Girls
Character: Man in Stable
Released: March 19, 1976
Type: Movie
When astronauts are flying to Jupiter, they are to get sexual relief from girls who accompany them to the planet.
bee
Midnight Desires
Title: Midnight Desires
Character: Chauffeur / Highwayman (uncredited)
Released: March 9, 1976
Type: Movie
Four friends on a weekend getaway to Long Island are siting around a fireplace and each relates a sexual fantasy that he or she has had for a long time but kept secret.
bee
Water Power
Title: Water Power
Character: Police Station Cop / Man at Car Window
Released: January 1, 1976
Type: Movie
A mentally troubled man becomes a serial rapist and torturer due to the strong shock he suffers after witnessing the performance of an enema in a brothel.
bee
The Travails of June
Title: The Travails of June
Character: Willy
Released: January 1, 1976
Type: Movie
A reporter interviews June, a prostitute who has just been arrested, and she relates her tale of being kidnapped by a criminal gang, drugged and forced to have sex with powerful politicians in order to set them up for blackmail.
bee
The Untamed Vixens
Title: The Untamed Vixens
Character: Jerry
Released: January 1, 1976
Type: Movie
A man is kidnapped by a group of women and subjected to unspeakable tortures. However, he comes to enjoy them.
bee
Venture Into the Bizzare
Title: Venture Into the Bizzare
Character: Closing Narration (voice)
Released: January 1, 1976
Type: Movie
Two young girls in New York's Greenwich Village own a plaster-casting shop. One day a well-known Hollywood actor walks into their shop and asks if they can make a plaster replica of his penis. When he later brings a friend of his, also a well-known actor, in to get his 'member' replicated, the girls hatch an ingenious plan to make a lot of money by making replicas of stars' penises, then blackmailing them. However, things don't turn out exactly the way they planned.
bee
The Summer of Suzanne
Title: The Summer of Suzanne
Character: Chip
Released: January 1, 1976
Type: Movie
When her parents leave for a trip to New York, a young Chicago girl decides to lose her virginity as soon as possible, and enlists the help of her wild older sister to achieve her goal.
bee
She's No Angel
Title: She's No Angel
Character: Dr. Warren Counter
Released: January 1, 1976
Type: Movie
In order to cheat her out of her inheritance, a young girl's parents have her locked up in a mental institution.
bee
Cheryl's Surrender
Title: Cheryl's Surrender
Character: Ray Lavagis
Released: December 26, 1975
Type: Movie
A gang of terrorists attack the American embassy in Labania and kidnap the ambassador, his wife and his secretary.
bee
Kathy's Graduation Present
Title: Kathy's Graduation Present
Character: Randy
Released: November 1, 1975
Type: Movie
Young Kathy is an honors student who graduates from high school with straight A's. However, at her graduation party her friends--who know that she is a virgin--decide to give her the kind of "final exam" that she wasn't counting on.
bee
China Doll
Title: China Doll
Character: Bert
Released: October 6, 1975
Type: Movie
Private investigator Mickey Finn searches for a missing china doll filled with $25,000 of Dilithium crystals. Notable as Vanessa del Rio's first movie.
bee
Baby Oil
Title: Baby Oil
Character: Orgy Guy with Two Girls
Released: September 1, 1975
Type: Movie
American and Russian agents each vie to gain their respective nation control of the oil wells of Sexalvania. However, the wells only produce baby oil.
bee
Gladys and Her All Girl Band
Title: Gladys and Her All Girl Band
Character: Lola
Released: May 26, 1975
Type: Movie
Two porno actors on the run audition in drag for a rock band and actually get the gig. They are pursued by a police sergeant for their lewd film exploits.
bee
Lisa Meets Mr. Big
Title: Lisa Meets Mr. Big
Character: Minister
Released: April 11, 1975
Type: Movie
Young Lisa brings her fiancé home to meet her parents, who don't know he's black. They are shocked and servants appalled, but he helps her mom feel better, and Lisa satisfies her dad.
bee
The Passions of Carol
Title: The Passions of Carol
Character: The Spirits
Released: March 24, 1975
Type: Movie
Carol Scrooge, the curmudgeonly owner of a sleazy skin publication, insists that her employees work on Christmas. However, on Christmas eve, Miss Scrooge is visited by three ghosts, each of whom shows her a different vision of Christmas, from Carol's lurid past of sexually manipulating her childhood friends to the meager Christmas celebrations of her present-day employee, Bob Hatchet and his wife, to a terrifying and sleazy vision of Christmas yet to come; each visit is infused with a barrel of laughs and a valuable lesson about the importance of giving and holiday spirit.
bee
Two Senoritas
Title: Two Senoritas
Character: Guy with Glasses
Released: February 3, 1975
Type: Movie
A husband and wife are very upset when they learn their Friday night orgy venue has been sublet to two women from South America. They decide that the best course of action is to just go over, walk in, and get it on, hoping that the new residents will think it’s just an old American custom.
bee
Hotel Hooker
Title: Hotel Hooker
Character: Pete
Released: January 1, 1975
Type: Movie
Pete supplies hotel guests with prostitutes to make their trips a bit more enjoyable.
bee
The School for Sexual Arts
Title: The School for Sexual Arts
Character: Guy in Final Class
Released: January 1, 1975
Type: Movie
Female students at a "higher-learning" institution called The School for the Sexual Arts spend their time closely studying the male body and learning how best to use their own bodies to bring the male form to life.
bee
Private Practice
Title: Private Practice
Character: Mr. Barnes
Released: January 1, 1975
Type: Movie
A sex therapist treats a pain addicted tramp who needs leather hooded brutes to bind and beat her to get off.
bee
Sin of Lust
Title: Sin of Lust
Character: Bob Hartman
Released: January 1, 1975
Type: Movie
Carlotta and her husband are sex surrogates helping frustrated couples get off.
bee
The Love Bus
Title: The Love Bus
Character: George
Released: November 1, 1974
Type: Movie
Dr. Scheisekopf (Jamie Gillis) advises patient Jennifer Jordan (aka Sarah Nicholson) to get away for the weekend. When the bus she travels on crashes, passengers take refuge at crazy Sonny Landham’s country house where all manner of lewd hook-ups occur.
bee
Come Fly with Us
Title: Come Fly with Us
Character: Jay Basby
Released: July 16, 1974
Type: Movie
A hard and penetrating look into the lives of gorgeous stewardesses.
bee
Teenage Nurses
Title: Teenage Nurses
Character: Joe / TV Reporter
Released: May 14, 1974
Type: Movie
When Dr. Canute is appointed Director of Veterans Hospital, he decides that what the boys that came back from Vietnam need is not Bob Hope to entertain them, but they need girls..nurses…Teenage Nurses!
bee
Lady on the Couch
Title: Lady on the Couch
Character: Poker Buddy (uncredited)
Released: March 19, 1974
Type: Movie
It was shocking and unbelievable experience for Henry Totler. The girl up there in the stag film was his wife, and all his friends were watching her in a shameless sex act with another man and another woman! Henry hired a hard driving detective to find out all about his wife, Maggie.
bee
Pen Pals
Title: Pen Pals
Character: Good Samaritan / Man in Black
Released: March 8, 1974
Type: Movie
A group of pen-pals from across the country, who have never met before, gather in New York City for a weekend of fun and sex.
bee
Lip Service
Title: Lip Service
Character: Hired Guy
Released: February 1, 1974
Type: Movie
Sidney Spelvin, a sexually frustrated fireman, complains to Dr. Cousins, a female psychiatrist, that his wife will only have sex in the missionary position. That doesn’t please Sidney because he’s learned (from various gurus) about 197 other ways to bring a woman to orgasm. Interested in those 197 other ways, Dr. Cousins quickly cajoles Sidney into demonstrating those techniques on her, for "clinical purposes" only, right there in her office. Oh, those wacky porno shrinks!
bee
The Tycoon's Daughter
Title: The Tycoon's Daughter
Character: Newspaper Reader / Radio Newscaster
Released: October 31, 1973
Type: Movie
Three friends kidnap the daughter of a millionaire and plan to ask for a big ransom. They hide out on the farm of a family in the backwoods, and find that they're in for more than they bargained for.
bee
Go Fly a Kite
Title: Go Fly a Kite
Character: John Spaulding
Released: September 23, 1973
Type: Movie
A sexually frustrated housewife gets satisfied when she meets up with a group of swinging kite enthusiasts.
bee
Honeymoon Suite
Title: Honeymoon Suite
Character: Jamie
Released: September 12, 1973
Type: Movie
Three swinging young couples decide to marry one other and spend an erotic honeymoon at a fancy hotel.
bee
Sexual Freedom in the Ozarks
Title: Sexual Freedom in the Ozarks
Character: Newscaster / Homer Heaply
Released: September 6, 1973
Type: Movie
A foursome is stranded in the woods of Arkansas after a plane crash so they split up to look for help.
bee
Sweet Sexteen
Title: Sweet Sexteen
Character: Jerry
Released: September 1, 1973
Type: Movie
It's Debbie's birthday, and her friends have hired a stud to deflower the young stud. The stud in questions frets ahead of time over whether he'll be asked to do anything kinky.
bee
Come And Be Purified
Title: Come And Be Purified
Character: Brother Francis
Released: August 16, 1973
Type: Movie
Charlatan priest Father Sexus encourages devoutly religious folks to shed their inhibitions and happily participate in assorted wild carnal activities of licentious delight.
bee
Teachers and Cream
Title: Teachers and Cream
Character: Mr. Boynton
Released: August 1, 1973
Type: Movie
"To Whom It May Concern, Good Bye!!! Yours Truly, Anonymous," reads the suicide note English teacher Mr. Boynton writes and tapes to his chest. Dejected because he’s going to lose his job for moonlighting in porno flicks, he also wears Groucho Marx glasses (you know, with the big nose and fake moustache) which, somehow, is necessary apparel for someone about to jump off a New York City bridge. But before he leaps, he is rescued by a student of his named Nancy and Miss Crabtree, the Phys. Ed. teacher. As thanks for saving him, the gals go with him to "an editing room" and double-team him.
bee
Tina Makes a Deal
Title: Tina Makes a Deal
Character: Customs Agent
Released: June 29, 1973
Type: Movie
When a customs search turns up a vial of coke hidden away in an outlaw pussy, Tina Makes a Deal. Well... actually, Linda makes the deal. We haven’t the slightest idea who Tina might be. Linda works for hippie guru Timothy Bleary, whose drug smuggling operation relies on bribing law enforcement with sex. It works extremely well.
bee
Joe Rock Superstar
Title: Joe Rock Superstar
Character: Rock the Guitarist / Voice of Walter Cockite
Released: June 12, 1973
Type: Movie
Marc Stevens plays Joe Cock, a Jim Morrison by way of David Bowie circa Ziggy Stardust vocalist whose claim to fame is his uncanny ability to get it up on stage.
bee
Guess Who's Coming
Title: Guess Who's Coming
Character: Peter
Released: May 31, 1973
Type: Movie
A man and his wife invite a Royal couple over for dinner in the hopes of advancing the husband s career...going as far as having their friends Tom and Bonnie pose as butler and maid! Ms. Spelvin pulls off a hilarious British accent and gets everyone off.
bee
The Porn Brokers
Title: The Porn Brokers
Character: Self
Released: March 16, 1973
Type: Movie
Quasi-documentary that looks at the sex industry in Europe. Features interviews with people who make or take part in pornographic films, publish sex magazines, or supply erotic stills, in Britain, the Scandinavian countries and Germany. Also shows two blue movies being made.
bee
Forced Entry
Title: Forced Entry
Character: David
Released: March 16, 1973
Type: Movie
A crazed Vietnam vet hunts down and kills women.
bee
Sexual Customs in Scandinavia
Title: Sexual Customs in Scandinavia
Character: Mr. Thorens
Released: February 11, 1972
Type: Movie
A doctor outlines several cases involving sexual problems suffered by citizens of Scandinavia, and the cases are re-enacted for the education of the audience.
bee
Selling It
Title: Selling It
Character: (archive footage)
Released: January 6, 1972
Type: Movie
bee
Love in the Rain
Title: Love in the Rain
Character: Shaun (uncredited)
Released: November 1, 1971
Type: Movie
A rainy day forces four women to stay indoors. Bored, they decide to liven up the day by calling up some male friends to have sex with them.
bee
The Magical Ring
Title: The Magical Ring
Character: First Fantasy Lover
Released: September 24, 1971
Type: Movie
A beggar gives a woman a ring in appreciation for an act of kindness. The woman discovers that the ring is actually a magic amulet that can bring all her sexual fantasies to life.
bee
Feel
Title: Feel
Released: September 23, 1971
Type: Movie
A "whitecoater" released long after the industry had dropped such requirements, nonetheless a requirement for Tina Russell fans and those interested in early examples of the golden age.
bee
Sensuous Vixens
Title: Sensuous Vixens
Character: Photo Model with Mustache
Released: August 20, 1971
Type: Movie
Tina Russell (X Rated Critics Organization Hall of Fame Member) leads us through the tumultuously sexy New York City searching for modeling opportunities. After a series of long days and no results, she takes an offer to model in some "artistic photographs." When she arrives, she quickly learns what art means in the shady underworld of Manhattan. Tina quickly moves from tame, softcore photography to hardcore fuck films, embracing her pornographic urges while feeding her lust for the camera. Sensuous Vixens is the classic tale of a good girl releasing the nympho beast inside while exploring her own sexual urges.