Shaun Costello

Directing·Jan 1, 1944·The Bronx, New York City, New York, USA

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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.

Film	Credit
Hymns from the Abyss2021 · Self (archive footage)	Self (archive footage)
Writing for Time1990 · Director of Photography, Director	Director of Photography, Director
Enrapture1990 · Cigar Shop Man	Cigar Shop Man
Hot Dreams1983 · Director, Writer, Producer	Director, Writer, Producer
Heaven's Touch1983 · Writer, Producer, Director	Writer, Producer, Director
DDouble Pleasure1982 · (archive footage)	(archive footage)
Mistress Electra1982 · Narrator (voice) (uncredited), Writer, Director, Producer	Narrator (voice) (uncredited), Writer, Director, Producer
Pandora's Mirror1981 · Waiter / Man in Audition Line, Writer, Director, Producer	Waiter / Man in Audition Line, Writer, Director, Producer
Prisoner of Pleasure1981 · Writer, Director	Writer, Director
Beauty1981 · Director, Writer, Producer	Director, Writer, Producer
Dracula Exotica1980 · Producer, Director, Writer	Producer, Director, Writer
Afternoon Delights1980 · Director, Screenplay	Director, Screenplay
New York Construction Co.1980 · Actor, Director, Writer	Actor, Director, Writer
More Than Sisters1979 · Martin Randall, Director, Screenplay	Martin Randall, Director, Screenplay
Sunny1979 · Writer, Producer, Director	Writer, Producer, Director
The Two Lives of Jennifer1979 · Bob O'Connor, Producer, Writer, Director	Bob O'Connor, Producer, Writer, Director
Fiona on Fire1978 · Director	Director
Slave of Pleasure1978 · Richard Anselm / Masked Guy, Screenplay, Producer, Director	Richard Anselm / Masked Guy, Screenplay, Producer, Director
A Taste of Bette1978 · S.R.	S.R.
Daughters of Discipline1978 · Bruno, Director, Producer, Writer	Bruno, Director, Producer, Writer
The Fire in Francesca1977 · Troy Winston, Director	Troy Winston, Director
Joy of Humiliation1977 · Biker with Cigarette	Biker with Cigarette
Cherry Hustlers1977 · Company Investigator	Company Investigator
Betrayed Teens1977 · Bobby, Producer, Writer, Director	Bobby, Producer, Writer, Director
Schoolgirl's Reunion1977 · Football Announcer (voice) / Autograph Seeker / Guy at Party, Producer, Writer, Director	Football Announcer (voice) / Autograph Seeker / Guy at Party, Producer, Writer, Director
Dirty Susan1977 · Bob Gilroy, Director	Bob Gilroy, Director
The Dark Side of Danielle1976 · Bruce / Betty's Master, Writer, Director	Bruce / Betty's Master, Writer, Director
Tortured Woman1976 · El Gringo, Director	El Gringo, Director
Water Power1976 · Police Station Cop / Man at Car Window, Director, Writer, Producer	Police Station Cop / Man at Car Window, Director, Writer, Producer
That Lady from Rio1976 · Sex Slave (uncredited), Writer, Director	Sex Slave (uncredited), Writer, Director
French Schoolgirls1976 · Actor	Actor
The Fury in Alice1976 · Chip Carson, Producer, Director, Writer	Chip Carson, Producer, Director, Writer
Girl Scout Cookies1976 · Mr. O'Malley, Director	Mr. O'Malley, Director
Dominatrix Without Mercy1976 · Director, Writer	Director, Writer
The Story of Eloise1976 · Edgar Frank, Producer, Writer, Director	Edgar Frank, Producer, Writer, Director
Sensuous Fly Girls1976 · Man in Stable, Director, Writer, Producer	Man in Stable, Director, Writer, Producer
Midnight Desires1976 · Chauffeur / Highwayman (uncredited), Screenplay, Producer, Director	Chauffeur / Highwayman (uncredited), Screenplay, Producer, Director
The Untamed Vixens1976 · Jerry, Director, Writer, Producer	Jerry, Director, Writer, Producer
Venture Into the Bizzare1976 · Closing Narration (voice)	Closing Narration (voice)
The Summer of Suzanne1976 · Chip, Writer, Director	Chip, Writer, Director
She's No Angel1976 · Dr. Warren Counter, Director	Dr. Warren Counter, Director
The Travails of June1976 · Willy, Director, Producer, Writer	Willy, Director, Producer, Writer
Cheryl's Surrender1975 · Ray Lavagis, Director, Writer, Producer	Ray Lavagis, Director, Writer, Producer
Kathy's Graduation Present1975 · Randy, Writer, Director	Randy, Writer, Director
China Doll1975 · Bert, Director, Writer	Bert, Director, Writer
Baby Oil1975 · Orgy Guy with Two Girls	Orgy Guy with Two Girls
Gladys and Her All Girl Band1975 · Lola, Writer, Director	Lola, Writer, Director
Lisa Meets Mr. Big1975 · Minister, Writer, Director	Minister, Writer, Director