Blue Movie (1969*)/Deep Throat (1972/MVD/Sunset/Cheezy Flicks Blu-ray)/Emmanuelle (1974)/Emmanuelle 2 (1977**)/Felicity (1978)/Centerspread (1981/**both Umbrella Region Free Import Blu-rays)/Frank & Eva (1973/*both Cult Epics Blu-ray/DVD Sets)/Nelly (2018/Cinema Libre Blu-ray)/Orgies Of Edo (1969/MVD/Arrow Blu-ray)/Joseph W. Sarno Retrospect Series (1964, 1974/Blu-ray***)/Swung (2015 DVD/***both Film Movement)

Picture: B- & C+/B-/B & B-/B-/B- & C+/B/B/B- C C/B- Sound: B- & C+/C+/B-/B-/B- & C+/C+/B/B-/B- Extras: B-/B-/D/B-/C+/C-/B/B/D Films: B-/B-/C+ & C/B- & C+/C+/C/C-/C/C+

PLEASE NOTE: The Emmanuelle and Felicity Blu-rays are now only available from our friends at Entertainment in Australia, can play on all Blu-ray players and can be ordered from the link below.

Sex on film is now mostly something that tries to be sex and has become a joke, celebrated ugliness and dehumanization of actual human contact, made worse by the technological era we live in. Though only legal for less than 50 years as of this posting, the erotic image was always there, being made and when motion picture film arrived, immediately featured underground films of sex acts. Illegal and racy, these eventually evolved into loops, which hit their stride in the 1970s along with what became the XXX industry, though now ironically you can see the digital video equivalent all over the internet, often for free or next to nothing. Before then, such productions finally expanded into feature films on film and what follows are some of the best known along with a few recent entries and a few you may not know.

The journey to such films included more than a few court cases and one of them was won by Wim Verstappen's Blue Movie (1969) from the Nederlands (in Dutch) about a man out of prison (Hugo Metsers) who immediately has all kinds of women wanting to jump him as he catches up on lost time behind bars. We find out briefly his crime is that one of his conquests was not of age (it is never addressed if this was an accident on his part or not) and he eventually finds himself getting more and more entangled in a new world of open sex that has grown in his absence.

Some of the eroticism here is impressive, a mix of suggestive and graphic, but not totally hardcore, yet it was explicit enough to land up in court as I Am Curious (Yellow) has and the4 result was another freedom of speech victory that led to more sex on film, mainstream and otherwise.

Extras include an interview with director Wim Verstappen (in HD, 1971), separate Interview with producer Pim de la Parra at the Dutch Sex Wave festival, Cinematheque Francais (HD, 2018), separate interview with Hugo Metsers Jr., Paris (HD, 2018), Eye Film Institute - Featurette (HD, 2018), BLUE MOVIE HD poster and photo video gallery and Original Scorpio Films theatrical trailers (in HD).

It was not long before political an financial circumstances led to a film with explicit sex that left nothing to the imagination. Gerard Damiano's Deep Throat (1972, this is finally the uncut version on home video!!!) becoming an unexpected event (major name people were arriving in limos to view it at not so respectable theaters) and other theaters were being burned down as the FBI investigated some of the criminal origins of the making of the film. The most profitable 16mm film ever made (even in the face of the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre), the FBI estimates it made $600 Million at the time (short run times, ultra low budget) so adjusted for inflation, at least a Billion by today's standards. Linda Lovelace stars as a woman with an odd sexual/physical problem (the makers used twisted humor to sell the film, a sense of humor that stayed with the newly formed XXX industry for decades) as the film has its infamous opening of her getting into a car amongst a new set of modernist buildings for one of the most seen series of sexual encounters ever.

Not as shocking now as it was in 1972, the people don't always look the cleanest-looking and the sex need not worry about that, but nothing is held back and some moments that were stupid then remain so, but like the best (few good) XXX films, it lives up the the expectations of its name and is one of the few true must-see films of its kind, imitated and referenced thousands of times in and out of the XXX industry as it was and still is all the way to the Watergate Scandal.

It also helped permanently cement 16mm as a professional film format that could be made to make profitable and memorable cinema, odd as that may sound. The film is now odd to see as the late Miss Lovelace claimed abuse and worse in the 1980s to her death, used as a big part of the Far Right campaign against XXX films, magazines, books, etc.

Extras include an interview from 2002 where she claims just that, the non-sexual sequel Deep Throat 2 (1974, like Linda Lovelace For President, trying to make her legitimate and trying too hard to do so) and trailers for more XXX films.

Thus began a cycle of films about ultra sexy/ultra sexed women, including a few classics and one of the European successes was Just Jaeklin's Emmanuelle (1974) and one of its only true sequels, Francis Giacobetti's Emmanuelle 2 (1977), both sold on the authentically sexy and remarkable physical presence of Sylvia Kristel. The makers did not secure the total rights to the title character's name, so many films were made with many different actresses, many of which were not even sex films. The original film is not bad, but has a few dumb moments, while the sequel is much less necessary and memorable.

Without Kristel, later turning up in non XXX films, they would be as forgotten as the many imitators and other films already noted. When she is not on screen, the films are boring, so she is on as much as possible. At least consider the first film a must-see.

There are no extras.

Australia actually fared a little better a few years later with John D. Lamond's Felicity (1978) that we have reviewed twice before with the sexy Gloria Annen:

U.S. Blu-ray

http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/14149/Casual:+Season+One+(2015/Lionsgate+DVDs)/Feli

Australian DVD

http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/8451/Felicity+(1978/Umbrella+Entertainment+Region+Ze

The film is another one of those must-see films in the cycle. This version does not have as many extras as the U.S. Blu-ray, but repeats some of the older DVDs extras. You get a clip about the film from the Not Quite Hollywood documentary, stills section, original trailer, trailers for other Umbrella releases, feature length audio commentary by Lamond & Annen and Confessions Of An Rated Filmmaker featurette.

This disc also includes a second film, Tony Paterson's Centerspread (1981) about crime, modeling and possible murder in a thriller where the photographer (Paul Trahair) loves to mix sex and violence, putting him between high society and sleaze. A young, innocent model (Kylie Foster) is about to get caught in the middle of this all in this interesting Oz-Ploitation film that just fits here and has some good moments. It is also worth a look.

Extras include the Behind The Interspersed featurette, trailer, image gallery, alternate U.K. cut and interview with producer Greg Lynch.

Couples getting together made up for another cycle and Pim De La Parra's Frank & Eva (1973) is a decent example of this, as Hugo Metsers and Sylvia Kristel are teamed up from a year before her Emmanuel debut and after his Blue Movie was a big hit. It may not be as good as those films, but they have the sexuality, chemistry and energy, even when the film and its script do not.

That makes it a curio and one worth catching, especially after seeing the other two films, but it is not bad on its own. Certainly a key film in the cinema from over there, it needed to be restor4ed and issued on Blu-ray as it is here and is definitely worth a look.

Extras include a feature length audio Commentary by Pim de la Parra (2018), Up Front & Naked: Sex in Dutch films (2017) featurette with Willeke van Ammelrooy a.o., Frank & Eva Poster & Photo Gallery, Sylvia Kristel Film Poster Gallery and Original Theatrical Trailers

The much newer Anne Emonti film Nelly (2018) is itself trying to be the true story of the woman who wrote the book that inspired the Ken Russell film Whore about a woman who tells the true story of how she became an exploited prostitute and then died early. We need to see the Russell film again, but this one is very average, is not very sexual, was often not intended to be and tell us not much new about the exploitation (and retro-exploitation thereof since) of women worldwide.

Mylene Mackay is not bad or showy in the title role, but the script and directing is flat, dull and not very memorable. They are trying, but never really get anywhere and it just all plays very belated and disappoints.

We have three more films below on the same subjects, but first, the tech playback on these releases so far...

This is pretty much the best any of the older films have looked, but only Nelly (the one new one I'm covering) and the first Emmanuelle really impress. Despite usually good color, the rest have spots where they show their age or have other flaws including the 1080p 1.33 X 1 digital High Definition image transfers on Blue Movie and Frank & Eva, the 1080p 2.35 X 1 digital High Definition image on the Emmanuel sequel and the 1080p 1.78 X 1 digital High Definition image transfers on the rest of the films. Thus the anamorphically enhanced 1.33 X 1 images in the 1.78 X 1 frame on Blue Movie and Frank & Eva, are weaker still.

The DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 2.0 Mono lossless mixes on Blue Movie, both Emmanuel films, Felicity, Centerspread and Frank & Eva are the best despite showing the age and budget limitations of the productions, but the DVDs and Blu-rays of Deep Throat (lossy Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono) and Nelly (lossy Dolby Digital 5.1 and 2.0 Stereo) sound much worse and the Blu-rays have zero excuse not to use lossless sound. Why Nelly sounds so basic and has some sonic issues is a mystery in itself, but don't expect much from it sonically.

Now onto the next and final section of sex films...

An unusual and perverted Japanese film directed by Terri Ishii, Orgies of Edo (1969) was no doubt controversial at the time of its making and has some imagery that will still make audiences cringe.

With over 200 nude stars, this tale of cruelty and prevision is a collection of stories dealing with punishment toward women as the main theme. Yeah... it's THAT kind of movie. I wouldn't necessarily 'recommend' Orgies of Edo to anyone unless you are watching it from a filmmaking perspective or are straight up into the weirdest of the weird. In short, the subject matter is pretty lurid and hard to sit through at times...

The film stars Teruo Yoshida, Toyozo Yamamoto, and Masumi Tachibana to name a few.

Scanned and restored from the original film and audio elements, the film is presented here in 1080p with a 2.35:1 widescreen aspect ratio and an original uncompressed mono PCM Japanese audio track w/optional English subtitles.

Special Features:

The Orgies of Ishii - an exclusive, newly filmed interview with author Patrick Maccias

Theatrical trailer

Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Matt Griffin

and FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by author Tom Mes.

While risque back in the time that they were made, but pretty tame to today's standards, Film Movement showcases some of the work of sexploitation auteur Joseph W Sarno in this collection of three of his films. Confessions of a Young American Housewife (1974), Sin in the Suburbs (1964), and Warm Nights Hot Pleasures (1964) in the Joseph W. Sarno Retrospect Series.

Sin in the Suburbs - A housewife (Audrey Campbell) ends up having an affair and joins a sex club... only to make a shocking discovery therein.

Confessions of a Young American Housewife - The one with the most nudity of the bunch, Confessions is made ten years later than the other two and obviously chose to be a bit more daring. The story of two couples who end up 'sharing' each other, of course problems stem from there.

Warm Nights and Hot Pleasures - The story of 3 college girls who move to NYC in hope of being Broadway stars but instead get lured into the city's sexual underbelly.

The films have been remastered in 2K from their original film elements into one 1080p high definition Blu-ray, but some films on the disc that are certainly in better condition than others. All three have a widescreen aspect ratios of 1.78:1 and PCM 2.0 Stereo sound mixes. Considering their age and condition, this is likely the best shape these films can be presented in.

Notably, most of Warm Nights Hot Pleasures (which has never been released on any format until now) has scratches down the center of the screen and signs of print damage and film noise. Granted, it kind of works for a sleazy old movie such as this, but should still be noted. Sin in the Suburbs is a bit better looking on disc, but still has plenty of scratches and emulsions that pop in and out of the image. Again, considering the types of films these are this presentation suits it fine.

Special Features include:

Sin in the Suburbs featurette

Commentary by Tim Lucas

Commentary by Joe and Peggy Sarno, Michael Vraney, and Frank Henenlotter

Collectible Insert Booklet with linear notes by Tim Lucas and production stills

and Deleted Scenes from Confessions of a Young American Housewife.

If you enjoy sexy movies about swinging and group sex then Swung (2015) may be worth you checking out. The film centers around a man whose having trouble in the bedroom and his wife (Anaya) and he try every solution that they can think of... but when they try swinging it seems to finally work out for them. Of course when such things happen, things tend to be a bit messy when the sexually deprived wife ends up taking things too far with new lovers... you can see where this is going.

Swung stars Elena Anaya, Owen McDonnell, Allison McKenzie, Elizabeth McGovern, and Sarah McCardie.

Presented in standard definition on DVD with an anamorphic widescreen aspect ratio of 2.35:1 and lossy audio mixes in both 5.1 and 2.0 the film looks and sounds fine for the format. The film is nicely shot and has decent production design surprisingly.

No Extras.

Swung is what you'd expect from a movie with its premise and is likely a film you would see on a late night premium channel...

To order either of the Umbrella import Blu-rays, Emmanuelle and Felicity, go to this link for them and other hard to find releases at:

- Nicholas Sheffo and James Lockhart (Edo, Sarno, Swung)

https://www.facebook.com/jamesharlandlockhartv/