Private Collections (1979 Erotic Anthology Film/Umbrella
Entertainment/Region Zero/0/PAL)
Picture:
C+ Sound: C+ Extras: C- Film: C
PLEASE NOTE: This DVD can only be operated on
machines capable of playing back DVDs that can handle Region Zero/0 PAL format
software and can be ordered from our friends at Umbrella Entertainment at the
website address provided at the end of the review.
It is
hard to make erotic material that works and to try to make it artistic or artsy
often backfires, especially in the XXX industry starting back during the 1970s
era of Porno Chic. The premise of Private Collections (1979) is to have
three directors of note who seem to know something about pouting sex on film do
so and make it work. We get Just Jaeckin
(the original Emmanuelle), Shuji
Terayama (Fruits of Passion) and
Walerian Boroczyk (The Beast,
reviewed elsewhere on this site) and all are duds.
As much
as I want to explain each, I cannot because 1) they are unmemorable, 2)
X-rated, 3) too abstract and 4) too similar in pretense to distinguish if I
could, but the fact that this came at the end of the original XXX cycle should
give you an idea that this was on the tail end of what was becoming played out
and is only for the biggest fans of either those directors or such
filmmaking. Otherwise, it is pointless.
The anamorphically
enhanced 1.66 X 1 is slightly pillarboxed on the sides, but looks good, if not
great for its age. Color is good, but
definition varies and the film might need some work. The Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono is somewhat flat
but workable. The only extras are three
trailers, including one for this, The
Beast and Laura.
As noted above, you can order this impressive PAL DVD import
exclusively from Umbrella at:
http://www.umbrellaent.com.au/
- Nicholas Sheffo
