Recently I discovered Mubi, an intriguing streaming service which showcases one film per day chosen by movie experts. These selections can often prove quite entertaining!
This month they are showing two 1970s Euro-sexploitation camp oddities from Radley Metzger. Although these films may not be perfect, both have an airless feeling that recognizes cinematic sexuality as something existing within an unreal fantasy realm.
Camille 2000
Radley Metzger’s Camille 2000 marks his first feature film since making the I am Curious films of 1967, returning to earlier works like Therese and Isabelle while maintaining its playful, provocative approach – taking erotic cinema into hardcore territory through sophisticated visual and formal sensibility.
Film adaptation of Alexandre Dumas fils’ novel about a tubercular courtesan who sleeps her way up social ladder in order to support her husband has been updated for contemporary audiences and enhanced with graphic nudity and eroticism. Starring Daniele Gaubert (deceased at 27 from cancer), Nino Castelnuovo and Roberto Bisacco make their cinematic debuts here.
No matter its relatively regressive sexuality, this film remains engaging. The cast provides strong support to keep audiences interested. A great period sexploitation movie that should definitely be seen.
Although the film moves slowly and takes itself a bit too seriously, it offers an entertaining plot and romantic dynamic between Nino Castelnuovo’s Armand and Marguerite; not to mention Piero Piccioni’s incredible score which became an instant classic over time.
Image’s transfer of three-strip Technicolor film looks spectacular; although some artifacts such as splices or wear at reel changes exist. Overall however, picture quality and colors remain vibrant and stunningly beautiful.
Metzger’s films have always been an absolute treat to watch, and this one in Rome is no different. Metzger filmed in some truly breathtaking locales for this film that are nothing less than breathtaking.
Radley Metzger’s style fits Rome perfectly, as is evident by this film which showcases all its beauty through exquisite editing and shooting complemented by Piero Piccioni’s music.
Audio quality is also superb; with an English monaural track sounding crystal clear with only minor hiss present throughout the film. Furthermore, there’s also a special feature about making of the film and composer Giovanni Piccioni’s score, plus an interview with director Radley Metzger himself on DVD.
Lickerish Quartet
The Lickerish Quartet is a timeless classic and one of the greatest erotic films ever created, embodying both Radley Metzger’s directorial vision and Hans Jura’s cinematographic expertise.
Beginning with a bourgeois family watching a stag film, they encounter a stunt performer who looks identical to the woman from said film and seduces each member individually. Their experience was so thrilling they invite her back for another stay and show her another version of said movie (in which this time the woman no longer features).
Notably, while The Lickerish Quartet could easily have become an overtly sexual film, director Radley Metzger made sure it stayed on the softer side by refraining from any intrusive sexual content – unlike many erotic movies with penetration scenes throughout, The Lickerish Quartet does not contain one shot of penetration!
Cult Epics recently unveiled The Lickerish Quartet on Blu-ray. Previously available as a streaming-only edition, this movie offers an English monoaural audio track for optimal listening pleasure and features crystal-clear dialog that’s easy to comprehend along with stunning visuals that stand up well against all odds.
Though The Lickerish Quartet doesn’t boast a very intricate plot, I found its story and performances extremely enjoyable. There were many memorable erotica scenes which are particularly riveting; therefore I would recommend this film to any lover of such content.
I found the sexual tension present in this movie to be extremely engaging, with stellar performances by all actors involved. I hope we get more installments of it soon.
Radley Metzger is widely celebrated for his sex-centric movies like Little Mother and Score. Additionally, he has also created numerous erotic films in France. As an exceptional director with beautiful films that include all manner of sexual content – there’s plenty of erotica! – his works stand out.
Sex Tape
If you have ever watched a sex tape, then you know its appeal is immense. They provide the opportunity for partners to see just how hot you can be while giving them an exclusive view into bed time activities. But before creating one of your own there are a few factors you must keep in mind to ensure it will remain engaging for viewers while not creating negative consequences in relationships.
At first, you must determine what mood you wish to create: something soft and intimate or rougher? Lighting also plays an important part; whether filming in bright or dim settings. Candlelight can help create an intimate setting, while dimmers allow you to change its tone quickly.
Finally, it’s essential that you select an appropriate camera. A wide-angle lens should allow for better composition of a scene and provide more natural results; additionally, an adjustable lens ensures you find one which meets all your requirements.
Take your time when setting the scene for your sex tape. While filming can become challenging without professional equipment, taking your time will allow you to fully enjoy yourself and focus on having an exciting and authentic experience without fearing you are making an inauthentic document of real life events.
Once everything is set up, it’s time to film! Shoot your sex tape in either your bedroom or other locations around your house until you find the ideal spot – choose an environment in which you feel relaxed so it won’t interfere with filming process.
Making your own sex tape may prove more enjoyable than you realize, and is an excellent way to express the depth of your love with your partner.
Sex Lies & Videotape
Sex Lies & Videotape is one of those indie films that keeps on becoming legendary. Steven Soderbergh made this groundbreaking first feature film and won the Palme d’Or at Cannes 1989 for this groundbreaking debut which launched his long and distinguished career of exploring sexual themes through films ranging from Ocean’s 11 (comedy) to Schizopolis.
Graham (James Spader), his friends John and Cynthia as they grapple with the fallout from their sexual behavior. After Cynthia comes over and makes him a tape, Graham must confront his sexual habits head-on and address them directly.
Soderbergh’s approach differs significantly from others such as Mike Nichols’ Carnal Knowledge; instead of making his film solely about sexual content, Soderbergh uses dialogue instead of physical contact to convey its themes – creating an intimate yet thoughtfully constructed drama.
Graham uses videotapes of women discussing sex to escape his reality and find solace from it all, without even touching them he taped. This leads to an intimate film which deals with both desire and voyeurism in ways modern cinema rarely addresses.
When released on DVD in 2010, this movie included numerous special features and extras – such as an audio commentary track featuring director Steven Soderbergh and other members of its cast; BD-Live functionality; an interactive „Movie IQ” feature providing pop-up information about it; as well as BD-Live functionality and an „Movie IQ” pop-up feature providing trivia about its plotline.
But the movie doesn’t offer much more, and while it is enjoyable enough for most audiences, other video sex movies with bonus features have done better. It would have been remiss of Soderbergh not to include more bonus content despite it having achieved legendary status and receiving an Oscar nomination for its screenplay.
Sex, Lies & Videotape does an outstanding job of exploring how people use media as an escape, yet still feels dated today. That doesn’t have to be seen as negative though: in many ways it only makes the film more relevant – this subtle yet sensitively made flick proves that overlooked footnote films can still have emotional power that surpass their star-packed counterparts.