THE PRINCESS AND THE CALL GIRL

Radley Metzger, 1984

Starring: Carol Levy, Victor Bevine, Shannah Hall

In an erotic riff on Mark Twain’s The Prince and the Pauper, where two identical boys from very different worlds trade places, Metzger’s final, disappointing film has a wealthy débutante and a call girl switch lives just for kicks. Old college friends, they just happen to be identical. Audrey, the socialite, is about to get married, and Lucy, the call girl, needs someone to fill in for her at work. They trades places so Audrey can have a hedonistic, sex-filled weekend around Europe before tying the knot and Lucy can get a break from work. 

The lovely Carol Levy (The Chosen, Alone in the Dark) stars alongside TV actor Victor Bevine (Star Trek: First Contact), and Shannah Hall, all three of whom were also in Gérard Loubeau’s Les fantasmes de Miss Jones, which was scripted by Metzger. Oh wait... Surprise! That’s not a real movie, it’s just the French version of The Princess and the Call Girl. This film is actually a French-U.S. coproduction, which allows for some lovely sets and dual versions of the film, but there's not much else worth mentioning. Levy gives a decent performance as both Audrey and Lucy and overall is charming and charismatic, but she is not enough to rescue the lagging plot or silly proceedings. 

For Metzger completists, this film is mildly entertaining, but everyone else should probably avoid it. Also keep in mind that this is a softcore, not a hardcore film. It is along the same vein as French and Italian sex comedies, but fails to reach the ribald heights of the some of the best in that genre. The sex is very, very tame, despite the fact that one of the central characters is a call girl. It is also simply too low budget to compete with some of Metzger’s loveliest films, despite the amount of time spent walking around France and the Mediterranean. It also lacks Metzger’s trademark humor and wit, which is sorely missed, instead leaving us with some very sad attempts at humor. Overall, the funny moments in this film are unfortunately unintentional. 

There is a decent DVD from Image as part of their Radley Metzger series, though you would be better served checking out some of Metzger’s mid-period hardcore films like Naked Came the Stranger, The Opening of Misty Beethoven, and Barbara Broadcast, among others. It is somewhat sad that this was Metzger’s last feature film, but fortunately in the last few years he’s had a revival where a number of DVD companies like Image and Distribpix have restored and released his film on special edition DVD and Blu-ray. 

THE TALE OF TIFFANY LUST

Gérard Kikoïne, Radley Metzger, 1981

Starring: Dominique Saint Claire, Veronica Hart, Desiree Cousteau, Vanessa del Rio

Though credit is typically only given to French sex film director Gérard Kikoïne (Lady Libertine, Fire Under the Skin, Edge of Sanity, Education of the Baroness), Radley Metzger had a hand in writing and producing this film and it is also believed that he co-directed. A bored, wealthy housewife named Tiffany is tired of being lonely and sexually frustrated. She makes an appointment with a call girl named Betty. They have a brief lesbian affair, where Betty gives Tiffany a few pointers, and then Betty sends her out on a journey. She goes to meet sexy radio host Florence Nightingale. Florence allows people to have sex with her in front of a live audience. 

Starring French porn actress Dominique Saint Claire, Veronica Hart (Indecent Exposure, Private Schoolgirls, Boogie Nights), and Desiree Cousteau (Hot Lunch, The Ecstasy Girls), this film is chock full of bit parts from early ‘80s porn stars. Morgane, Vanessa del Rio (who is hilarious as Florence Nightingale), Samantha Fox (no, not the pop singer), George Payne (The Sperminator, Stray Cats, Blonde Ambition), Merle Michaels (Debbie Does Dallas, Jack n’ Jill), and even Ron Jeremy appear, among several others. 

Tiffany Lust is an entertaining, early ‘80s sex film, and combines a mix of raunchy sex and more restrained scenes of erotica. Florence is the real highlight of the film and gives her audience pointers about such things as oral sex, which she demonstrates with gusto, as well as anal, where she is partnered with Ron Jeremy. Tiffany herself is more of a frustrated observer, though she witnesses many kinky encounters as she learns to embrace the sexual side of her identity. 

Though enjoyable, this is nowhere near the best hardcore films of Radley Metzger. There are plenty of sex scenes, but the film sometime suffers from slow pacing. Metzger’s trademark humor and witty dialogue is fortunately on hand and this is enhanced by some good performances. Overall I would only recommend this to fans of late ‘70s/early ‘80s porn or Metzger completists. As far as I’m aware, this is not available on DVD, though you can find it online. 

MARASCHINO CHERRY

Radley Metzger, 1978

Starring: Gloria Leonard, Lesllie Bovee, Jenny Baxter, Annette Haven, Constance Money, C.J. Laing

Metzger’s last hardcore film, which he directed under the pseudonym Henry Paris, is a stylish but lesser effort, particularly compared to his masterpiece The Opening of Misty Beethoven. The titular Maraschino Cherry is the madame of a very fancy brothel in New York City. Her younger sister arrives and announces that she, too, wants to be part of the business, so Cherry begins to teach her everything she knows. Much of the film is made up of exchanges with clients at the brothel or reflects back on stories that have happened with some of their more interesting clients. 

High Society publisher and porn legend Gloria Leonard stars, though there are nice appearances from Lesllie Bovee (The Ecstasy Girls), Annette Haven (star of Metzger’s previous film Barbara Broadcast), C.J. Laing (Barbara Broadcast), Constance Money (star of The Opening of Misty Beethoven), Wade Nichols (Jail Bait, Barbara Broadcast), prolific porn actor Eric Edwards, and Jenny Baxter (Bloodsucking Freaks) as Cherry’s sister. Though all of these talented, experienced actors deliver good performances, they cannot overcome the incomplete script. One of the main issues with Maraschino Cherry is that many of the scenes - particularly those with Annette Haven, C.J. Laing, and Constance Money - were outtakes from some of Metzger’s previous films and were cut in to fill in the running time of Maraschino Cherry. Though a lot of these vignettes are sexy and entertaining, this doesn’t feel like a complete film, particularly considering that most of Metzger’s hardcore films have such strong narratives. Still, it’s great to see Annette Haven’s lovely piano-top scene and C.J. Laing’s final moments in a dungeon. 

I’m not sure if I should recommend Maraschino Cherry. It is certainly not among Metzger’s best films, but it is more entertaining and well-made than the bulk of ‘70s porn. It has Metzger’s trademark humor, witty dialogue, stunning visuals, and imaginative sets. It also has an abundance of blow jobs, but lacks Metzger’s typical sexual variety. There are still a few key moments, such as a man who orgasms every time he sneezes, the dungeon scene that concludes the film, and a few lesbian scenes that save this from being a total waste of time. If you've not seen any Metzger films, definitely don't start here, but Metzger fans and '70s porn completists will want to check it out. 

Distribpix has released this as part of their Platinum Elite series, which is a two-disc collection. The print has been restored from the 35mm negative and looks as good as it probably ever well. There are a number of nice extras, such as an interview with Gloria Leonard, trailers, stills, some extra scenes, and a booklet from Benson Hurst. Distribpix always does a great job with their releases, particularly of Metzger’s work. 

BARBARA BROADCAST

Radley Metzger, 1977

Starring: Annette Haven, C.J. Laing, Constance Money, Jamie Gillis

Nothing can compare to Metzger’s masterpiece, The Opening of Misty Beethoven, but his somewhat surreal follow up film, Barbara Broadcast, ranks as my second favorite Metzger work and still has plenty to surprise and delight viewers. A reporter meets up with a famous, high class prostitute at a New York restaurant to interview her. Like Misty’s character in Misty Beethoven, Barbara Broadcast enjoys sex work and has written a book on the subject. It turns out during their luncheon that food is not the only thing on the menu and the reporter gets to know herself - and Barbara - much better than she anticipated during the course of the day. 

There are some fantastically imaginative elements in Barbara Broadcast, particularly during the opening scene in the restaurant. Like Metzger’s sexual airplane service in Misty Beethoven, there are a number of unexpected things on the menu, such as lots and lots of oral sex, as well as a “special sauce” your waiter could prepare right in front of you. The restaurant scenes make the film more than worthy of your time. There is a fair amount of sex throughout, all of it pretty standard and heterosexual, except the affair between Barbara and the reporter (in a disco) at the end of the film and the concluding non-hardcore bondage scene. 

Porn legend Annette Haven is perfect in the starring role and is easily one of the most beautiful women in ‘70s porn, though C.J. Laing is also quite good (and adventurous) as the naive reporter. Constance Money and Jamie Gillis, stars of Misty Beethoven, appear again here as a pimp named Curly and his number one lady. Their erotic bondage scene at the end of Barbara Broadcast was actually a leftover shot from Misty Beethoven. This technique of including extra sex scenes shot elsewhere gives Barbara Broadcast - and Metzger’s final films in general - a choppy feel that is somewhat rescued by smooth editing techniques but fails to rise to the level of his classics like Misty Beethoven, The Image, and Naked Came the Stranger. 

Barbara Broadcast is incredibly raunchy, funny, and erotic, with a decent script, though characterization doesn’t quite reach the excellent level seen in Misty Beethoven and the plot relies mostly on a series of sexual vignettes. The cinematography and sets are beautiful, as always, giving this film more of an art house feel than most ‘70s porn. There’s a basic VCA DVD release, though I would wait for the upcoming Distribpix Blu-ray, which will be restored under the watchful eye of Metzger himself and will probably be chock full of extras. The VCA extras include a commentary track with Jamie Gillis and another porn legend, Gloria Leonard, who would star in Metzger’s next and last hardcore film, Maraschino Cherry, but does not appear in Barbara Broadcast. Mostly Gillis and Leonard give an informative talk about the adult film industry and their work with Metzger. 

THE CAT AND THE CANARY (1978)

Radley Metzger, 1978

Starring: Honor Blackman, Carol Lynley, Michael Callan, Edward Fox, Olivia Hussey

"I wasn't mad when I came here, but I certainly will be soon!"

The Cat and the Canary has a very long and somewhat complicated history. Like a lot of early horror films, it began as a play of the same name by John Willard in 1922. Soon after, German Expressionist director Paul Leni (The Man Who Laughs, Waxworks) made a silent adaptation as part of a wave of “old dark house” films popular during the period like The Old Dark House and The Bat. A blend of comedy, mystery, and horror, the general plot of these films involves a group of people trapped in an old mansion. A mysterious figure begins killing them off, one by one, and red herrings and comedy abound. In The Cat and the Canary, after an old man’s death, his family is gathered for the reading of his will, which was pre-recorded before his death. One of his nieces is named the heir, but the entire family must spend the night in his abandoned mansion. If she dies or goes insane, the inheritance passes to someone else. Much to the family’s dismay, a criminal known as the Cat escapes from a local asylum and may be hiding out in the house for the night... 

The film was remade in 1930 as The Cat Creeps, which is sadly lost, though a Spanish-language version, La Voluntad del muerto was filmed on the same set. Like the Spanish-language version of Dracula, La Voluntad del muerto was directed by George Melford and starred Lupita Tovar. The Cat and the Canary was remade again in 1939 as a comedy with Bob Hope and again in Sweden in 1961. Radley Metzger, known primarily for his soft and hardcore sex films, made only two non-adult films. His debut, Dark Odyssey, which he co-directed, was sex-free, though this this adaptation of The Cat and the Canary is his only major mainstream film. It puts an equal emphasis on satire and scares rather than sex. 

There are really two ways to watch The Cat and the Canary and how you interpret it will really depend on whether or not you like the film. If you’re unfamiliar with the larger mystery genre or “old dark house” films, this isn’t the best place to start. As a straight forward murder mystery, it is easy to focus on the somewhat low budget, B-level actors, plot holes, lack of true scares, few murders, and limited sex appeal (shocking for Metzger, I know). But if you are familiar with the genre, it’s easy to see this as along the same lines as Clue or Murder by Death, though without some of the bigger jokes and gags. It is essentially a subdued, intelligent satire of the staid British murder mystery genre that was popularized by Agatha Christie. There are the usual dark shadows, ominous thunderstorms, hidden passageways, and unexpected victims. There’s also a particularly great scene where the asylum director (Edward Fox from Day of the Jackal) dashes into the room via the library window to inform everyone, "There's an escaped homicidal maniac on the loose who has escaped from a home for the criminally insane! Just up the road!" For the remainder of the film, the window has been mystically repaired. 

Though this lacks the major star power of films like the somewhat similar Clue, there are a number of nice genre actor appearances. Carol Lynley (The Poseidon Adventure) stars and though something about her reminds me of Barbara Harris in Hitchcock’s Family Plot, Lynley lacks the presence or dry wit to really pull off the role. The big draw is Honor Blackman (Pussy Galore in Goldfinger) and Olivia Hussey (Black Christmas) as cousins involved in a not-so-secret lesbian couple. If she had a been a few years younger, Blackman would have been perfect in the lead role, but she is a nice addition regardless and hams it up at every turn. The film’s only real hero, the wholesome American cousin, is played by Michael Callan (lots and lots of television, Freeway, Chained Heat, Leprechaun 3). Wilfrid Hyde-White (The Third Man, My Fair Lady, Ten Little Indians) appears from beyond the grave as their dead uncle. 

I really enjoyed the film, but I’ll watch or read just about any murder mystery, particularly those with comic elements. If you’re looking for a film with satire, a few laughs, a nice, spooky atmosphere, absolutely lovely visuals, and a somewhat complex murder mystery, this is well worth checking out. There are a few surprise scares and some clever dialogue, and Metzger seems to embrace the ridiculousness of the genre as easily and steadfastly as he does with his porn films. As with Metzger’s best films, like The Opening of Misty Beethoven, whimsy abounds. The subtle, sophisticated humor is an acquired taste, but those who enjoy the genre should definitely check out this overlooked treat. There’s a basic DVD available from Image as part of their Metzger series. 

THE OPENING OF MISTY BEETHOVEN and Interview with Distribpix

Radley Metzger, 1976

Starring: Constance Money, Jamie Gillis, Jacqueline Beudant, Gloria Leonard, Terri Hall

Though I’ve reviewed a lot of Radley Metzger films over the last month or so, his masterpiece is undoubtedly The Opening of Misty Beethoven, a hilarious, erotic take on George Bernard Shaw’s play Pygmalion, which also inspired the more famous Audrey Hepburn vehicle My Fair Lady. A sexologist, Dr. Seymour Love, is picked up by a cheap prostitute in Paris and decides to challenge himself and see if he can turn her into a high class, talented mistress of sex. The titular Misty Beethoven goes through a variety of training sequences until she is ready for her first test - seducing a gay artist. During this time she realizes that she has feelings for Love, but he frequently puts her down, obsessed with his own skill as a sexologist. Her ultimate goal is to seduce a famous jet setter and become the year’s Goldenrod Girl (kind of like Playboy Playmate of the Year).  

After she successfully accomplishes this, Love again congratulates himself and insults Misty. When she leaves, he realizes that he is in love with her. Unlike the ending to Pygmalion, she returns to him, except in typical Metzger fashion, Misty is a strong female character and has to have the last word. She winds up taking over the sex school and writing the book that Love planned to write with him happily (and subserviently) at her side. 

The big budget and beautiful locations (Paris, Rome, New York) help to make this one of the most amazing porn films of all time. Despite the numerous sex scenes, this feels more like a ‘70s art house film that happens to include sex in its plot, rather than simply a sex film stretching to fill its running time with loosely constructed plot material. There is a real script and developed characters that we come to care about. This also has some of the finest moments of Metzger’s trademark humor and satire. These elements are typically absent from sex films, but definitely makes Misty Beethoven (and the work of a handful of other directors like Deep Throat’s Gerard Damiano) stand out. One scene in particular involves Misty helping out a sex-challenged man at the opera. While they have sex, the “William Tell Overture” plays to great effect. The soundtrack in general is very well done, with one track oddly sounding like one of the Goblin songs from Dario Argento’s Suspiria. 

The acting is surprisingly wonderful. The innocent-looking, beautiful Constance Money is perfect as Misty Beethoven and I can’t imagine anyone else in the role. The late, great Jamie Gillis is wonderful as Dr. Love. Shaw’s Colonel Pickering character, Henry Higgins’ associate, is transformed into Geraldine Rich, Dr. Love’s friend, played by the lovely Jacqueline Beudant. There are also some great supporting roles from porn regular Terri Hall, Ras Kean, Gloria Leonard, and Casey Donovan as the gay artist. 

There is a lot of sex in this film. Though there are some scenes that advance the plot forward, probably 75% of the film involves at least basic sex acts. This runs the gamut of heterosexual and lesbian sex, though there are almost constant blow jobs, because that is the act in particular that Misty has to master. Metzger enjoyed experimentation in his films and this was the first porn film with a major theatrical release to feature pegging (Misty fucks the jet setter with a strap on while he is having sex with his wife)! The great mix of traditional and experimental, humorous and erotic sex is one of the many things that sets this incredible film apart. 

The wonderful, dedicated Distribpix rescued Misty Beethoven for a lovely, crowd-funded Blu-ray that is probably the most impressive release of 2012. The print was taken directly from Metzger himself and lovingly restored with his supervision. Two versions of Misty Beethoven are available, the “hot” or XXX print, and the “cool” or softcore version. Distribpix has also returned the film to its original 1.85.1 aspect ratio and presented it in an AVC encoded 1080p high definition transfer. Another reason this release is well worth the purchasing price is because of the amount of extras. Beginning with a very insightful commentary track from Metzger himself, there is a second track with High Society publisher Gloria Leonard that serves as a good introduction to ‘70s sex films. 

The 45 minute documentary Behind the Scenes of Misty is indispensable for fans of the film, as is the final interview with co-star Jamie Gillis before his 2010 death. There is a featurette showing the restoration process of the film, plus a “Pop Up Video” style subtitle track that shares information about Misty Beethoven while you watch it. There are also dozens of outtakes, deleted scenes, radio spots, posters, promotional material, and trailers. The 60 page booklet is also a great read and has some essays about Misty and porn chic from Benson Hurst, as well as some collectible cards. I simply cannot say enough good things about either this film or the Distribpix release and both come with the highest recommendation. 

Steven from Distribpix was kind enough to answer a few questions about how The Opening of Misty Beethoven Blu-ray release came to be. 

Satanic Pandemonium: This Misty Beethoven release is amazing. Why did you seek out crowd funding to make it possible?

Distribpix: We really sought out crowd funding to help boost the awareness of the film's restoration, as well as raise some of the money to go toward the Blu-ray process, which is so darn expensive.

SP: How did you make the incredible amount of extras happen?

DP: The amount of extras all happened because we took our time, dedicated hundreds of hours to the project and had the cooperation of some great people all over the world, like our team of language translators and historians.

SP: Was it difficult to get the rights for the film?

DP: The rights to the film were obtained when Distribpix entered into a license agreement with Metzger for the films.

SP: What releases are on the horizon for Distribpix?

DP: Many releases are on the horizon - mainly Metzger's next film, Barbara Broadcast, and many other films that have been recently transferred in HD.

SP: What is your dream movie to have restored on Blu-ray?

DP: When you say dream movie, I am assuming you mean 'adult film' from our archive, if so, I would say that I am looking forward to restore the 1976 classic, Through The Looking Glass, by Jonas Middleton. I have the elements and it has a grand cult following. With some kool extras and custom art, it might be a great package.

SP: What’s your favorite adult film?

DP: As for my favorite adult film, that is so hard to say. For now I will just say Misty Beethoven!! I also love Weston's Take Off and Chuck Vincent’s Roommates. 

Thanks to Steven and Distribpix for such dedication and such an amazing release! I can't wait to see what they do with Barbara Broadcast, my second favorite Metzger film after Misty Beethoven. 

THE IMAGE

Radley Metzger, 1975

Starring: Mary Mendum aka Rebecca Brooke, Carl Parker, Marilyn Roberts

Continuing with his series of excellent softcore and hardcore films that led up to Metzger’s masterpiece, The Opening of Misty Beethoven, comes The Image, one of his most beautiful and most erotic works. At a party in Paris, Jean meets up with an old acquaintance, Claire, and is smitten with her friend, the beautiful but quiet Anne. He begins spending time with Claire and Anne and learns that their friendship is not a normal one - they both enjoy S&M and Anne is Claire’s slave. Jean becomes more obsessed with Anne, who has to do whatever Claire commands. Claire kindly shares her, leading them on a number of adventures, though their threesome is not really as it seems. 

Though this is technically a hardcore film (Metzger directed it under his porn pseudonym, Henry Paris) and there’s plenty of nudity, there is little in the way of explicit sex. There are a number of scenes of unsimulated fingering and oral sex, but there is no visible vaginal penetration, though the latter is implied in two scenes towards the end of the film. Most of the erotic scenes are sadomasochistic and thus relatively unconventional fare for '70s sex films. Anne, who is not allowed to wear underwear throughout the course of the film, is pleasured with a rose and then punished with its thorns. She is forced to publicly urinate in a garden and to stand at an expensive tea house while Jean and Claire finger her from behind, among other things. She engages in a threesome with Jean and a lingerie assistant while shopping for new (crotchless) underwear. On the more extreme side, she is repeatedly tied up and whipped, and also jabbed with needles. Claire forces her to pleasure Jean and in one scene it is unclear whether or not Jean is raping her. Probably not a film for everyone. 

All three stars give good performances, though Carl Parker’s (the saucy telephone repairman from Metzger’s Score) Jean sadly narrates much of the film. This was a typical ‘60s/early ‘70s convention, but it will undoubtedly seem cheesy to modern viewers. Mary Mendum (Laura’s Toys, among others, credited here as Rebecca Brooke) is excellent as the icy, reticent, and vulnerable Anne who suffers and enjoys a number of increasingly violent and humiliating punishments. I think the real star is Marilyn Roberts (Looking for Mr. Goodbar), who becomes more beautiful and seductive as the film progresses. 

Though not everyone will enjoy The Image, I think it is one of Metzger’s most erotic and beautifully shot films with some incredible set pieces. Also known as The Punishment of Anne and The Mistress and the Slave, like so many of Metzger’s other films, this has a literary source and is based on Jean de Berg aka Catherine Robbe-Grillet’s (wife of writer and director Alain Robbe-Grillet) novel of the same name. Though there is some extreme subject matter, this is a subtle love story in the vein of Pauline Reage’s Story of O. In the beginning of the film, Claire shows Jean a series of photographs depicting Anne in a sadomasochistic sexual scenario. The titular image, a picture of a naked woman that is clearly not Anne, sparks Jean’s interest. He comes to realize it is Claire, leading to their developing interest in one another that results in a surprisingly romantic and vanilla conclusion. 

Synapse lovingly restored The Image and released it on Blu-ray. It looks amazing, though there are sadly no real special features other than some fluff and nice liner notes from Nathaniel Thompson. Hopefully Arrow or Distribpix will get ahold of this sometime soon, because I would love a commentary track from Metzger. 

NAKED CAME THE STRANGER

Radley Metzger, 1975

Starring: Darby Lloyd Rains, Levi Richards, Mary Stuart

After The Private Afternoons of Pamela Mann, Naked Came the Stranger is Metzger’s second hardcore film, which he directed under the pseudonym Henry Paris. Naked Came the Stranger is one of Metzger’s finest films and is a great example of his wonderful use of style and humor. Married couple Gilly and Billy have their own radio show together. Gilly learns that Billy is having an affair with their assistant Phyllis. To get revenge, she begins a few affairs of their own with their friends and acquaintances. She spies on Billy and Phyllis and masturbates, then has a few other illicit (and occasionally comic) encounters. This culminates in a successful affair with Phyllis. 

Like most of Metzger’s other films, Naked Came the Stranger was inspired by a book of the same name. Allegedly thought to be written by a housewife, the novel was a hoax organized by a group of Newsday journalists intended to make fun of what they perceived as the poor quality of contemporary American literary culture. When the book became a best seller, they revealed the hoax, only making the book more popular.

Though this is a hardcore film, there is not a whole lot of explicit sex. Oral sex is maybe more prominent than it should be, far outweighing scenes of vaginal intercourse. What really makes Naked Came the Stranger stand out is the wonderful humor and strong acting from star Darby Lloyd Rains, who is probably one of the few actresses to give a really solid performance in a porn film. The humor and whimsy that developed in Metzger’s earlier films is on full display here and would continue to be a prominent element of his later hardcore and softcore films. The plot is fast moving and never dallies too far from the sex scenes. 

The ‘70s New York set is another delight and by this point in his career, Metzger’s style and camerawork is so refined that it puts other porn films from this era (or any other) to shame. There are a lot of wonderful locations, including a tap dance scene in an empty swimming pool and the mansion where The Great Gatsby was supposedly written. My favorite is probably the sex scene on the second floor of a double decker bus cruising around Manhattan during the daytime, allegedly shot without a permit. Metzger also deftly incorporates sound (and silence) into this film; one inventive scene in particular, shot in black and white, is reminiscent of the silent era of Hollywood. 

This isn’t Metzger’s best film, but it is well worth seeing and would provide a great introduction to those new to Metzger or ‘70s erotica. Smart, stylish, sexy, and funny, you could do a lot worse in terms of hardcore films. The wonderful DistribPix has restored and released a special edition version of Naked Came the Stranger, along with releases of some of Metzger’s other films: Maraschino Cherry, The Private Afternoons of Pamela Mann, and one of the best releases in recent memory, a crowd-funded Blu-ray of Metzger’s masterpiece, The Opening of Misty Beethoven. Naked Came the Stranger is an all region release with a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen presentation, English mono and Dolby Digital audio, and subtitles in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, and Portuguese. The special features make this well worth purchasing. There’s an incredible commentary from Metzger, a number of featurettes, and an impressive 40 page pamphlet with tons of information about the making of the film. Highly recommended. 

THE PRIVATE AFTERNOONS OF PAMELA MANN

Radley Metzger, 1974

Starring: Barbara Bourbon, Sonny Landham, Darby Lloyd Rains

"She needs a cock down her throat the way another woman needs a chocolate cake down her throat."

After making a series of semi-successful softcore films, Radley Metzger adopted the pseudonym Henry Paris and churned out five of the most interesting hardcore films of the ‘70s, possibly ever made. Though The Opening of Misty Beethoven is undeniably his classic, The Private Afternoons of Pamela Mann is his first and one of his best. A housewife, the titular Pamela Mann, goes on a series of adventures and her wealthy, paranoid husband sends a private investigator after her to see what (or who) she’s up to. She deep throats a random stranger on the Brooklyn Bridge, visits a hooker, distracts a conservative politician, gets kidnapped and raped by would-be revolutionaries, etc. There is a nice little twist ending that gives the whole affair a satirical note and explains away the rape fantasy sequence for those of you instantly enraged by the rape segment.  

Like Metzger’s artsy softcore film, The Lickerish Quartet, Pamela Mann is full of humor, twists, and plot complexities usually absent in hardcore porn films. As a result, it lends itself to repeat viewing and the sex is predictable enough that it would probably be safe to recommend to anyone interested in erotica but afraid of anything too hardcore. The sex scenes are fairly short (not like that doozy of a couple-swapping scene in Metzger’s Score) with a focus on oral sex, and there is nothing too transgressive at work. The movie is packed with visual and verbal jokes, including a running gag where a hippy polling girl repeatedly questions Pamela to allegedly give the film some socially redeeming value.

It is also clear that this is Metzger’s (ahem, Henry Paris) first hardcore film, so things don’t run as smoothly as in some of his later works. The sex scenes feel a little forced (not in a non-consensual way, despite that rape fantasy) or almost amateur, and the character development is rather lacking, but it is an enjoyable film regardless. The cinematography of ‘70s New York is particularly fascinating and will be a point of interest for many cinephiles, along with the film’s refreshingly self-aware tone. 

In addition to the stylish visuals and surprisingly developed plot, the film is full of familiar faces, at least for followers of ‘70s porn. The very sexy Barbara Bourbon, who stars as Pamela, sadly wasn’t in many films, though she is absolutely wonderful here. Sonny Landham (The Passions of Carol, Slippery When Wet, The Warriors, Poltergeist, Predator) makes an appearance as a politician. I have had a crush on him since Predator, where many of you will recognize him as Billy, one of the mercenaries. Darby Lloyd Rains (Naked Came the Stranger, Linda Lovelace Meets Miss Jones, Every Inch a Lady and many more) is one of the rapists and famous genre star Jamie Gillis makes an appearance as his partner in crime, though he barely appears in the cut, softcore version of the film. Prolific performer Eric Edwards (over 350 titles including Great Sexpectations and Laura’s Toys) also appears, as does one of my favorite sex film stars, Georgina Spelvin (Devil in Miss Jones), who has a part as the saucy prostitute. 

The wonderful Distribpix released the ultimate edition of Pamela Mann, a restored, two-disc delight that is chock full of special features. Though it is hard to compare anything to their stunning, crowd-funded release of The Opening of Misty Beethoven, this is definitely the best edition of Pamela Mann available and likely better than anyone could have expected. The first disc presents the remastered, uncut, hardcore version of the film, plus a wonderful commentary track with Metzger, a lengthy interview with Eric Edwards, and a Pamela Mann trailer. The second disc includes the softcore version, a substantial interview with Georgina Spelvin, and a series of featurettes focusing on the New York-based locations. Also included is a lovely booklet with a series of essays about the film. So far out of all the Metzger films I've reviewed, Pamela Mann is at the top of the list and the Distribpix release is a wonder to behold. 

SCORE

Radley Metzger, 1974

Starring: Claire Wilbur, Calvin Culver, Lynn Lowry, Gerald Grant, Carl Parker

"Jack, I'd hop in the sack with a porcupine if it struck my fancy."

A bisexual married couple pursues a younger, more conservative, newly married couple one night during a dinner party. Though the couple resists at first, a day and night of straight and gay sex, couple swapping, anal sex, lots of oral sex, a strap-on, amyl nitrates, role playing and costumes, drugs, and even an affair with the telephone repair man ensues. Metzger’s film is one of the first to portray bisexuality, which he does in an open and nonjudgemental manner. Score refers to the score kept between husband and wife about the number of people (presumably of the same sex) each have seduced. It is based on an off-Broadway play from 1971 by Jerry Douglas, which included a young Sylvester Stallone in a bit part as the telephone repairman. 

While Metzger changed the play very little other than the setting - moving it from Queens to an imaginary city in Europe - he made two different versions of the film, one softcore and the other hardcore in order to give the film wider potential distribution. This U.S.-Yugoslavian co-production is another of Metzger’s early ‘70s films shot in Croatia, but this looks more lush and inviting than something like Little Mother, which had the same location. The is the least stylish of Metzger’s mid-period films, but still includes some interesting camera angles and textures, namely during the often dizzying sex scenes. There is also a lot of very funny visual innuendo, not quite on the level of Austin Powers; in that neighborhood but much sexier. 

The film puts more of an emphasis on drama and dialogue than it does on sex, and while I enjoyed it, I literally fell asleep during the very long, very tame sex scene at the climax of the film. This is the first time I have ever fallen asleep watching a sex scene. Despite this, there are actually some very erotic moments and the actors are all lovely and bring a certain amount of humor and frankness. Though Lynn Lowry is perhaps the best known due to her roles in The Crazies, I Drink Your Blood, and Shivers, Claire Wilbur steals the film with the sheer amount of charm and sassiness that drives the plot forward. Calvin Culver (aka gay porn star Casey Donovan early in his career, playing a reluctantly gay husband in a straight marriage) and Gerald Grant don’t do a whole lot other than skip off in costumes and seduce each other, but they do it well. 

Arrow Video released a U.K., yet region-free Blu-ray in February as part of a Metzger trilogy with Camille 2000 and The Lickerish Quartet. Like the other two releases, Score looks absolutely lovely and is similar in print quality to the Cult Epics Blu-ray, but this print was restored with supervision from Radley Metzger himself. There is an aspect ratio of 1.78:1 and it is encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and a 1080p transfer. The release includes a lossless English LPCM 2.0 audio track with optional English subtitles. The soundtrack is clear, but somewhat aged, though this will only bother absolute perfectionists. There are a number of special features included, such as On the Set of Score, with plenty of behind-the-scenes footage, Keeping Score with Lynn Rowley, an interview, trailers, new sleeve artwork, and essays on the film from Robin Bougie. 

The only way that the Arrow release is inferior to the U.S. Cult Epics Blu-ray is that, unlike the fully uncut and hardcore version on the Cult Epics disc, the Arrow disc is bafflingly softcore and censored. It's difficult for me to recommend anything censored, but the disc is lovely and does have great special features. Obviously you should go with the uncut version, but as far as Metzger films go, you wouldn't be missing out too much with the softcore version of this film. If anyone recommends you watch a softcore version of something like The Opening of Misty Beethoven, slap them, hard, and without question. 

LITTLE MOTHER

Radley Metzger, 1973

Starring: Christiane Krüger, Mark Damon, Elga Sorbas, Anton Diffring

In some ways, Metzger’s Little Mother aka Mother is an anomaly in his early ‘70s catalog, tucked in between incredibly stylish erotic exploitation films like Camille 2000, The Lickerish Quartet, and Score. Make no mistake, Little Mother does contain some erotic scenes (orgy, anyone?) and the central character is a strong woman who gains her independence through sexual means, a la Carmen, Baby and Camille 2000, among others, but it seems that Metzger was trying to do something different and a little more ambitious with this film. Little Mother is actually a loose adaptation of the life of Eva Peron, which Metzger claimed he adapted before her story became famous around the world. 

The life of Metzger’s Peron stand-in, Marina Pinares, unfolds through a series of complicated flashbacks, where we see her rise from a birth in poverty to incredible political power and a possible presidency. In addition to prostituting herself, Marina is responsible for torture, betrayal, and almost constant power plays, particularly after she learns of her limited life sentence due to a terminal illness. She crushes a variety of friends and lovers under foot, namely her friend Annette, who parallels Marina’s story of partying, sex, and eventually syphilis, tuberculosis, and a murder planned by Marina. Her people, meanwhile, worship her, thinking she is generous, motherly, and almost saintly. 

Christiane Krüger is absolutely lovely in the role, though her accent and sometimes questionable acting ability occasionally gets in the way of what should be a compelling, charismatic performance. She is more masculine than most of the actresses chosen for Metzger’s films, but this generally works in his favor and he is able to overcome her stiffness with a few very sexy scenes, including one involving a glass shower door. Metzger’s regular collaborator, Hans Jura, is in charge of cinematography and makes the absolute most of the set. The result is a film that looks far more expensive than it actually cost to make, and, as always, stylish and elegant. 

Though the script, Croatian locations (it’s a beautiful country, but not so much here, where post-war poverty still lingers), and average performances don’t do anything in the film’s favor, it is still worth watching. It is certainly his weakest of the period, but only in the sense that the surrounding films are so strong, erotic, and imaginative. This mainly comes recommended for Metzger fans. It is interesting to see him attempt a historical drama with minimal eroticism, at least compared to his other early works, but it is ultimately a bit too ambitious. There is a decent DVD from Image/First Run that looks better than I expected it would, but keep in mind that this is still a relatively low budget early ‘70s film. 

THE LICKERISH QUARTET

Radley Metzger, 1970

Starring: Frank Wolff, Erika Remberg, Paolo Turco, Silvana Venturelli

Metzger’s last softcore film before he turned to hardcore movies under the pseudonym Henry Paris, The Lickerish Quartet is one of his finest and most surreal films, effectively putting his name on the top of the roster for ‘70s erotica. In a castle somewhere in Europe, a well-off couple and their adult son watch a porn film while trying to quell their endless boredom. Later, they go to a carnival and watch a death defying motorcycle act. One of the female performers appears to be the same woman from the film, so they take her home with them for what promises to be an intriguing night. But when they finally put the film on, it becomes a different entity entirely, reflecting the foursome’s varied desires, fantasies and personal histories. Soon their guest begins to seduce them each in turn, further changing the contents of the film and their lives. 

There is some stunning cinematography from regular Metzger collaborator Hans Jura and The Lickerish Quartet has some of Metzger’s most impressive early visuals. One of the first sex scenes, which takes place inside a highly stylized library, is incredibly impressive and alone makes the film worth watching. Though technically a U.S. film, this was shot in southern Italy at the beautiful Balsorano Castle. Between the labyrinthine castle and the lush surroundings, it seems that this could, at any moment, turn into a horror film (in fact several, including Bloody Pit of Horror, were shot here). This somewhat mind-bending film feels like it was co-directed by Jean Rollin (sans vampires) and was influenced by Pasolini’s Teorema. It was understandably praised by artist-filmmakers at the time, such as Andy Warhol. There’s a decent score from Stelvio Cipriani, though I unfortunately can’t think of him without recalling his brain-melting soundtrack to Sergio Martino’s The Great Alligator. 

Loosely based on Luigi Pirandello’s Six Characters in Search of an Author, the mind games, winding dialogue, and attempts at characterization are all somewhat silly, but if you can look past those things and expect no more of the film than what a standard ‘70s erotica outing would typically offer, you will be very pleasantly surprised. Metzger’s clever use of desire and erotic tension is effective and he ultimately created a compelling meditation on the nature of memory, fantasy, and desire. The acting is average, but Silvana Venturelli, the “guest,” is beautiful and absolutely captivating. It’s a shame she didn’t have many other film roles other than this, Camille 2000 and small parts in a handful of Italian films from the period. 

The Lickerish Quartet comes highly recommended, particularly for fans of unusual erotica and anyone with a special interest in cinematography. It is one of my favorite Metzger films. British company Arrow Video released The Lickerish Quartet this February as a dual format Blu-ray and DVD as part of a trilogy of Metzger releases, along with Camille 2000 and Score. Don’t worry, the discs are region-free, so you can play them on anything. The restored print, an encoded MPEG-4 AVC print with a 1.86:1 aspect ratio and a 1080p transfer is presumably taken from the same source as the U.S. Cult Epics release, looks absolutely wonderful. The print is uncut for the first time in the U.K. and includes optional English subtitles. 

The lossless audio track is particularly stand out, making a few improvements over the Cult Epics release. Wonderful special features include an audio commentary with Metzger and film historian Michael Bowen, The Making of The Lickerish Quartet with behind-the-scenes footage, examples of toned down sex scenes, Giving Voice to the Quartet about the different audio tracks, and some more Metzger trailers. As with the other Arrow releases, there is an insert with all new artwork and a booklet with essays from Cinema Sewer’s Robin Bougie. 

CAMILLE 2000

Radley Metzger, 1969

Starring: Danièle Gaubert, Nino Castelnuovo, Eleonora Rossi-Drago, Philippe Forquet

Though he tread somewhat similar thematic ground with the earlier Carmen, Baby, also a literary adaptation, Metzger’s Camille 2000 is the film I would consider to be his first masterpiece. Based on Alexander Dumas’ The Lady of the Camellias, which was most famously adapted as Verdi’s opera La Traviata and as George Cukor’s film Camille (1936) starring Greta Garbo, Camille 2000 concerns the beautiful, wildly independent Marguerite and her doomed romance with the young, innocent Armand. Marguerite is essentially a courtesan. She is a drug addicted party girl, kept by a wealthy older man, but is not opposed to entertaining others in order to keep herself in the lifestyle to which she is accustomed. She also enjoys throwing orgy parties at her house just for fun. Armand is instantly smitten with her and eventually wins her over, though he is angered and upset by her lifestyle. 

She briefly tries to change her ways and even supports Armand financially, because he has had his allowance cut off due to her reputation. But she knows it cannot last. Marguerite discards Armand and returns to her life of sex, drugs, and parties, hiding her heartbreak and concealing a dark secret that will soon spell her doom. Like Carmen, Baby, this is about a woman who has gained financial independence through her sexuality, a sexuality that Metzger portrays as essentially positive, a sign of a strong personality and secure individualism. While Carmen (and her powerful eroticism) is linked to a certain criminal element, Marguerite is a consummate party girl and her love of sex and dependence on it is mirror by other addictions, namely drugs. She is a slave to her lifestyle and past decisions have spelled her death sentence in the form of a terminal sexually transmitted disease. 

Model and actress Danièle Gaubert is absolutely radiant and the camera worships her. Nino Castelnuovo (The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, Strip Nude for Your Killer, Massacre Time) is very nice to look at, but pales in comparison to Gaubert, who completely overwhelms him. The chemistry between Gaubert and Castelnuova is somewhat lacking, but thanks to Gaubert’s expressiveness, it doesn’t really take away from the film. The dialogue is simple, but this is the first time Metzger’s trademark wit and humor are present, something that would shine in his later classics like The Opening of Misty Beethoven.  

As for the sex, there isn’t anything mind blowing or taboo busting, but Metzger’s portrayal of promiscuity is, as always, matter of fact and pleasingly free of judgement. He explores some questions common to his films, such as how sex and love relate to identity and to ownership. There is a truly wonderful scene towards the end of the film where everyone attends a prison-themed S&M party. Camille 2000 is worth watching just for the costumes and set pieces during this scene. This is also Metzger's most explicit film to date, showing more nudity and a little more softcore sex than his earlier works. Instead of close ups of faces in presumed ecstasy, there are actually full-framed shots of entangled bodies with the usual refreshing emphasis on female as well as male pleasure. Be forewarned that almost all of the sex scenes are very long. 

The film in general is perhaps overly long with slow pacing and gradually building intensity that moves towards a predictable conclusion, but both as an exercise in style and as an example of erotic filmmaking, Camille 2000 is definitely worth a look. Style is far more important than substance here, but that is where Metzger really shines. Though some of his early films like Therese and Isabelle are lovely, this is really where he began to expert with outstanding results. There is wonderful cinematography from Ennio Guarnieri and art director Enrico Sabbatini packs every frame with color, texture, fabrics, weird inflatable furniture, oddly shaped mirrors, and fantastic, futuristic costumes that celebrate excess. Marguerite’s bedroom, with its glass, mirrors, and shiny white sheets foreshadows the hospital scene at the end of the film, where she and Armand have their final, emotional meeting. The score by Piero Piccioni is another fantastic element. You can listen to it here. 

Camille 2000 is my favorite early Metzger film and it comes highly recommended. There is a Blu-ray from Cult Epics, who are restoring and releasing Metzger’s films with the utmost care and respect. They have included deleted scenes back into the film and recorded a commentary track with Metzger, among other special features. There is also a great region 2 Blu-ray with even more special features and a DVD combo from Arrow.

Edit: Arrow was kind enough to send me their fabulous new Camille 2000 Blu-ray, which is worthy of some additional attention. This February, they released Camille 2000 on dual format Blu-ray + DVD with two other Metzger titles, Score and The Lickerish Quartet, all of which are restored with incredible respect and detail. And they were personally overseen by Radley Metzger. The print here is so far the most complete released in the U.K. and I believe reflects the most complete version of the print available in general (it seems to be from the same source as the Cult Epics U.S.-released Blu-ray).

It was fairly standard for Metzger’s later films to be released in cut versions, particularly the hardcore movies he made as Henry Paris. Though Camille is a softcore film, some scenes were removed upon its theatrical release. The Arrow version is 124 minutes, while many other releases reflect the 116 minute trimmed print. The transfer is a 1080p/24fps MPEG4-AVC codec in the original 2:35.1 aspect ratio, restored from the original Technicolor 35mm negative, with some of the extra footage taken from another 35mm interpositive print. It is certainly the best this lush, beautiful film could possibly look. The remaining dust and spots were purposefully left in by Metzger, who wanted the film to have an original look, which means most post processing was also avoided. The audio also sounds great and optional English subtitles were included.

There are also some wonderful special features that make this release well worth picking up. The audio commentary track from Metzger and film historian Michael Bowen is my favorite extra and sheds some light on an era I have been revisiting extensively in February and will continue to look at in March: ‘60s and ‘70s erotica and porn. Also included is On the Set of Camille 2000 with behind the scenes footage of stars Danièle Gaubert and Nino Castelnuovo and narration from Metzger. A cut scene is included, “Sylviana’s Bare Striptease,” as well as an alternate take, a comparison of the print restoration, and original trailers for all three films Arrow has restored. The set also includes a collector’s booklet with essays from Robin Bougie (Cinema Sewer). On a final note, this is a region free release, so even though it comes from the U.K., it will work in any player. 

THERESE AND ISABELLE

Radley Metzger, 1968

Starring: Essy Persson, Anna Gaël, Barbara Laage, Anne Vernon

One of the earliest films to present a positive and erotic portrayal of lesbianism, Metzger’s well-known art film concerns two teenagers, the quiet Therese and the rebellious Isabelle. They meet at boarding school after These is abandoned there by her newly remarried mother. She strikes up an intense friendship with Isabelle, one that quickly turns into a secret love affair, as intense as it is brief. Soon after their relationship begins in earnest, Isabelle’s mother takes her away to somewhere else in Europe, never to be seen again by Therese. 

Based on the novel by Violette Leduc, this French-U.S.-Dutch co-production is framed by scenes of the adult Therese visiting the boarding school and remembering her relationship with Isabelle. Some of Leduc’s flowery prose is preserved in lengthy narration, a technique used in nearly all of Metzger’s early films and a lot of ‘60s erotica. The voice-overs are primarily used during the drawn out sex scenes between the girls. These moments are light on nudity or explicit sex and instead focus on eroticism and romance. As with some of Metzger’s early films, there are facial close ups and a lot of staring intensely at the ceiling and moaning, but mostly out of focus, heavily shadowed scenes that imply more than they show. Their sexual exploration is melancholic, slow, and full of discovery. 

The lovely Essy Persson (she starred in the earlier, erotic Swedish film, I, A Woman, which was distributed by Metzger in the U.S. and was very scandalous at the time) is clearly too old to play a teenage girl, but is otherwise perfect for the role. Her somber, lovesick presence nearly overwhelms Hungarian actress Anna Gaël (Erotic Trap, Nana and a very interesting life in addition to her acting career), though the latter has some key scenes, such as a fist fight with another girl at school and a frustrating scene where she hires a room at a whore house so that she and Therese can be alone together for once. The characters of Therese and Isabelle are both very basic, which limits the film to a certain extent, but prevents things from getting too complicated or silly. Therese and Isabelle also eschews the typical characterizations used by Metzger in many of his films from this period: the strong, independent, and sexually experienced woman with a troubled life that has a tragic outcome. 

With the increased eroticism, beautiful black and white cinematography from Hans Jura, and somewhat tragic romance, I mostly viewed Therese and Isabelle as one of the filmic stepping stones to Metzger’s later, more sexual and more interesting works. It is certainly one of his most accessible efforts and is unlikely to shock any modern viewers. The film is historically important because of its positive portrayal of the lesbian relationship. It brings the lonely, love-starved Therese an intense connection with someone else and only ends poorly because Isabelle is removed from school. The final scenes of the young Therese show her being comforted by another school mate and running off to play a game. This has elements of later films like Peter Jackson’s Heavenly Creatures, and though I am pleased that Therese and Isabelle has a more positive ending, I think Metzger, with his trademark style, could have further explored their imaginative inner lives and developing sexual fantasies. 

The vagueness of the plot and inconclusive ending is in Metzger’s favor, making this film feel more like a sad, erotic daydream than an exercise in realism. Fans of ‘60s erotica will enjoy this slow burn of a film, rich with atmosphere and surprisingly thick erotic tension, despite the lack of shock value for contemporary audiences. There is a decent DVD from Image/First Run that is worth checking out. Ignore most of the other reviews, which either say this is one of Metzger’s masterpieces (those come a little later) or mainstream negative reviews like the one from the frequently idiotic Ebert, who declared, “This is it, the worst movie of the year.”

CARMEN, BABY

Radley Metzger, 1967

Starring: Uta Levka, Claus Ringer, Carl Möhner, Barbara Valentin

"I know her intimately… but not well."

Carmen is a beautiful waitress and con artist who lives by her own rules. She tricks a young policeman, José, who is landed in jail for helping her. When he is released from prison, she pays him back with a night of serious seduction. Predictably, he falls in love with her and wants their relationship to continue. Carmen returns his feelings, but refuses to give up her lifestyle of crime and pleasure. They are forced to go on the run after José kills one of her lovers and things go from bad to worse when he learns she has a husband. Carmen’s stubborn independence and José's passionate jealously spell disaster. 

Carmen is based on the novella by French author Prosper Mérimée, first published in 1845. It inspired dozens of adaptations, including the famous opera by Georges Bizet. The novella tells the story of the beautiful gypsy (Romani is the more correct term, I know) woman Carmen and her doomed love with the soldier Don José. The film is a reasonably faithful adaptation of Carmen and runs through all the major plot points in the novel. The tragic crux of the story is that Carmen is determined to be free, not to be owned by anyone or forced to consent to monogamy, even though she is technically a married woman. What made the novella and the opera so shocking are the portrayals of sex, crime, and an outlaw lifestyle (someone should really make a biker version of Carmen). 

Though Metzger is unable to present these elements as controversially as Bizet’s opera, Carmen’s sexual promiscuity, strength of personality, and insistence on sexual and emotional freedom represents the origins of a formula he would use throughout almost all of his subsequent films. Carmen’s control over her own sex life and reliance on her sexuality for basic survival sets up most of the sex scenes in the film, though they aren’t particularly erotic or scandalous by today’s standards. With that said, there are some cleverly perverse scenes. Carmen does a dance at a night club that involves her sitting on a wine bottle and has an affair with a politician that turns into a threesome with his kinky wife. A pop singer Carmen seduces drinks alcohol out of baby bottles and makes a few infantilism references, and there is a lovely sex scene shot through colored glasses and bottles. Sex is implied, but never explicitly shown, and there are a lot of facial close ups, particularly during implied oral sex scenes. Overall this is a literary drama with some eroticism, unlike Metzger’s later films which emphasize erotica and/or hardcore sex more than plot. 

With Carmen he developed the formula that would become so successful with his later films: an eroticized, modernized literary adaptation with a strong, central female character. Though this is his first color film, it lacks the opulent style and welcome humor that made his middle period so enjoyable. Carmen is one of the darkest of Metzger’s films and though the titular character seems fond of José, she repeatedly mocks his love and manipulates him into aggression and murder, eventually her own. Uta Levka (she appeared briefly in his previous film, The Alley Cats) is absolutely beautiful here, but is a cold, restrained and even mean-spirited version of Carmen. Claus Ringer, an utterly un-Spanish looking José, is unfortunately bland and boring. His lack of personality justifies Carmen’s disinterest in him, which makes the plot less believable.

I would not recommend this jazzy, swinging ‘60s version of Carmen for first time Metzger viewers, but it is worth seeing if you’re a fan of his other work or of ‘60s erotica movies. This film helped kick off some of his later, great works when it received a measure of success, particularly from positive critical reviews and a nice write up from the New York Times. There is a DVD box set from Image Entertainment, The Radley Metzger Collection Volume 3, which includes the superior The Lickerish Quarter and the far inferior The Princess and the Call Girl. Unfortunately these box sets are known for their miserably bad transfers, so I would go with the single disc Image release or just a rental. 

THE ALLEY CATS

Radley Metzger, 1966

Starring: Anne Arthur, Karin Field, Sabrina Koch, Charlie Hickan, Uta Levka

“The swingin' sixties like you've never seen them.”

Radley Metzger’s third film (second directed solely by him), The Alley Cats is sort of a mad spiral of European swinging ‘60s infidelity. Leslie and Logan are engaged. He is having an affair with one of her friends, but is paranoid Leslie is cheating on him, which she soon begins to do out of sexual frustration. Irena, an elegant acquaintance, begins an affair with Leslie, who finds some liberation, but also some confusion, in her new found promiscuity. 

This is one of Metzger’s more disappointing early films and even though it tries to be sexy and shocking, will likely be too tame and slowly paced for modern viewers. This is more of an erotica melodrama than a softcore porn film. There is almost no nudity and though sex is a regular occurrence, it is not shown on screen (or is shot through a greased up lens). A lot of people mush their faces together, though. Even though it is not as developed as Metzger’s later films, it shares themes that would reappear, like a positive view of lesbianism, the subtext of posing for art as an invitation for sex, a woman going on a sexual journey to gain control over her life, and sexy European settings filled with sexy people who seemingly do nothing but party and have sex. Though the film lacks Metzger’s trademark humor and wit, there is some absolutely hilarious dialogue, such as “Me? Where have I been? Around the world in 80 ways, that’s where I’ve been.” There are a number of once-shocking but now silly scenes, like a sexual whipping that suddenly turns into a threesome and a moment when Leslie’s first illicit sex partner writes how great she was on her sleeping body in lipstick. Predictably and somewhat upsettingly, it ends with what I think is an affirmation of heterosexual monogamy. 

I can’t complain at all about the lovely ladies present. Ann Arthur is great as Leslie in her only role, playing up the character’s vulnerabilities. Sabrina Koch, also in her only film role, stands out as the somewhat predatory lesbian Irena. There are also more familiar faces, such as German actress Karin Field, who appeared in a number of crime-horror hybrids known as krimi: Night of the Vampires, The Hunchback of Soho, The Mad Butcher, Web of the Spider, etc. The lovely Uta Levke makes an appearance as a very sexy night club dancer. She was also in a few krimi - The Hunchback of Soho, The Monster of Blackwood Castle, etc. - in Metzger’s Carmen, Baby, in Fulci’s comedy Operazione San Pietro, and in Vincent Price vehicles The Oblong Box and Scream and Scream Again. 

The Alley Cats is available on an out of print DVD from Image Entertainment and in First Run Features’ Radley Metzger Collection Volume 1 box set, which includes Camille 2000 and Therese and Isabelle. Apparently the transfers are quite bad, so I would stick with the Image release or wait for something better. Do not get this movie on accident, though. Despite The Alley Cats’ flaws, it has Metzger’s trademark beautiful visuals and fun, jazzy score and comes recommended for anyone who enjoys '60s erotica. 

THE DIRTY GIRLS

Radley Metzger, 1965

Starring: Reine Rohan, Denyse Roland, Marlene Sherter, Peter Parten

The Dirty Girls is Metzger’s first solo feature length film. Though he made the compilation Dictionary of Sex (1964) before this, this is the first film that would foreshadow some of his later erotic masterpieces. It follows the exploits of two prostitutes, Garance and Monique, one located in Paris and the other in Germany. The two women are not connected, other than by their professions, and the film has an episodic feel. The first section deals with a ditzy “working girl” and a variety of her clients who attempt to represent a wide scope of general johns. We then switch to the Munich whore and her daily adventures. 

These women are completely unlike the strong female characters in Metzger’s later films and are one of the primary reasons that The Dirty Girls pales in comparison to many of his later works. It is also campier with some silly scenes involving a swimming pool and some fully clothed attempts at debauchery, not a lot of nudity, and some very circumspect sex scenes. The most graphic moments are a little bit of lesbianism, some S&M and an attempted rape, though it seems laughable by today’s standards. Apparently these moments were scandalous in 1965, but I don’t think there are many women “of 1000 pleasures” to be found in The Dirty Girls. 

This low budget film makes good use of European settings, prefiguring some of Metzger’s lush locations and cinematography in his later films. There is an occasionally good use of humor, but it is mostly awkward and there is an unfortunate subplot with a business man. The characters and dialogue are difficult to take serious. On the other hand, the smooth voiced, very serious male narrator is unintentionally hilarious. 

The Dirty Girls is interesting primarily because it provides a glimpse at the transition between early ‘60s mondo films and the Golden Age of Porn in the ‘70s and early ‘80s. Despite the unfortunate title, this isn’t nearly as dirty as it implies. I would only recommend it to Metzger or ‘60s/‘70s erotica completists. There are some nice period elements, such as classy visuals, a jazzy score and a romanticism of all that is European. One of the loveliest scenes in the films involves one of the ladies making out with herself up against a mirror. 

This was released on DVD by Image Entertainment as part of their Radley Metzger series. It marks a vast improvement over previous releases, though the image is not perfect. It’s very out of print by this point, but you can find used copies online for a reasonable price. The DVD includes trailers and a nudie reel of scenes that were restored back into the film by Image (they were cut for the theatrical release). 

DARK ODYSSEY

William Kyriakis, Radley Metzger, 1961

Starring: Athan Karras, Jeanne Jerrems, David Hooks, Rosemary Torri

Radley Metzger’s first film, co-directed with his friend William Kyriakis, is a straightforward drama with touches of the crime or noir genres, and is completely different from the rest of Metzger’s output. Yianni, a Greek sailer who has emigrated to New York City, is determined to find the man responsible for his sister’s dishonor and death. She was engaged to a man who abandoned her and her subsequent suicide is a result of public shame with the implication of rape or some damning sexual relationship. During his quest to find this man, Yianni meets Nikki, a lovely, innocent Greek American. He falls in love with her and begins to believe that they could lead a normal, happy life and perhaps he should abandon his revenge plot.

Though Dark Odyssey aka Passionate Sunday is unlikely to attract fans of Metzger’s erotic films, it is worthy of seeing for a number of reasons. First, it presents a realistic snapshot of every day life in New York in the ‘50s, one that runs concurrently with the film’s narrative. Second, it is one of the most intimate filmic looks at post-war Greek immigrants, their life in America and the continuation of their cultural traditions. Many of the actors and extras were Greek, the film was shot in Greek neighborhoods in Washington Heights, on the Hudson, and near the George Washington Bridge, in a Greek-owned nightclub, diner, church, etc. Many of the people involved with the film donated their time and locations. When it finally received distribution, it was shown in theaters frequented by Greek-American and there is allegedly a dubbed Greek-language version of the film to make it more appealing to Greek Americans.

This neorealist family drama, focused on honor and ethics, bears little relationship to any of Metzger’s other works and instead feels like a combination of John Cassavetes, Morris Engle, Elia Kazan, and maybe even early Scorsese. Shot independently, this is a film about regular people in ‘50s New York: sailors, immigrants, working class people with difficult lives. It captures the ins and outs of Greek family life, of the relationship between traditional Greek parents and their American born children who are beginning to adopt different cultural values. This seems to have been largely the love child of co-director William Kyriakis, himself a Greek immigrant who grew up in New York. He wrote most of the film himself and co-produced and directed with Metzger.

Though the film did well critically, even garnering praise from the New York Times, the difficulty finding a distributor and lack of advertising ensured box office failure. Dark Odyssey was eventually rescued from obscurity by First Run Features, who released in on VHS. Image Entertainment later released it on DVD as part of their extensive Metzger series. This version is now out of print, but you can still find copies online. Dark Odyssey is an interesting snapshot of a past era and is overall well made, with interesting characters, an emotionally impactful script, and gritty, but attractive camera work. With that said, unless you are a fan of neorealism, Dark Odyssey is probably not a must-see and feels out of place with the rest of Metzger’s work.