Production Year: 1970 - Horror - Director: Jess Franco - Original Language: Italian - Classification: 18 years and over - Starring: Dennis Price, Jesus Franco, Margaret Lee, Adolfo Lastretti, James Darren, Klaus Kinski, Manfred Mann, Maria Rohm more
This bizarre European jazz-horror film is named after the controversial novel by Leopold Sacher Masoch, but the similarities end with the title. James Darren stars as Jimmy, a... more
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Horror - Director: Dominique Othenin-Girard, Jorge Montesi, Don Taylor, John Moore, Richard Donner - Original Language: English - Classification: 18 years and over
Actor(s): Maria Rohm, Manfred Mann, Klaus Kinski, James Darren, Dennis Price, Jesus Franco, Margaret Lee, Adolfo Lastretti
Director(s): Jess Franco
Genre: Horror
Classification: 18 years and over
Production Year: 1970
Video Category: World Cinema Feature Film
Country Of Origin: Italy
Plot: James Darren stars as Jimmy, a mixed-up trumpet player who finds the body of a beautiful woman, Wanda (Maria Rohm), washed up in the surf. He remembers her from a decadent party some years (or was it days?) before. In his flashback, she is mauled by some rich, decadent freaks named Ahmed (Klaus Kinski), Olga (Margaret Lee) and Kapp (Dennis Price). Jimmy splits for Carnivale in Rio, and jams with Manfred Mann, and soul-singing girlfriend Rita (Barbara McNair) until Wanda turns up alive (or is she?) Jimmy falls for her, and they have lots of sex, after which she stalks, seduces, and kills those responsible for her death.
Release details
DVD Region: Region 0 (All Regions)
Studio(s): REDEMPTION FILMS; SALVATION FILMS; TOTAL HOME ENTERTAINMENT (THE)
Release date: 11/06/2007
No of Discs: 1
Catalogue No: REDDVD 039
Barcode: 5060080531356
Languages
Main Language: Italian
Dubbed Language: English
DVD Description
This bizarre European jazz-horror film is named after the controversial novel by Leopold Sacher Masoch, but the similarities end with the title. James Darren stars as Jimmy, a mixed-up trumpet player who finds the body of a beautiful woman, Wanda (Maria Rohm), washed up in the surf. He remembers her from a decadent party some years (or was it days?) before. In his flashback, she is mauled by some rich, decadent freaks named Ahmed (Klaus Kinski), Olga (Margaret Lee) and Kapp (Dennis Price). Jimmy splits for Carnivale in Rio, and jams with Manfred Mann, and soul-singing girlfriend Rita (Barbara McNair) until Wanda turns up alive (or is she?) Jimmy falls for her, and they have lots of sex, after which she stalks, seduces, and kills those responsible for her death. The jilted Rita gets sad and leaves Rio, but still sings the Venus in Furs theme song, and there’s a neat shock ending. This acid-soaked Euro-sex time capsule is even weirder than it sounds, thanks to the uncompromisingly warped vision of director Jess Franco.
Technical information
Special Features: Jess Franco interview, Maria Rohm interview, Theatrical trailer
Aspect Ratio: 4:3 Full Frame
Sound: Dolby Digital
Professional reviews
Review: An exhilarating trip for bargain-basement surrealists (Premiere, 11/05/2007)
Advantages: Beatiful release of a lost movie Disadvantages: Thin on story, but great on looks
...Shameless Films 5th DVD release is the little seen (nowadays anyway) Venus In Furs, not to be confused with the 1969 Jess Franco edition currently available on the redemption label. This version from director Massimo Dallamano is based more accurately upon the novel by Leopold Sacher-Masoch who's name believe it or not is where the word masochism originates from. The story here is delivered into modern times, well if you classify 1969 as modern.
Venus In Furs tells a story about fetishist Severin (Regis Vallee) a man who likes to watch people making love, and has done since being a child. While living his life in a sort of holiday camp by a beautiful lake his attention is drawn towards a young woman called Wanda (Laura Antonelli) a artists model who has decided to take vacation there. Luckily Severin is residing in the room next...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Superb performances. Beautiful soundtrack. Disadvantages: Too many close-ups. A little shudder-inducing in parts.
...Despite eight nominations for best actor in the Academy Award, Peter O'Toole has never actually won an Oscar. Incredible, considering some of the memorable and well-loved roles he has played during his forty+ year film career (remember Lawrence of Arabia and the Man of Le Mancha - to name but two). His latest nomination was only this year in 2007 for his role in the film Venus.
Venus was not (in my opinion) one of O'Toole's finest roles or one his more endearing. Without O'Toole however, the film would have been lacking. It was O'Toole's screen presence that carried the film and made what could have been a faux-pas into something strangely absorbing and worth watching.
Venus is the result of collaboration between screenwriter Hanif Kureishi and director Roger Michell. This is the second film the pair have made together...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: For the first time uncut Disadvantages: I was left a bit dissapointed
...on the reverse colour blocked with the now traditional Shameless yellow colours.
The DVD has trailers for Manhattan Baby, The Frightened Woman, Killer Nun, Venus In Furs, and a advert for Argent films series of Nunsploitation movies.
There is of course the original trailer for Flavia The Heretic included also.
The movie is presented in a clean Widescreen format with an uncut running time of 96.02.
Personally I find this the most disappointing of Shameless' releases although I'm delaying reviewing the awful Manhattan Baby which on previous encounters I found abysmal.
There is a sort of censorship surrounding the DVD release of Flavia of the three HMV stores I checked none had the DVD, they normally stock all Shameless titles with an RRP of £12.99; this could either be due to high turnover of stock or because they are simply avoiding...
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![Venus In Furs [1970]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/65163584.jpg)
12.02.2008
