Venus in Furs
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DVD details
Actor: Jesus Franco, Maria RohmBrand: RYKODISC
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono; English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Format: Color, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 86 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2005-02-22
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Model: 581105
Studio: Blue Underground, Inc.
Product features:
- VENUS IN FURS (DVD MOVIE)
DVD Reviews of Venus in Furs
DVD Review: Franco's Psychedelic MindTrip now on an excellent DVD
Summary: 4 Stars
Generally considered Jess Franco's finest work, Venus in Furs is the epitome of the Euro-cult exploitation/horror genre. It stars Franco favorite, Maria Rohm as Wanda and James Darren as Jimmy, the Jazz trumpeter. Jimmy sees Wanda being whipped and stabbed to death in an S&M scene gone awry. He flees but finds her mutilated body washed ashore on a beach in Istanbul. He then flees halfway round the world to Rio de Janeiro. But horror of horrors, Wanda or someone who looks like her walks into the Jazz club where he's performing. He falls for her and they become a couple, much to the consternation of his girlfriend played by the black singer Barbara McNair. Suddenly, one by one, the people responsible for Wanda's death, end up dead, beginning in Rio and ending up back in Istanbul. Is Wanda really dead? Is it her spirit coming back for revenge? Well, as we find out, Wanda really is dead and so it eventually turns out, is he. Is your head spinning yet? In this acid-tinged psychedelic movie, it really isn't all that important. It runs on a logic all its own. But the final twist, which predates The Sixth Sense by decades, brings this trippy masterpiece to a fitting close. Audience reaction to this movie often falls into two diametrically opposite camps, either you love it, or you detest it. I found it very enjoyable and taken as a whole, the most satisfying of all of Franco's works.
Among Franco's output, this has probably the least amount of gratuitous nudity or sex, and what there is of it, is beautifully lensed by Angelo Lotti, in his only collaboration with the director. None of the cheesy soft-porn fare we see in his other films. In fact this has probably the best camerawork in all of Franco's movies. With its use of a classy jazz score, specially written and played by Manfred Mann and Mike Hugg, psychedelic imagery, glossy sets and generally high production values, it transcends its sexploitation origins.
On a separate note, do not confuse this work with Leopold von Sacher-Masoch's literary classic of the same name. The only similarity is the title and the name of the main character, Wanda. Franco's explanation tells us the reason. His film was orginally titled Black Angel and he originally envisioned a black actor for the male lead. But social attitudes at the time prevented the casting of a black actor having intimate relations with a white woman. Hence the change to a white male lead. Then the money-men decided they wanted him to produce a film based on Masoch's novel "Venus in Furs". As he was already planning to film Black Angel, he conveniently changed the title, gave his main star Maria Rohm a full length fur-coat to put on, changed a few things in the script and hey presto, his Black Angel became overnight what the producers wanted, "Venus in Furs". This sleight of hand to get funding for his movie meant that the film had little in common with the original novel. The kindest thing is to say that it was inspired by Masoch's novel. By the way, Masoch's novel has been translated many times into film, some bearing the original title, others not. Franco's version bears the least resemblance to it. (Masoch is the origin for the word masochist which is what the protagonist in the novel was and what he definitely isn't in this movie).
Blue Underground has done a remarkable job restoring and remastering this film for DVD. It is not perfect but for a film shot in 1969, it looks stunning. The colors are rich and vibrant, skintones are accurate, black levels are spot on with impressive image detail. Film grain is visible throughout, especially in outdoor shots but this isn't too distracting. There are dirt specks and debris in certain scenes, especially in the slow-mos, which makes you wonder if they were culled from different sources. But for most of the movie, picture quality is simply outstanding. Blue Underground presents the film in its original 1.85:1 widescreen with anamorphic enhancement. Sound is 2.0 mono but a very beautifully recorded and remastered mono it is. No hiss, no crackle. The music comes though crystal clear and with great presence. Voices are dubbed throughout although all the actors spoke english. While James Darren and Barbara McNair dub their own parts, we never get to here Maria Rohm, Margaret Lee or Klaus Kinski. With each new release I stand in awe of Blue Underground. They are to Genre/Cult films what Criterion is to mainstream cinema classics.
Extras include a 20min interview with Franco where he discusses the genesis of the film, an 11min audio-only interview with Maria Rohm who declined to be filmed preferring fans to remember her as the radiant beauty she was in her heyday, a single US trailer for the movie and finally a gallery of stills and posters. A treasured addition to any Franco or Euro-cult collection.
Description of Venus in Furs
Jess Franco?s Supernatural Sex Stunner!Of the all the twisted hits from cult director Jess Franco (SADOMANIA, 99 WOMEN), this is the one that fans and critics alike call his masterpiece! James Darren (THE GUNS OF NAVARONE, DEEP SPACE NINE) stars as a traumatized trumpeter sucked into a whirlpool of psycho-sexual horror along with his sultry girlfriend (singer Barbara McNair), a kinky lesbian (Margaret Lee of THE BLOODY JUDGE), a depraved playboy (the legendary Klaus Kinski) and the mysterious, insatiable beauty (luscious Maria Rohm of JUSTINE) who may lead them all straight to Hell.
Dennis Price (VAMPYROS LESBOS) co-stars in this infamous erotic shocker that also features an outstanding jazz score by British rockers Manfred Mann. VENUS IN FURS has been remastered from original vault elements and is now presented totally uncut, uncensored and loaded with exclusive Extras, including all-new interviews with Jess Franco and the elusive Maria Rohm.
EXTRAS:
- Jesus in Furs ? Interview with Director Jess Francoo
- Audio Interview with Star Maria Rohm
- Theatrical Trailer
- Poster & Still Gallery
- Jess Franco Bio
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