El placer de Venus

This is an Italian adaption of the book of the same name. I haven't actually read the book myself, although I am very familiar with the seminal song 'Venus in Furs' by The Velvet Underground. So I had a basic idea that this story is about a sadomasochistic relationship between a couple – Severin and the 'whiplash girl-child' (Wanda). The song is of course a bona fide untouchable classic, the film somewhat less so. Nevertheless, it's still a stylish and effective slice of Eurotica.

It tells a tale about Wanda (Laura Antonelli) who is driven by her masochistic husband Severin into sexually dominating him. This entails her being blatantly unfaithful and treating him contemptuously. As time progresses he struggles with his own rules.

The movie benefits from the sure hand of director Massimo Dallamano who was responsible for two excellent later films the giallo What Have You Done to Solange? and the giallo-poliziotteschi crossover What Have They Done to your Daughters? Venus in Furs isn't in the same bracket as those but then it is a very different type of film. It's pretty playful tone-wise for the most part, with a cheerful lounge soundtrack. It also looks pretty good with some decent locations, while Antonelli is great to look at as well. It is fairly erotic with a lot of classy nudity but be warned it does also contain a pretty notorious moment where we are treated to the sight of a couple of horses banging each other. Its horses for courses if you can excuse the pun.

Overall, though, this is a pretty good erotic drama. Also it should not be confused with the Jesus Franco film of the same name, also from 1969, which is similarly impressive but has nothing whatsoever to do with the novel Venus in Furs.

If you've come across this is it's probably because you may have heard the term Venus in Furs somewhere and wanted to figure out what it's all about. First off, this version is not the one most people think of. That would be the one starring Klaus Kinski and not at all related. This is not that one but an Italian made film made in the late 60s and subsequently banned for explicit sexual content. Eventually released in the 70s However, this film, as it turns out, is an excellent, sexual fantasy, psychological thriller of sorts. I think we might call it an erotic thriller or drama.

In the beginning the two characters agree to explore certain sexual fetishes in their marriage. Eventually things start to spiral out of control in their role playing. Things get really ugly and violent both in the real world and fantasy world (which is shown in vivid detail). By the end of the film all the wheels have come flying off the bus and its more or less meyham all around. The ending is a surprise, which I would not give away. The ending is what makes the film great.

All told it is a very good film and one I'm sure you will remember for a long time. A real hidden gem.

There are a few somewhat disturbing parts. One relating to two horses, it's just hard to watch. Another is a fantasy scene which depicts a rape. So be warned. I do not reccomend for anyone who is a victim of sexual assault.

Pretty to look at with marvellous lakeside, mountain, woodland, seashore settings and not forgetting the delectable, Laura Antonelli. But that's pretty much all the plus points. The Leopold von Sacher-Masoch tale is a difficult one to get across at the best of times but the choice of lead actor is crucial and here Regis Vallee appears to not even understand his own role, let alone convey to us his feelings. It's not all his fault, the terrible jingly muzak doesn't help and nor does the slow pace. I guess it must have seemed a good idea to have voice over for passages from the book but when they are so inappropriately spoken over glossy clichéd scenes, it detracts and even, for me, denigrates the original work itself. Antonelli does her very best, ever ready to be seductive, loving, hateful and even violent but we just don't buy it. Jess Franco's movie of the same name that came out the same year is better but then it's Venus in Furs in name only! For anyone keen enough to try again with the theme, I recommend the 1994 film of the same name by Seyforth and Nieuwenhuijs.

I hear that this version of Leopold von Sacher-Masoch's isn't faithful to the original story. Having not read the book (yet!) I can't say if that's true or not, but as a film in its own right; this version of Venus in Furs really is something special. Massimo Dallamano is best known to cult film fans for his incredible Giallo What Have They Done to Solange, as well as the less successful follow-up What Have They Done to Our Daughters, although this is a film that is a success for very different reasons. The plot focuses on a nobleman named Severin. He believes that a man is the sum of his childhood traumas; and his childhood, which involved punishments for voyeurism, has lead to him exhibiting some perverted desires. He meets the beautiful Wanda and wants their relationship to exist on a plain where he is dominated by his lover. He begins to ferry her around as her chauffeur and enjoys watching her have sex with other men...but as their relationship continues, he begins to question his own motivations.

Venus in Furs is an incredibly beautiful film. The cinematography is scintillating and this really helps to bring on the story. Lead actress Laura Antonelli is beautiful also and the director uses her and her character well. Régis Vallée is the main standout on the acting front with his understated, yet believable performance as the central perverted character. It's clear that the film relies on atmosphere more than story and the character's decisions are what drive the plot forward more than anything else. The film could easily have been turned into a low rent skin flick in the hands of a less talented director; but Dallamano clearly values his subject material and treats it in a respectful manner. The film does manage to justify the lead character's motivations and while masochism may be an alien concept to some people; the film should be fairly easy to get on with even for someone with no prior knowledge of it. However, this is not a film for everyone and if you like your films plot heavy then Venus in Furs will do nothing for you; but for me, this is a beautiful and memorable film and tracking down a copy is well worth the effort.

This potentially interesting film falls flat mainly due to a VERY leisurely pace that sucks the life out of the movie. Instead, we are left with a somewhat kinky, rarely entertaining movie that probably could have been much better with a few adjustments. This film may prove to be of some interest to those who have seen other films named "Venus In Furs", and it is a pleasant distraction for fans of the gorgeous Laura Antonelli, but it would prove to be of little interest to anyone else.