Soft Places

Misleadingly labeled with a sappy title that makes it sound like run of the mill couples porno pap, this unfairly overlooked Annette Haven vehicle turns out to be one wild card of a movie. In its own unpredictable way, it proves as shocking as EXPENSIVE TASTES, the notorious rape 'n' revenge flick by the same team of producer William Dancer and director Joanna Williams (posing here as "Wray Hamilton"), both naturally of LITTLE GIRLS BLUE fame.

The always stunning Haven stars as wealthy widow Monique, whose less than adoring husband has set her a number of seriously twisted sexual tasks to fulfill if she is to touch her inheritance, foreshadowing Ginger Lynn's PLEASURE HUNT misadventures. Believing his wife both frigid and a gold-digger, the sick bastard seems bent on revenge, even if only exacted from beyond the grave under supervision by attorney Paul Thomas. Prim 'n' proper Monique finds herself forced to commit all sorts of semi-degrading acts for profit as well as unexpected fun. These include public masturbation in the back of a cab, Sapphic explorations at the massage parlor and dual hand jobs in a sordid singles bar.

The most surprising thing is the generous amount of sleaze surrounding dainty Annette's comparatively tasteful exploits. Monique's mild mauling of an Oriental masseuse (China Leigh, the younger of Sam Weston's CHINA SISTERS) is preceded by a passionate tryst between a bearded bloke and a very pretty transsexual with no stinting on the mutual oral gratification. Even more astounding is the elaborate singles bar sequence filled with (way too) real looking extras sucking and fornicating their desperate little hearts out which generates some sort of appalled fascination akin to rubbernecking on the freeway. Watch for Dancer regular Chrissy Petersen providing some more conventional carnality with John Seeman during this extended tableau that's almost Goya-esquire in its surreal perversity. Ending sees a liberated Annette in bed with P.T., a frequent screen partner of hers, finding new and exciting ways to deal with her husband's ashes ! Monumentally strange plot twists aside, this stands as one of the more artistically shot porno features of the '70s. Rich vibrant colors and striking compositions abound, courtesy of veteran camera man Ron Garcia, hiding behind the "Rahn Vickery" moniker as was his custom on hardcore endeavors. As a result, glamour puss Annette looks her absolute best in every single frame, to say nothing of her picture perfect rack, as eye-popping a pendulous pair as has ever swung its way across the blue screen.

Soft Places, helmed by Maria Lease, offers a creative twist on the male gaze, blending eerie visuals with explicit content to produce a thought-provoking exploration of female sexuality and the dynamics of power within relationships.

The film follows the journey of prim and proper Monique, a widow whose deceased husband leaves a peculiar will. To inherit her late husband's fortune, Monique must embark on a sexual odyssey, experiencing every conceivable act to overcome her supposed frigidity. This sets the stage for a series of graphically depicted sexual encounters that push the boundaries of good taste, even for the seasoned viewer of adult entertainment.

One of the film's most notable scenes features actress Annette Haven in a surreal, dreamlike sequence. Haven performs oral sex on a man clad in a black bodysuit, his face and identity obscured, creating a Lynchian atmosphere that is both unnerving and intensely intimate. The scene is a standout moment, showcasing the film's ability to merge artistic flair with explicit content.

As the film progresses, Monique gradually transforms from a reluctant participant to a confident explorer of her own desires. Her journey culminates in a bizarre yet intriguing use of her dead husband's ashes, symbolizing her newfound sexual freedom and her departure from the constraints of her marriage.

While Soft Places offers a unique and intriguing perspective, it does have its shortcomings. The plot is somewhat thin, and the dialogue is forgettable, although this is perhaps to be expected in a film of this nature. Additionally, the depiction of female submission to male fantasies may be uncomfortable for some viewers, despite the film's attempt to filter these themes through a female lens.

In conclusion, Soft Places is a thought-provoking and creatively realized adult film. It blends art and pornography, challenging viewers with its exploration of coercion, relationships, and sexuality. While it may not appeal to all audiences due to its explicit content and controversial themes, it is a memorable entry into the genre.

Prepare to be both titillated and chilled as Soft Places takes you on a journey through the foggy landscapes of desire.

A very recurring argument in the pornographic fantasies of filmmakers and consumers in the sector is the subjection of women to certain acts with which they are not comfortable. And the paradigm manifests itself with Soft Places, where the deceased abusive husband of a cold and asexual woman has left a will recorded in which he forces his widow to find the sexuality that she never showed with him. If Monique (an elegant and delicious Annette Haven) agrees to submit to rules of humiliation and submission by alternating with strangers, thus culminating her supposed sexual maturity, she will inherit her entire fortune.

Although the approach is interesting and very morbid, the problem is that here the writer and director have made a mess and, what begins in a very exciting way, turns into a stupidity that culminates in a bar in the underworld, where Monique should have forcedly exposed to unpleasant people instead of limiting themselves to simple flirting and some insipid touching.

And it's a shame, because the story is fun, well presented, offers an interesting narrative rhythm and has undeniable pornographic potential, but in Soft Places it has been ruined by not providing a little more fantasy and not having exploited (in a good way) meaning of the term) the modest and innocent image of a Haven in the fullness of her extraordinary physical presence.