Josefine Mutzenbacher - Wie sie wirklich war: 1. Teil

Published anonymously in the early days of last century, the alleged memoirs of Viennese courtesan Josefine Mutzenbacher ("as told by herself") are rightfully considered as classic erotic literature. Erotic, yes, since as soon as a cultural pedigree's attached to masturbatory material – the novel has been attributed to Austrian children's author Felix Salten who wrote "Bambi" and "Perri", both adapted by Disney ! – it turns erotic rather than just plain pornographic. Surely the latter would be a more accurate description for Mutzenbacher's non-stop detailed accounts of amorous exploits, littered with close to 400 (yes, someone actually bothered to count !) synonyms for the male member. Kurt Nachmann's soft-core adaptation from 1970, starring subsequent TV mainstay Christine Schuberth, proved popular enough to spawn an equally successful sequel. When hardcore became legally available and socially acceptable in German-speaking countries, it was time to return to the source for producer Gunter Otto who had been dabbling in saucy sex comedies of the LIEBESGRÜSSE AUS DER LEDERHOSE variety. This time, the concept would sprout wings and soar. Box office was booming. It was as if the porn-hungry public breathed a collective sigh of relief now that their explicit entertainment had been spruced up with elaborate period costumes and the artistic credibility supplied by its liberally adapted literary origins, not unlike the effect the Mitchell Brothers had achieved with their AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A FLEA.

A veteran of simulated sex farces like DIE JUNGFRAUEN VON BUMSHAUSEN a/k/a RUN, VIRGIN, RUN and the Sybil Danning starring DAS MÄDCHEN MIT DER HEISSEN MASCHE a/k/a LOVES OF A FRENCH PUSSYCAT, director Hans Billian (who died a couple of years ago) was already pushing 60 when he instigated a series of intimate cinematic explorations of his gorgeous girlfriend Patricia Rhomberg, then in her early twenties. A dedicated medical assistant who would return to the profession following their break-up, she transcended all possible accusations of nepotism through commanding screen presence and considerable thespian prowess supplementing her ample physical charms. Although she would sadly essay the plum role of Josefine Mutzenbacher only one, supplanted by a variety of dirty movie damsels (amongst whom the delightful Uschi Karnat a/k/a "Sandra Nova" rates as the most memorable) on subsequent sequels, she remains the definitive interpreter of the part for the majority of adult aficionados.

Looking back on a life filled with richly rewarded copulation, fancy prostitute Josefine Mutzenbacher relates her humble beginnings. Watching hunky beer delivery man Horak (beefy blond Siggi Buchner, who would return in several of the sequels and bid his fornication film farewell with Walter Molitor's INSIDE MARILYN in 1985) plow into her inn keeper neighbor Frau Rheintaler, a voluptuous middle-aged blonde familiar from early '70s Tabu loops, stirs hitherto unknown feelings in our wide-eyed 17 year old heroine who quickly decides she must have Horak for herself. He will prove but the first in a long line of casual conquests that take young Josefine to the pinnacle of her profession. Getting a little too close to her precocious stepbrother and supplying early morning relief for lodger Eckhard (Sepp Gneissl, who was in Billian's ROSEMARIES SCHLECKERLAND) gets her into the kind of trouble she has to go and confess to the local priest (former TV thespian Peter Holzmüller, also in Billian's BIENENSTICH IM LIEBESNEST, and fairly obviously body doubled for his sex scene), whose easily ignited passions allow for the obligatory stab at the clergy, common to pornography penned prior to World War II.

The untimely death of her mother leaves Josefine to take her place in the bed of her stepfather, indelibly portrayed by the already mature Frithjof Klausen, who would still turn up a decade later in Michel Barny's TERESA THE WOMAN WHO LOVES MEN ! The build-up to this undoubtedly frowned upon "transgression" makes for titillation of the most exquisite kind, from dad's drunk admiration of the sleeping girl's naked form to furtive caresses and way beyond. Unfortunately for the inter-generational love birds, their new boarder finds out and blackmails them into a sexual free for all with seasoned prostitute Zenzi, a rare hardcore appearance by Marie-France Morel from Jean Rollin's TOUT LE MONDE IL EN A DEUX. It's the latter's chosen career that starts putting ideas in young Josefine's head…

Though sequels would prove progressively lavish in accordance with their impressive box office takes, none of them could convincingly recapture the charm and good-natured depravity of the original. Much of this is down to Rhomberg, who approaches each carnal obstacle on her "road to ruin" with curiosity and infectious enthusiasm. The movie looks good, capably photographed by Otto, but lacks the elaborate crowd scenes that were to become the series' staple ingredient. There's an appropriately jaunty Wiener Kaffee soundtrack by Dave Apfelbaum. Credits are sparse but Josefine's best friend Maresi is played by Birgit Zamulo who was in Johnny Wyder's EIN GUTER HAHN WIRD SELTEN FETT a/k/a ALL AROUND SERVICE and the chubby blond model with the photographer is Christine Szenetra, star of several SCHOOLGIRL REPORTS. The Mutzenbacher series would continue well into the '90s with Otto still churning out modern dress installments, changing the subtitle to WIE SIE HEUTE WAR ("as she would be now"), before turning his attentions towards Johanna Spyri's squeaky clean mountain chick Heidi for the remainder of the last millennium.

Dare I say it, but this is probably one of the best porn movies on the planet. OK, it's dubbed, but it's done well. There are plentiful scenes and it doesn't drag like a lot of modern movies. The story works well and builds and builds up so you had better invest in some Kleenex cos you won't make it through the first half hour without popping at least once.

The sets, costumes, lighting and locations are great and the girls are downright dirty and sexy. I wish modern directors would watch this to show how a good porno film should be done.

The themes are quite strong, which is what makes it good. It goes into adult carnal fantasies that are extreme, but never try and gross you out.

All in all the film has great humour and is sooooo sexy I doubt that there is anything of this quality on the market today.

"Sensational Janine" is one of the best porno movies I have seen.The film is narrated by Janine as she discusses her humble beginnings and her rise to become one of the top courtesans the world has ever seen.In her youth times she has oral sex with her brother and loses her virginity to the delivery boy.Her sexual awakening is insatiable and she becomes a nymphomaniac...First of all I'm a rabid fan of horror/exploitation cinema.I prefer my porn mixed with horror.However "Sensational Janine" blew me away.The film contains lots of steamy sex scenes that are extremely titillating.They are explicit,but never become dull.Patricia Rhomberg in the lead is amazing.She is cute and charismatic and has a wonderful body.So if you are a fan of old-fashioned porn without ugly silicone enhanced porn starlets give it a look.9 out of 10.I had a great time watching this XXX classic.

Sensational Janine is a high quality, plot-driven porn film; and it stands head and shoulders above the vast majority of the genre. 'High Quality' is not a term usually associated with adult films; but it can certainly be applied here as this film is extremely well made and that's one of the things that help it stand out so much. The plot line is very interesting also and the central character is very easy to get along with, which ensures that the film draws you in thanks to the interesting story and not just the sex. As the title suggests, we focus on a young girl named Janine (actually, Josefine) as she goes from being a sweet virgin to a sex hungry Madame. We follow her as she gets her first sexual awakening (watching her parents having sex and later getting it on with her step brother). From there she begins to get more and more curious; and luckily for her, she just so happens to live in a den of iniquity so finding men to practice with isn't difficult, and she's a very willing student...

The sex scenes in this film really are excellent and the fact that they are featured numerously is a big help to the overall success of the film. Most of the runtime is taken up with sex, but unlike some of the lesser genre examples; each individual sequence here is long enough to get the point across, but doesn't outstay its welcome. They're also very erotic! The lead role is taken by Patricia Rhomberg; and she is just as sensational as the character she's playing. She is perhaps not a natural beauty, but the buxom maiden is very sexy and manages to get both the curiosity and innocence of her character across as well. Another thing that sets this film apart from much of the rest of the genre is the fact that most of the main characters are 'normal' people rather than all-out porn stars, and that does make the film feel a lot more realistic. The film does have a very arty feel to it, but this shouldn't be enough to put anyone off as director Hans Billian ensures that the film is very accessible. Overall, Sensational Janine is an absolute classic of adult cinema and should not be missed by anyone. HIGHLY recommended!

Outstanding European XXX tells the early years of Josephine Mutzenbacher (Janine in US version), Viennese courtesan of c1890. Here she starts off as mischievous virgin and never does quite reach pro ranks, with in medias res ending that sets up the sequel. The story falters a bit here and there, but lead work by Patricia Romberg is completely winning. She seems to be having a good time throughout and is perhaps the most adorable hardcore starlet of all time.

Porn sequences are shorter, and more numerous, than in the average US film, and are well staged by director Hans Billian. Several sequels have been made but all are inferior to the original, not least because Rhomberg did not appear in any of them.

Biggest drawback is that many of the cast are unusually *old* to be working in porno and are not particularly attractive. Janine's mother and stepfather, who both have several XXX scenes, appear to be in their 50s. The priest who hears Janine's confession (there is a touch of anti-clericalism here) looks even older, though it's not clear how much of his own stuntwork he actually does, due to editing. Most of the featured males have the mien of drug-dealing pimps.

Film would have been much more enjoyable had the knockout Romberg been teamed with a cast more on her own physical level, but she does keep that sweet smile shining throughout. Even dubbed, as here, she's a total charmer and is enough reason all by herself to watch this film.