The Witches of Sappho Salon

The idea of bathing in the blood of virgins in order to attain eternal life is nothing new and there have been many notable films portraying this dark practice but while this offering from Seduction Cinema is certainly notable, it is notable for all the wrong reasons. The scene is set in, as the title suggests, a salon run by Sapphic witches - actually two females and one male. The time is approaching when they need a virgin sacrifice. The film is let down by just about everything.

Everything that happens, happens so slowly; the opening scene is even shown partly in slow motion; and the speech is delivered slowly too. Maybe this is to extend the run time which, despite the slowness of everything, still comes in at only 78 minutes. The only positive outcome of all this slowness is that we get lots of lingering shots of the naked girls, unlike some movies where the camera is always on the move or zooming in and out. Now it is back to the negatives.

The acting will never win any academy awards, although Elizabeth Grace who plays Janet could have made it as an actress if only she was given a decent role. As it is, none of the cast has done much in the movie world. The worst acting has to go to JC Clifford who plays Leon. There is just no credibility to him whatsoever; and the way he lumbers about in the salon and talks loudly to himself when he is supposed to be secretive beggars belief. Seduction Cinema produces some clunkers of movies but this one takes the biscuit.

Well, this movie has already been criticised for not being the best telling of women bathing in the blood of virgins to attain immortality. It's certainly a valid criticism. However, this is primarily a softcore lesbian themed movie. As someone who'd rather watch lesbian themed erotica than virtually anything else, I feel the story is just a backdrop for the erotic content. As such, it does a good enough job. If I were to criticise it, I would say it could have been more explicit. As I always think about my writing, if you can't bring the quality, bring the sex.

There are no great acting achievements here, but they all gave it heart. And I know nothing about film-making, but it's grainy and the sound isn't great. I assume those are budget problems. I've watched a variety of independent movies in recent years, and those problems are obviously common. However, this movie does have some inventive scenes and the premise strings the saucy content, which is the point of the movie, together satisfactorily. At times it genuinely feels dreamlike. That's not skillfully made dreamlike, as you'd find in the best eighties supernatural horrors, but it's effective enough.

Just don't expect too much and it'll do.

I've seen all of director Tony Marsiglia's films/videos as listed in IMDb, and WITCHES is the least known, as indicated by its zero response on the website. Supernatural/erotic tale of modern day witches using a beauty salon as a front probably needed some star names (even B-stars like Misty Mundae who Marsiglia has often cast) to get one's attention -perhaps Queen Latifah?

Well-photographed (on video) the feature's strong suit is atmosphere, in particular extended use of mirrors which always present suggestive layers of meaning, and are quite appropriate to the story. After a ritual killing/blood sacrifice (with lots of fake blood and full-frontal nudity), story picks up 30 years later at the title salon, where lesbian women work and are really witches.

They're searching for just the right sacrificial victim with a specified birth date, to give them another 30 years lease on life Janet (played by Elizabeth Grace) is their target and film's twist is fairly easy to predict early on (I have to suppress the plot issues here that would give it away and spoil the fun).

Other key role is Leon (played by J.C. Clifford), Janet's boy friend, who is erroneously credited on screen with the character name Jerry. Ellina Bellbrook is the sexy witch Bridget with beauty marks while the head witch is Tanith (Brigitte Eves), Cast has next to no other credits listed in IMDb, though star Grace later crewed on a Misty Mundae shoot for Marsiglia.

Much of the running time is devoted to sensual, slow-paced lesbian sex scenes, benefiting from the above-mentioned use of mirrors, and a genre which Marsiglia has much experience directing. Unfortunately, femme cast is not particularly attractive, a major drawback. Whoever said casting is 90% of filmmaking success was on to something.

Film's funniest moment comes when Leon wakes up from a castration nightmare (the lesbians going at him with shears), only to look down at his cock and feeling mighty relieved. Whether scripted or improvised, Leon speaks all his thoughts for the viewer, a device I didn't like.