Paroxismus

Surrealistic erotic shocker from Jess Franco – the film is often incoherent but Franco's style has such verve and flavor that it overcomes this. The storyline remains intentionally vague, adding to the film's overall dreamlike sensibility. Maria Rohm – another of Franco's amazing female stars, every bit as intoxicating as Soledad Miranda – stars as a woman seeking revenge who becomes acquainted with a disillusioned jazz trumpeter (the plot, Franco says in his interview on the DVD, was based on something trumpeter Chet Baker told him, about being lost in fantasy when he plays). The storyline was modified slightly to accommodate an association with the then-popular Venus In Furs book, but is otherwise an original tale. Often distorted, this sadistic sex thriller remains a compelling stylistic piece of storytelling, set in exotic locales with mesmerizingly exotic women and a visual style (despite some heavy handed flash editing that Franco has later claimed he didn't care for) that is quite intriguing – wrapped in a neat 60's jazz score by English rocket Manfred Mann.

In Istanbul, the trumpet player Jimmy Logan (James Darren) is dazed and confused on the beach and finds his musical instrument buried in the sand. Then he sees a woman in the sea and he pulls her body from the surf. He recognizes her as Wanda Reed (Maria Rohm), a gorgeous woman that he saw in the party of the playboy Ahmed Kortobawi (Klaus Kinski). Then he saw her being whipped and raped by Ahmed and his friends Percival Kapp (Dennis Price) and Olga (Margaret Lee).

Jimmy travels to Rio de Janeiro and spends the Carnival playing with a jazz band and his girlfriend Rita (Barbara McNair) in the nightclub of Herman. One night, Wanda Reed comes to the club and Jimmy becomes obsessed on her. Sooner he leaves Rita and stays with Wanda. Meanwhile, she kills Percival, Olga and Ahmed dressed in furs. When the police seek out the woman, Jimmy discovers a secret about Wanda Reed and him.

"Venus in Furs" is a surrealistic film by Jess Franco with James Darren (from The Time Tunnel) and his muse Maria Rohm in the lead roles and Klaus Kinski in a minor role. James Darren's narrative is boring and the annoying music may please jazz fans only. A jazz band playing in a club in the Carnival of Rio is a joke from someone that does not even know the Carnival in Rio. The resolution of the plot is actually a senseless mess but the atmosphere is intriguing. My vote is five.

Title (Brazil): "Venus in Furs"

Trumpet player, Jimmy Logan (James Darren) is haunted by an enigmatic woman who looks identical to a woman named Wanda Reed (Maria Rohm). Jimmy knows it can't be Wanda, because she was murdered. A nightmarish mystery unfolds, as Wanda's killers are "visited" by this woman, and Jimmy is swept away by her. Is any of this really happening?

Arguably, one of Director Jess Franco's best films, VENUS IN FURS is a sort of surrealistic, erotic noir / revenge / ghost story. The jazzy soundtrack also plays a big role, nearly making this a musical! The lyrics, "Venus in furs will be smiling!" will pop into your head for weeks after seeing this movie! Ms. Rohm is utterly captivating, dominating every scene she's in.

Co-stars Klaus Kinski as the perverse Ahmed, Margaret Lee as the wicked Olga, and Barbara McNair as the long-suffering Rita...

then I'll never watch another franco movie. I was excited to see this by the reputation and the American title (shades of Leopold von Sacher Masoch)and all I saw was fifteen minutes of good film (the first 15) and then a bunch of stock footage,nonsensical dialogue, and BS plot development. I needed more dungeon scenes or more masochism, and less stock-footage/VO mental masturbation. I was sorely disappointed. Some might say "You should see it stoned", well, I did, and that didn't improve things. Someone compared this to "Lost Highway", and to them I can only spit derisively. I'd rather watch a Dolph Lundgren movie. How that guy still has a career is more honestly surreal than this stuff.

Paroxismus (AKA Venus In Furs) is an absolute treat from beginning to end. The film looks beautiful and the surrealist vibe that runs throughout the film suits the subject matter perfectly. The hepcat jazz trumpeter central character played by James Darren and the truly luminous and beguiling Maria Rohm add much to the proceedings, but the soundtrack, you cats, the soundtrack! Paroxismus is a Euro horror film in which the visuals and sound match beautifully, but the musical score is fantastic. Therefore, even if the dreamy images and plot baffles and befuddles, just close your eyes and listen a truly superb and innovative score.

Thus, Paroxismus is a Jess Franco gem.