Plaisirs pervers

Also known as Dangerous Obsession,this movie was intended to be Lucio Fulci's comeback after more than a year of dealing with hepatitis. It's a return to the giallo (or at least sexually related drama) that he was creating in the early 70's instead of the gore that he'd become infamous for throughout the 80's, but when you're dealing with Fulci, you know you're going to get something certifiably insane and also something that doesn't fit into any set category.

The film opens on Johnny playing that tender, tender saxophone that the ladies love so much. And no one loves it more than Jessica, his woman, who runs into the booth to lick the spit off his lips rather than let him wipe it himself. Johnny responds by fondling her in front of the engineers and his band, who are all like, "Brah, you gotta get outta here with that noise." Instead, Johnny kicks everyone out and he takes her right in the middle of the studio, against her protests, telling her that he is her master and that everything he loves is in her. She argues that he doesn't want her, only a piece of her, and Johnny responds by playing sax music directly into her woman parts. Honestly, I don't even know if this is physically possible, but it's one of the funniest scenes I've ever seen in a movie. It's like Fulci was upset he couldn't just cut out someone's eyeball, so he decided to do the most ridiculous sex scene possible.

You know how you get jaded and say, "I've seen everything?" Well, I'm here to tell you that you haven't until you watch The Devil's Honey.

Unbeknowskt to our lovers, everyone was in the booth watching. They blame Jessica for distracting Johnny, so she leaves for the bar.

We cut to a Dr. Wendell Simpson (Brett Halsey, Return of the Fly, Demonia) being stripped of his scrubs after a successful surgery. He calls to tell Carol (Corinne Clery, who of course is Kala from Yor, Hunter from the Future), his wife, that he will be late. And why is he late? Because he's visiting Anna, a prostitute, a fact that his wife knows only too well. He's obsessed with work and finds it hard to concentrate on anything. Well, that is until she tries to fix a run in her stockings with red nail polish — something no human being has ever done before in the history of human civilization. The doctor responds by rubbing that red nail polish all over her face before taking her violently and quickly, then he pays her to leave, as she calls him a monster.

Honestly, Fulci stages a sex scene like he stages a spider eating off someone's face.

Carol catches the doctor leaving the prostitute's apartment, just as we move back to Johnny and Jessica on a roller-coaster. They're fighting, because there's a thin line between love and hate. They lick faces as the coaster goes up and down the hills, which is intercut with Caol lying in bed, unfulfilled as the doctor sleeps.

Just when you think Fulci is going to back off on the insanity, we have Johnny and Jessica on a motorcycle, where he forces her to fondle him while he races the bike faster and faster until they nearly hit a car.

Ladies — if you're into dudes wearing Cosby sweaters, tight jeans and brown leather, Johnny is the man for you.

They head back to their house, where they make love while Dickey from The Beyond barks outside their door. Afterward, Jessica sits outside, angry. Seriously, her mood swings seem like a red flag, but I'm 45 and not a famous saxophone player. I can see these things a little better.

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Lucio Fulci, who is sometimes referred to as the "Godfather of Gore" (an honorific he shares with Herschell Gordon Lewis) is best known for horror films in which logic takes a step back to striking visual aesthetics and over-the-top gore. I don't mean this as criticism but rather as an observation in the spirit of acceptance that art does not necessarily always have to make sense.

In DEVIL'S HONEY, Fulci brings the same kind of aesthetics to the erotic thriller genre, and it makes for a movie which contains several scenes that have to be seen to believed. There is no gore to speak of, but it seems Fulci applied the same approach he uses in his gore scenes to his sex scenes.

All the major characters have kinks, and when tragic circumstances bring two of them together in a highly unusual manner-one kidnaps the other as part of a revenge plan-lo and behold, the kinks of the two turn out to complement each other.

This film is not for vanilla lovers. It is hard to categorize, as it is not quite porn and also not mainstream in any sense. There are not very many movies like it out there, the closest I can think of being THE IMAGE (1975) in terms of the kink, and the much tamer SEX &THE OTHER MAN (1995) in terms of the basic concept.

The movie is probably most of interest for those who would like to broaden their horizons in terms of what has been captured on film.

Devil's Honey, The (1986)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Bizarre film for Fulci sees him in more of a Jess Franco type of territory. In the film, a woman (Blanca Marsillach) loses her mind after the death of her boyfriend. Even though it was his fault, she blames the doctor (Brett Halsey) who was operating on him when he died. Soon the woman kidnaps the doctor and plans to torture him both physically and sexually. This certainly isn't the type of film you'd expect someone like Fulci to make especially during this period in his career. Throughout this decade we were getting non-stop violence and gore but that's all cut out here and in its place is non-stop nudity and bizarre sex scenes. The first twenty-minutes of this film features one sex scene after another and it appears they each get more and more bizarre. Fulci's THE NEW YORK RIPPER was pretty perverse but so is this film and that includes a scene where the boyfriend "satisfies" the woman by putting his trumpet up to her private parts and playing. The sex scenes never reach the hardcore stage but Fulci handles them pretty well, although he never quite reaches a full erotic mode. The biggest problem for me was the actual screenplay and the entire revenge aspect. One could compare this film to Franco's SHE KILLED IN ECSTASY but that movie worked a lot better because we understood the woman's need for revenge. That's not the case here for a couple of reasons. The first being that the man is a complete jerk to her so we really don't care when he dies. The second reason is because the woman is simply blaming the wrong person for his death. There's no way around that and it's hard to buy into anything she's doing because you simply don't agree with her. Halsey, a soon to be Fulci regular, does a pretty good job in his role but there's no question that the film belongs to Marsillach who really digs deep into her character. The two work quite well together and certainly make the film a lot better than it really has the right to be. The brisk 78-minute running time moves pretty well and the jazz score is quite nice as well. Fans of Fulci will certainly want to check this one out but others probably won't find too much entertainment here.

Cecilia (Blanca Marsillach) is in love with the sax player Gaetano (Stefano Madia) who has an accident with his motorbike. Later, Doctor Guido Domenici (Brett Halsey) supervises the operation, but he makes a fatal mistake because he doesn't pay attention. He has problems with his wife Carole (Corinne Clery) who wants a divorce. Understandably, Cecilia doesn't care about the doctor's personal problems - she only knows he is responsible for the death of Gaetano and wants revenge. She phones him, threatens him, then abducts him, tortures him and says she will finally kill him. However, as they spend a lot of time together, a strange relationship begins to form... (Note: the names of the characters are different in the original Italian version compared to the English version.) Although this may have similarities with "9 1/2 Weeks" on the surface, "Il miele del diavolo" reminds me more of the deeper, obsessive films of Andrzej Zulawski or even Luis Bunuel. Stylistically, this is quite experimental, as Cecilia sees her dead boyfriend walking around and has flashbacks like visions. Beyond the obvious bits of exploitation, this is an ambitious and interesting work by Fulci (who briefly appears as a talisman seller).

Il miele del diavolo, also known as The Devil's Honey, is a tantalizing yet flawed treat from the master of gore, Lucio Fulci. This 1986 erotic psychodrama is a departure from Fulci's horror roots, offering a heady mix of sex, obsession, and supernatural elements that will leave viewers both intrigued and frustrated.

The story centers on Jessica a young woman who enters into a strange relationship. As the film progresses, Jessica 's world becomes increasingly blurred as she experiences visions of her dead boyfriend and flashbacks that cloud her perception of reality.

One of the film's strengths is its stylistic experimentation. The supernatural elements give the film a surreal, dreamlike quality, enhancing the sense of obsession and desire that permeates the story. The use of flashbacks and visions adds a layer of complexity to Cecilia's character, as we witness her struggle to differentiate between her fantasies and reality.

However, the film's pacing is often sluggish, with the plot meandering at times. While the slow burn approach can build tension in some films, here it feels like a missed opportunity to delve deeper into the psychological aspects of the story. The characters' motivations can feel murky, and the relationship at the center of the film fails to ignite with the intensity that the plot demands.

That being said, the film has a certain irresistible allure. The eroticism is tastefully done and integral to the story, enhancing the sense of obsession and desire. The acting is also commendable, with Blanca Marsillach portraying Jessica's descent into confusion and obsession convincingly.

In terms of visuals, Fulci delivers some stunning imagery, showcasing his talent for creating atmospheric, otherworldly scenes. The use of lighting and shadow adds to the film's dreamlike quality, and there are some beautifully composed shots that showcase Fulci's eye for detail.

However, the film's impact is lessened by its failure to fully explore the intriguing themes it presents. The relationship between Jessica and her love interest lacks the depth to make their obsession truly compelling, and the film's conclusion feels rushed and unsatisfying.

Overall, Il miele del diavolo is an intriguing yet imperfect film. While it offers a unique and atmospheric take on erotic thriller tropes, it fails to fully capitalize on its potential, leaving viewers with a sense of unfulfilled promise.

Despite its shortcomings, this devilishly sweet tale will undoubtedly find an audience among Fulci fans and those seeking a surreal, sensual cinematic experience. Just be prepared for a slow burn that doesn't quite ignite as expected.