Péchés Capitaux

SINS OF DESIRE (1993 Video)

WARNING: Depictions of Sexual Assault (see below)

BASIC PLOT: This is a silly movie, sometimes hilarious, but entertaining in an accidental way. It's supposed to be about a psychotic couple who run a sex therapy clinic, you know an erotic thriller. It ends up being an unintentional comedy.

WHAT WORKS: *The scene with the delivery driver as sex therapy patient is hilarious! His reactions to the two beautiful girls climbing all over him is priceless!

*Jan-Michael Vincent gives a boffo performance of Warren Robillard, the strange, 'Members Only' wearing weirdo, who gets caught up with the Callisters.

*The cheesy music written and performed by Becky LeBeau is perfect for this indecorous film.

WHAT DOESN'T WORK: *The sex scene after the Callisters kill Robillard is hilarious and farcical. Their genitals never come close to touching, and the type of lingerie Jessica Callister (Delia Sheppard) has on would make sex impossible, or at least unpleasant. Also, the faces John Henry Richardson (Dr. Scott Callister) makes during this sex romp are comical!

*Why exactly does Kay (Tanya Roberts) fall into bed with Jessica (Delia Sheppard) at the clinic? Is it so Barry Mitchum (Nick Cassavetes) can get away? That's some diversion!!

TO RECOMMEND, OR NOT TO RECOMMEND, THAT IS THE QUESTION: *If you like movies that are so bad they're good, you'll like this. It has many campy and ridiculous scenes, that are entertaining. Also, if you're a fan of fake breasts, there's lots here for you to like.

CLOSING NOTES: *This does have a rape scene at the very beginning. It is disjointed and bizarre, but deserves a warning none the less.

*This is a Straight-to-Video movie, please keep that in mind before you watch\rate it. Straight-to-Video movies have a much lower budget, and so your expectations should be adjusted.

*I have no connection to the film, or production in ANY way. I am just an honest viewer, who wishes for more straight forward reviews. Hope I helped you out.

This was what we, back in the day, would call a "Skinamax" movie. It's full of T and A, and has a "plot," but isn't really well flushed out. I don't know if Cinemax was the original place for this to be aired, but either way, it's that kind of movie.

Some of the acting was decent considering the loosely held together "plot" they were expected to work with. However, you knew the script wasn't super important based on how loud the music or the weather was when some of the characters talked.

Considering this is basically a sex movie, the sex scenes were hit or miss. The ones that were supposed to be bad were way better acted than the ones that were supposed to be good. One scene with the main character and the detective seemed like she was trying too hard, and he didn't even want to be there.

This movie may have been daring for the late 1980's, but is really dated. The movie I viewed was in narrow screen, and frankly was a bore. A practice running a sex therapy clinic has Kay's (Tanya Roberts) sister as a patient, and she winds up committing suicide. So it becomes a bring to justice movie. There is a funny scene of a young man who can't perform, so two women do a strip tease to arouse him. But it is rather formula driven, and predictable. There are holes in the plot galore. An abandoned movie set/lot that no one ever goes to anymore suddenly is functional with lights at the end. And if one wants to see a drag out fight that is perhaps the worst staged fight ever, this movie delivers. Even the skin cannot save this movie.

This movie should have been better, one memorable sex scene and that's it. 30 minutes into this tropical peanut I started having flashbacks of when Rodrigo tied me to an orange tree and made me sing "bar stools and baby's don't mix". I surely would have been a lot happier and not so loony if they would have at least put two more suger cubes in this cup of luke warm mocha. -*1/2 stars

Sins of Desire (1993) is a film I recently revisited on Tubi. The storyline follows a corrupt clinic that drugs its patients and exploits them as sex slaves. A detective teams up with the sister of a former victim to infiltrate the clinic and expose its dark secrets.

Directed by Jim Wynorski (Chopping Mall), the movie stars John Henry Richardson (Poison), Gail Thackray (Hard to Die), Tanya Roberts (Sheena), Delia Sheppard (Rocky V), and Jan-Michael Vincent (The Mechanic).

This is one of those films best approached as a softcore porn thriller. If you're expecting a substantive or well-executed movie, you'll likely be disappointed. The film leans heavily on its visuals, featuring stunning actresses, frequent nudity, and softcore-porn caliber sex scenes. The stripper sequences are well-done, and the soundtrack adds a fun, campy vibe. However, the poorly executed action sequences, especially during the climax, leave much to be desired.

In conclusion, Sins of Desire delivers exactly what its premise suggests: attractive leads and risqué content, but little else. I'd score it a 4/10 and only recommend it with appropriate expectations.