Richard Kanter's excellent FANTASY IN BLUE was released as a hardcore Adult film as well as in a soft-core version, latter available in its Alpha Blue DVD form. The soft version has shots carefully framed or faked (hand in front of face during a blow job) to keep it kosher,
This is the second Sharon Thorpe starring role from 1975 that proved to be a soft-core surprise, alongside the touching romance THE INFIDEL.
Film opens with Thorpe humping in bed with her husband Leon (XXX clown John Seeman, here probably in as wholesome a role as I've ever seen for the ordinarily lecherous performer). The thrill has gone out of their marriage and as the title suggests fantasizing and acting out one's fantasies may revive it.
Leon goes to visit an old pal Casey, a brothel madam played deliciously by guest star (from the East Coast) Georgina Spelvin, who speaks in a cute Southern accent that at first reminded me of Kathy Bates' memorable Baltimore twang in TV's recent FREAKSHOW. She advises him to bring wifey to an orgy at her place, and Sharon reluctantly agrees, with the proviso that she can leave at any time. (Sounds like the current BDSM hokum promoted in 50 SHADES OF GREY and its "safe word" mythology regarding escaping from rough sex.) We are already treated to a fantasy of Thorpe all trussed up in a dream sequence.
The orgy is relatively tame with voyeurism emphasized as Tyler Horne takes Sharon under his mutton-chops wing and they (and we the audience) watch some oil wrestling as sex starring Desiree West and various couples humping, notably prime hippie girl Toni Scott (of the unmatched frizzy hairdo) being humped from below on a rotating suspended wicker basket chair.
Overlong film has lots of other sex shenanigans, but doesn't get to the point until Sharon and her husband decide to take a second honeymoon in Carmel but inexplicably split up to drive two cars there separately. Just as Sharon is about to get into her station wagon for the trip she is assaulted by Horne, John Lesile (in a non-speaking role at the outset of his career) and evil (for a change) Joan Devlon, my favorite of the Frisco talent pool.
They rape her vividly and this being porn she begins to love it half-way through the rough scene, giving as good as she gets. Punchline of the film is not surprisingly her signing up with Spelvin to attend more orgies, just don't tell hubby.
I enjoyed FANTASY IN BLUE as softcore porn, but preferred a XXX version without all the silly coyness. These actors were all capable enough to have mainstream acting careers.
