Delta of Venus

I don't think you can pack more into a hour and a half movie, without it exploding. This film has politics, romance, sexual awakening, war, art, anti-semitism and lots of sexy gorgeous nude woman (especially, if you like red heads) in a wonderfully photographed "epic". The only thing wrong was that Audie England should have kept her mouth shut. Her face and body are sheer cinematic poetry, but she just did not seem to be able to say any words with any conviction.

If you prefer your sex during the rise of fascism in a romance country, this film is a must have! Of course, you must see the un-rated version. The sex does really contribute to the plot.

P.S. Don't waste your time on Titanic! This movie is light-years ahead of it.

Okay, folks, let's take a test. what do you expect when you rent a movie with the name "Zalman King" on the box? Anywhere on the box? You expect soft-core porn with pretentions of greatness and lensed in a slow-moving style, color-saturated, and all with Playboy-flair. This one delivers. Not only is it packed with wall to wall sex, but the lead actress, Audie England, is a good actress in serious need of better material. The setting is inspired and if you go in not expecting too much, you'll get your fill.

Delta of Venus, a collection of short stories by Anias Nin, was one of the first popular works in female erotica. The film is loosely based on the story behind the collection. It fails in trying to incorporate other stories from the collection. The film doesn't fail to be interesting, however. It may drag in the middle, and the dialogue may be a little on the obnoxious side, but it succeeds in being one of the most erotic films I've seen to date. The actors/actresses are simply gorgeous, and the sex scenes are among the hottest and most tasteful. If you're a fan of erotica in general, I suggest you check this one out. If you're looking for a good transition from literature to film, however; you may be looking in the wrong place.

Some of the plot elements of this film were vaguely familiar to me, and I don't know if it is from reading "Delta of Venus" lo, those many years ago, or maybe from "Henry and June" the film about Nin and Henry Miller, from 10 years ago or so. Anyway, this is an exceptional film for its genre, with good acting, direction, and pretty decent other assorted production values. I had never seen or heard of Audie England, and her beauty just floored me. Wow! Anyway, if you can at all tolerate soft-core erotica, this film is recommended. Grade: B+

Although certainly not the greatest movie ever made, Delta of Venus manages to convince with it's Parisian setting and a feeling of revelry in the face of stark reality. Audie England is rather fetching as the ingenue American writer becoming embroiled in the Parisian milieu of sex, drugs and personal drama, played with almost frantic intensity before the creeping tide of Nazism. Based on the writings of Anais Nin, Delta of Venus contains some extremely erotic scenes and is well worth a look.