O Quarteto Lickerish

It's hard for me to rate this movie because I have no reference to what porn or sexploitation film was like in the late 60s. This is definitely not one of those seedy production, but actually a decent dramatic movie.

I understand that the director was born in New York, but the movie has European flavor to it. The world was going through the sexual revolution, and many experimental films were created during this period. What I see in this movie is what the French used to call Nouvelle Vague (New Wave) where the reason for the story takes back seat to the unintelligible vagueness that's supposed to enhance the artistry of the production.

Nouvelle Vague didn't last too long as it didn't gather much following, but there were more than few of this type of movies made by Jean-Luc Godard and Roger Vadim. In fact, the film strongly reminds me of Roger Vadim's style of film making.

I have to give credit to the beauty of this film. The director certainly has eyes for keeping interesting and clean appearance to the picture.

How you rate the story of the movie probably differs widely depending on the audience. I kind of liked it for its modern appearance, and interesting story.

It really took me back in time to experience what it was like to live in the '60s and very early '70s. It will probably do the same to you.

Opening with a quote by Luigi Pirandello regarding the elusive and illusory nature of reality, Radley Metzger's 1970 soft-core, art-house offering, "The Lickerish Quartet," is indeed one mind-twisting film. In it, a stepfather, wife and son watch a stag film one night in their sumptuous castle, and later go to a carnival and see a motorcycle stunt performance. They bring home the beautiful blond cycler, who bears an uncanny resemblance to one of the hotties in that stag film, and she proceeds to seduce all three in turn. The end. But wait a minute...why is that stag film subtly altered now, and why do the family and the hotty start emulating the action IN that film? Apparently, Metzger & Co. have some comments they'd like to make regarding art imitating life, or life imitating art, or the mutability of reality, or how film alters our perception of truth, or how time plays tricks on memory. After two viewings, I'm still trying to figure the darn thing out. But the picture does provide other pleasures, besides its baffling themes. The four principals are all quite good, especially the gorgeous Silvana Venturelli as the blond (or is it brunette?) temptress. The location of the film, the Piccolomini Castle in Balsorano, Italy (also the location, BTW, of the 1965 Italian horror film "The Bloody Pit of Horror"), is equally gorgeous, and Enrico Sabbatini's set decor of the castle's chambers (especially that library!) is also a feast for the eyes. Perhaps best of all, Stephen Cipriani has provided a Morricone-like score for the film that is exceptionally beautiful, and certainly deserving of a soundtrack CD. This score is especially lovely when used as a backdrop for Silvana's prancing through a sunlit field. Still, "The Lickerish Quartet" remains a trippy head-scratcher, at best. Lines such as "Isn't everyone in movies?" and "Reality's hard" might clue in potential viewers to prepare themselves for one brow-furrowing evening....

'The Lickerish Quartet' is very much a product of the early 70s when the idea of mixing the art movie and soft core genres was in vogue. Radley Metzger created a fascinating albeit very pretentious pseudo-psychedelic mindbender which is quite unlike any other similar movie of this era. At times I was reminded a little of Jess Franco's 'Succubus', but 'The Lickerish Quartet' is truly a one-off. Metzger plays with time, with frequent cuts, flashbacks, flashforwards, and dream sequences, so by the end fantasy and reality are blurred, and everybody, including the audience, is no longer exactly sure what actually happened, and what didn't. Silvana Venturelli is beautiful and well cast as the mysterious "visitor", and Frank Wolff ('Cold Eyes Of Fear') stands out from the supporting cast, as the wealthy sophisticate who gets a lot more than he bargains for. This movie is a real treat for lovers of 60s and 70s "head" movies, and will appeal to fans of Jodorowsky and Bunuel as much as Franco or Jean Rollin. Highly recommended.

The follow up of Camilla 2000, remember, the flick with the moaning girls and the sex scene's who were a bit lame. If we could talk about sex scene's to be honest, but the score made it all better. So with the voluptuous main lead, Silvana Venturelli, from Carmilla the director Radley Metzger went on to this project made in full porn bloom.

Starts off with a bunch of people watching an erotic picture. The erotic flick goes further then Camilla ever did. Silvana goes full frontal and this time the camera shows the girls giving head even as nothing is shown it do offer some soft-erotic parts. We move over to some stunts being done on motorcycles, a bit too long but there the man recognises the girl on the bike as the girl from the erotic flick. He invites her back to his castle, guess you all know what is coming. In the castle the director goes as far as possible with close-ups of Silvana's private parts.

Much better story with the magic involved, excellent filmed. A bit of mystery going on with the films itself which give this flick an uplift. Not bad at all, Metzger's best effort.

Gore 0/5 Nudity 3/5 Effects 0/5 Story 3/5 Comedy 0/5

This was one of the films that brought Radley Metzger to the forefront of mainstream erotic films. The narrative is interesting and full of tricks. It uses flashbacks, pseudoflashbacks and multiple perspectives. Yes, it's a bit pretentious, but the plot keeps you watching. And how about that library scene? I laughed aloud when I saw it, being comfortably ensconsed in an apartment full of many books I haven't read either. Maybe what I need is a mistress to sweep everything away like that!!