Exploitation cinema of all kinds has long suffered from the time honoured division between art and commerce. And 70s porn cinema has suffered more than most. Whatever their respective merits as films a strong case could be made on the basis of box office and overall cultural significance that a Deep Throat is a more important film than a Halloween and, as such, would benefit from the same cult movie treatment.
The problem, one feels, is that the mentality of the porn distributors has always been all about making money and they just don't care about their product otherwise – witness their failure to mount a defense for the inclusion of certain rape and/or bondage scenarios as being integral to a proper understanding of a film like Taxi Girls – while, from the other side of the fence, even the edgiest of contemporary cult distributors – Synapse, Blue Underground, Barrel take a bow – is justifiably wary of touching porn product even when a strong case can be made for its being as worthy of the special edition, restored version, documentary and a director's commentary treatment.
A perfect example of this need is given by Video X Pix DVD of Maraschino Cherry . As the final hardcore film made by Radley Metzger under his Henry Paris pseudonym, this is an important work in an important body of work. And, whilst the available evidence would seem to suggest that Metzger was right to get out of hardcore porn when he did, the absolutely wretched state of this DVD makes it all but impossible to tell.
To briefly enumerate the problems with this release – a more detailed, blow by blow (job) account can be found at (External) http://www.raincoatreviews.com/problemdvds_maraschino_cherry.shtml – the print used is in terrible condition, with washed out colours throughout; framed in such a way as to make a mockery of shot compositions; periodically displays the company's logo; and is cut more or less at random, with a surprsingly strong S&M scene – C J Laing is suspended over a hotplate whilst balancing two glasses as she is anally penetrated with a dildo – being delivered intact but for the splicing damage.
On this evidence the film seems somewhat routine and uninspired, with the minimal plot – madame Maraschino Cherry is visited by her lesbian sister Penny who has decided on a career change – and episodic nature of the proceedings – a series of suck and fuck sexual encounters performed with enthusiam by an attractive yet believably real-world cast – functioning more to deliver the goods in a straightforward way than as a way to subvert and challenge (whilst also delivering on) raincoater expectations. Too many scenes seem like haphazard inserts from other Metzger productions while the director's usual wit seems largely absent.
In sum, avoid this DVD like the plague and hopefully Video X Pix will get the message
Copyright © K H Brown 2002-2005
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