Venus in Furs
Based on the infamous novel by Leopold Sacher-Masoch this fine film follows the perverted passions of a young couple as Severin watches the beautiful Wanda writhing naked amongst furs. His disturbing peeping tomism triggers off a whirlpool of emotions due to a childhood episode which punishes voyeurism with pain. 'Venus In Furs' is a surprisingly good movie version of Sacher-Masoch's erotic classic of obsessive love. Updated to the present, which is obviously the 60s, director Massimo Dallamano (also responsible for the Helmut Berger 'Dorian Gray') manages to be quite faithful to the original story, and setting it in swinging Europe works very well. The beautiful Laura Antonelli (Fulci's 'The Eroticist') is well cast as the sensuous Wanda who is urged by her masochistic husband Severin (Regis Vallee) on to greater and greater heights of betrayal and sadistic game playing. Their passionate relationship takes them both to places they never anticipated and the movies final scene is neither predictable nor unsatisfying. This is an above average movie of its type. Fans of Eurosleaze like Franco's 'Succubus' and Berruti's 'Killer Nun' will dig it the most.
