mligorio

Solaris is an extraterrestrial intelligence. As remote as imaginable from humanity, it is nevertheless the very essence of human nature which, paradoxically, is an alien. Or, rather, our inability to understand our own nature alienates us from ourselves and others. Solaris is the mysterious workings of the human psyche. All the desolation and chaos therein stem from our efforts to either destroy or abandon what we can neither understand nor control.

Kris Kelvin is able to communicate with it by probing his own mind. Essentially, his private thoughts, memories and dreams are reproduced in a physical form that he can actually speak to and reason with. Unfortunately, this physical manifestation of his imagination, Hari, is all too human in that it has no knowledge of what created it. To go beyond this limitation and truly understand our own origins, it is necessary to become one with Solaris. But, possessed by an almost paranoid fear of the unknown, Kris is reluctant to surrender himself unconditionally. That is, until he finally realizes that in order to grow as an individual, he needs to share his experiences with others. In effect, Kris needs love.

For all our great knowledge, the origin of life has remained a mystery. And, if we do not even know what life is to begin with, how can we ever expect to find it elsewhere in the cosmos? To fulfill our own destiny, we must journey not through space, but rather through the timeless void that is our own subconscious. Life, after all, is a physical manifestation of thought, and with the power of our imagination we will forever preserver, and ever be capable of raising ourselves to ever still higher levels of conscious.

Solaris is an extraterrestrial intelligence that is as remote as imaginable from humanity; yet, it is the very essence of human nature, which, paradoxically, is an alien. Or, rather, our inability to understand our own nature alienates us from ourselves and others. Solaris is the mysterious workings of the human psyche. All the desolation and chaos therein stem from our efforts to either destroy or abandon what we can neither understand nor control.

Chris Kelvin is able to communicate with it by probing his own mind. Essentially, his private thoughts, memories and dreams are reproduced in a physical form that he can actually speak to and reason with. Unfortunately, this physical manifestation of his imagination, Freya, is all too human in that it has no knowledge of what created it. To go beyond this limitation and truly understand our own origins, it is necessary to become one with Solaris. But, possessed by an almost paranoid fear of the unknown, Chris is reluctant to surrender himself unconditionally. That is, until he finally realizes that in order to grow as an individual, he needs to share his experiences with others. In effect, Chris needs love.

For all our great knowledge, the origin of life has remained a mystery. And, if we do not even know what life is to begin with, how can we ever expect to find it elsewhere in the cosmos? To fulfill our own destiny, we must journey not through space, but rather through the timeless void that is our own subconscious. Life, after all, is a physical manifestation of thought, and with the power of our imagination we will forever preserver, and ever be capable of raising ourselves to ever still higher levels of conscious.

The Stalker is one of many itinerants who spend much of their lives wandering through the Zone. It is an area that has been strictly quarantined by authorities due to an unexplained disaster that may have been caused by extraterrestrial beings or some unforeseen cosmic event. Due to his special knowledge of the area, the Stalker agrees to lead two men, a Professor and a Writer, through the Zone to a special place called the Room, where it is believed that one's most cherished wishes will come true.

Much has already been said about Tarkovsky's 'slow motion' cinematographic style. Many like it, and, not surprisingly, many find it boring. However, judging from some of the other reviews, it appears that very little may been said about what the story actually means.

On a symbolic level, the zone represents the mysterious workings of the human psyche and all the chaos and confusion therein. The professor represents logical reasoning, which, unfortunately, has been corrupted by a penchant for self-destruction. The writer represents our ability to dream and create things of beauty, however, he lacks inspiration. Unfortunately, despite being highly conscientious, humanity has nevertheless failed to achieve a harmonious relationship with nature, in particular, our own. It is to achieve this natural harmony that drives the Stalker to return to the Zone time and time again. To the Stalker, waterfalls, wild herbs, and warm sunshine are paradise compared to the dull, drab atmosphere of an industrial district. It is an emotionally inspiring experience he needs to share with others if only to make his own impoverished life meaningful. Yet, even he does not dare to take the final step towards eternal bliss.

Like many of us, the three travelers don't actually know what it is that will truly make them happy, but it is certainly not the amenities of a technologically advanced civilization. It seems that everything that they had worked so hard to build, including social relationships (love affairs, friendships, families, professional partnerships, etc), lies about them in ruins, shut out, abandoned and left to waste. And, even though their goal appears to be only a short distance away, they cannot truly reach fulfillment unless they take the errant journey through desolation and despair that will bring them to a better understanding of themselves. However, the Stalker's companions are reluctant to take this circuitous route, partly because it requires a great deal more mental and physical effort, and partly because of an almost superstitious fear of the unknown.

Is there any hope for these hapless itinerants, or are they doomed to wander aimlessly for the rest of eternity in a vain search for truth or some purpose to what would otherwise be a meaningless existence? By the end of the film, perhaps you will agree that there is still hope for humanity. That we are resilient enough to endure whatever hardships may befall upon us, and that because of the power of the human imagination, we will ever be capable of raising ourselves to still higher levels of conscious.

A young girl from nowheres ville Wisconsin loves her boyfriend, but she isn't quite ready to tie the knot. These days it seems that it's the women who want to sew their wild oats. She's not a virgin, but, nevertheless, she's naive an inexperienced, and the people she meets in the big city are all promiscuous.

Of course, there was never any need to worry about getting pregnant, since, as we all know, that's not what sex is really for. Sex is really an exploration of character. While just about every decent self-respecting man or woman cheats, which she now observes first hand, some characters are clearly more low-down and despicable than others. Not withstanding, love conquers all, as per usual.

As in most B-movies, the babes are slender and athletic. This time, however, they only sport about 1-2 cups of silicone. I found this look to be more natural and appealing than the 1-2 liter jugs that I've seen hanging around in other porn flics. And, what B-movie would be complete without at least one beefy hunk for the ladies to fantasize about?

Probably the most remarkable part of this film is that for once the acting was done rather well. Yet, the story still comes off as rather dull. It's supposed to be a drama, which I prefer to silly comedies, but somehow it wasn't very dramatic. I didn't sense any real danger, nor did I really understand the characters' motives. Perhaps a murder mystery would have been better.

My recommendation: Watch it if you're bored and you like gratuitous sex.

It's one thing to wish for something, it's quite another affair to be happy with what you get, especially since it's not really what you had hoped for in the first place. A desperate pedophile, Humbert, somehow makes his wildest sexual fantasy actually come true, or at least that is what he longs to believe, but at the tragic cost of the lives he destroys, including his own.

Humbert explains why he is attracted to 14 year old Lolita. By his own account, he became fixated on girls the same age as his childhood sweetheart, Annabel, who he lost forever during his own youth. It is still a mystery, however, why a man of Humbert's maturity indulged an adolescent sexual fantasy for as long as he did. A man his age could no more have a love affair with a 14 year old girl than could he resurrect his long lost lover from the dead. Nor could he go back to being a 14 year old boy himself.

In a transparent attempt to approach the object of his desire, Humbert marries Lolita's mother, Charlotte, even though he does not truly love her. Charlotte's accidental death gives Humbert what he had been secretly hoping for, complete custody of Lolita. But, how could he be happy knowing that it was his rejection of Charlotte that practically drove her to suicide, especially since his flagrant negligence also hurt Lolita? This shocking realization should have interrupted Humbert's erotic dream and marked the point in the story where a responsible man assumes his natural role as a father. However, when Lolita approached him, inexplicably, he could not control his pedophile nature.

Humbert refused to abandon his love fantasy, until the day when Lolita was practically torn away from him, and he finally realized that he couldn't have her. But by that time the damage he had caused her was already irreparable. He destroyed Lolita's happy childhood in much the same way his own had been destroyed by the death of Annabel, and he could never forgive himself for his 'sin'. Murdering Quilty, an even more perverse pedophile than himself, was as close as he could come to suicide. In the end, he died in prison of a broken heart, leaving us to ponder whether there was ever any need for such a tragedy, or is it simply true that none of us can ever find bliss except for a fleeting moment.

In an alternate reality, the Earth's heroes turn out to be villains and, conversely, villains become heroes. In this parallel world, the evil counterparts of Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman, etc defeat the good counterpart of Lex Luther. So, the Justice League travels to the alternate Earth to help the good Lex Luther recoup and prove definitively that the principals that the heroes/villains are fighting for are what count the most in the end.

Each important member of the Justice League has a personal score to settle with his/her evil counterpart. Superman's evil side is selfish, insensitive, and domineering. Wonder Woman's evil counterpart is an egotistical sadist with a penchant for senseless destruction. Batman's dark side is a perfection seeking nihilist who wants to destroy the world.

At first blush, it looks like another brainless Punch 'n Judy festival, with the good guys getting in the last punch, as per usual. However, there is an effort to develop and interesting theme.

It turns out that there are not just two alternate realities, actually there are an infinite number. An infinite number of planet Earths where the perennial power struggle between Good and Evil continues indefinitely. Sometimes Good wins, sometimes Evil does, and in the end there is no end, no definite victor. How then does one establish some concrete sense of definitiveness from and endless labyrinth of different possibilities and alternate realities? The answer seems to lie in the difference between Life and Death.

It is Batman who must weigh the costs of the fight for Good. It is he who bears the burden of choosing who lives and who dies. His personal struggle with his evil counterpart, Owlman, will ultimately play the deciding role that determines the fate of humanity for all time. Owlman believes that eliminating the human race altogether will restore balance in the cosmos. In other words, 'Blow it all up and everything will come out perfect.'

Personally, I was not happy with the story, because our heroes are confronted with few intellectual challenges. Batman's tough choice is really a no-brainer if you think about it. And, since there is little question of who is one who's side, thanks to a Martian that can read people's minds, the rest of the Justice League can safely put away their chessboards and get on with the knee-jerk reflex task of kicking the bad guys' butts. Mundane, really, since we know who is going to win from the very beginning.

The story does however raise a few interesting theoretical questions. Is there any absolute difference between Good and Evil? Do the evil counterparts of our heroes win on the alternate Earth simply because they are stronger than Lex? And, when the Justice League finally wins in the end, do they do so because Good is stronger? If Lex Luther can be good in an alternate reality, can we justifiably show mercy to the evil Lex of our world? What value does humanity have? Are we worth saving, or would it be better if were all dead?

I find it remarkable that the superhero I identified most strongly with comes from Mars. Being the last member of an extinct race, he had a human female as a counterpart who turned out to be good. Watching him 'mind-meld' with her was fascinating, but nothing new for Star Trek fans.

Wonder Woman was a big disappointment. Despite the showy costume, she comes off as a typical all-muscle, no-brain character by the name of Ralph. She never has to stop once to reflect on what she is doing. Its easy, if you wear a black T-shirt she kicks your butt. If you wear white she throws herself on a grenade to save you. Easy for her to talk about selfless altruism since she can't die anyway. At least her evil counterpart, Superwoman, had some sex appeal, but she turned out to be an even bigger 'air-head'. "So you're gonna blow the whole world up Owlman, and everyone will die? Hey, that means we'll both die too! WOW that'd be sooooooooooo cooooool. Yeah babe, lets do it! I'm psyched!!!"

So to sum up my disappointment, the conflict between Good and Evil takes place on the football field, fine, but I think they should have competed at least to some degree on the chessboard as well, they didn't. Furthermore, I see nothing interesting in a contest when I know who is going to win, even before the game begins.

I got this film purely by accident, thinking it was going to be the another Thor movie that has just been released. Ever since childhood, I have been repeatedly surprised by how many books/movies/songs that I never wanted in the first place turned out to be good when I reluctantly decided to give them a try.

My first impression was that this was going to be just another silly story for kids, because we see Thor as a brash youth. I was tempted to turn it off after only a few minutes, but I'm glad I stuck with it. I suspected, of course, that the story was going to show how Thor grew up and became the hero we know him to be today, but I didn't know exactly how that transition would take place.

Presumably, after taking a few blows on his chin, he was simply going to pick up his hammer and crush evil into submission, convincingly proving once again that 'might makes right'. And, if that were all there is to this story, I wouldn't be recommending that you watch it yourself or show it to your kids.

Like most youths, Thor has a sense of ambition and adventure that ultimately gets him into trouble. But Thor is not an ordinary youth, being the son of Odin, his rash actions place the entire kingdom of Asgard in grave danger. It is at this point, when he accepts responsibility for his own actions, that we see his remarkable transition from boy to man. In fact, we are impressed when he proves to have the wisdom of a man many years his senior.

So, as it turns out, the moral is the same as in other superhero stories, that is, having great power isn't what counts the most, but rather knowing how to use it wisely is. I have read more than my fair share of comics, even as an adult, so this theme isn't really news to me. This time, however, I saw it from a different perspective, through the eyes of an adolescent who had to learn the lesson the hard way. And, then I saw something I had been missing all these years. I knew the part about the hero forgiving the bad guys, but I realize now that what is more important is that Thor forgave himself. This sense of compassion is perhaps the main reason why Thor goes on to be a great hero, while his brother Lochi eventually becomes a villain.

When I realized that more than 1500 reviews had been written, I thought that my own input would make little impact. Tarantino might prefer to say that it would be like 'pissing in the ocean'. But, after reading a dozen or so reviews, it became clear that many critics, even those who liked the film, don't actually understand the message of the movie. It's true that the story was well scripted, the dialog was witty and amusing, and the acting was good, but the essential theme of the film needs to be brought to light.

Essentially, people are not all the same. We differ in terms of race, nationality, social status, education, and religious beliefs. These fundamental differences at times cause conflicts of interest, even wars. Nevertheless, having common ideals and sharing personal struggles serves to unite us. Tarantino tries to teach us this moral through the lives and personal experiences of his characters. In fact, each character in the story is a study of just that, character.

Comparing Vincent and Jules, for example, we get the impression that Jules is the more educated of the two, nevertheless, Vincent seems knowledgeable and, moreover, he is perceptive logical thinker who can hold his own in a conversation. You may have been impressed by the simple fact that a white man and black man could be such good friends that they readily forgive one another for costly mistakes and other offenses. In fact, the two men treated each other in a manner that was almost entirely colorblind. The 'n' word didn't necessarily apply only to black people. It could apply to friend or foe and, depending on context, it could be either and insult or a compliment. But, perhaps even more impressive was the nonchalant attitude both these two men took toward their day to day job as hit men. Not only could they talk about breakfast, they could actually eat it after committing a bloody murder.

It is quite remarkable how many characters in story were too interested in themselves to pause for a even moment to reflect on the many lives they destroyed. However, at least at some point, just about every important character in the story reveals to us that they indeed have a conscious. To our amusement, Vincent talks to himself in the bathroom as he tries to encourage himself to be on his best behavior with the boss's wife. Jules' actions are even more dramatic, when he risks his own life to save the man who tried to rob him.

We are all searching for fulfillment in our lives. And, at times, it seems that we are desperately trying to maintain order in a world that is obviously corrupt and depraved. This common experience allows us to understand the many problems that others face, and it enables us to help one another to endure life's many hardships. This empathy is so powerful that on momentous occasions even bitter enemies can make peace. It may well be that this sense of compassion which transcends all law is what truly defines us as civilized human beings, allowing us to find meaning or purpose in our lives beyond the mundane existence of 'kill or be killed' in the so called neon jungle.

The 'boys to men' concept was a prevalent theme in the media during the 70's. Perhaps because that same era was the time of my own adolescence, or perhaps because I saw far too many Happy Days episodes that, initially, I didn't see anything particularly novel about the story. By the end of the film, however, my impression had changed.

At first, Hermy and Oscy seem to be nothing more than playful kids. Throughout the story, however, they repeatedly demonstrate surprising maturity that one normally expects from older, wiser men. I am referring to a sensitivity and conscientiousness beyond the feigned eloquence and other tactics they used to score with the babes. This distinction is key focal point of the story, and what separates the film from others that explore how young men cope with their growing sexual needs.

The setting is all but perfect. The Japanese had just bombed Pearl Harbor and the country was in turmoil. Sheltered on a peaceful, lonely island, however, the boys were able to continue living out their youthful fantasies, far removed from the harsh realities that MEN had to face. It was as if, for them, time itself was suspended.

****Spoiler****There has been a lot of talk about the movie's funny moments. My favorite was when Hermy and Dorothy were slow dancing, and the record stopped playing. Neither one made a move to start the record again. Instead, they continued dancing in awkward silence, as if they couldn't bear to break their tender embrace. They wanted that special moment to last forever, but it couldn't. Just as the record had to end, so did young Hermy's joyful and innocent youth and, ultimately, so does life itself.

Facing these realities is what truly defined the moment when Hermy became a man, distinguishing himself from his best friend Oscy. From the beginning, Oscy was more knowledgeable and successful than Hermy in matters of sex, but by the story's end Oscy still could not look beyond yet another sexual conquest to see the painful heartbreak that comes with 'true' love.

I have never seen an erotic movie like this before, nor have I ever found any to be as satisfying, even though I had to put up with English subtitles. The Tinto Brass perspective on female anatomy is quite uncommon in American porn.

Instead of numerous scenes of topless skinny women with fake boobs, Tinto gives us a good look at some rather curvaceous derrières and, for variation, a few close-up views of women self stimulating some rather hairy vaginas. While breasts aren't the main focus, and they aren't the biggest boobs you've seen, they do appear natural! You should also note that male anatomy is revealed more in this film than in soft porn; there a many close up shots of male penises in female hands. Unlike hardcore, however, fellatio is not depicted, nor does the camera zoom in on penetration. I especially liked the fact that there is no semen or feces, staples of some hardcore films which disgust me.

As in many erotic stories, the basic idea is to show a clear contrast between the intimacy of true love and the moral depravation of lust and wanton sex, in this case with the spotlight on voyeurism. To paraphrase the principal male character, Dodo, voyeurism is more than an idle spectator's indulgence of his/her lustful desires. It is a mutual endeavor to lay bare intimate sexual secrets in all their carnal essence and vulnerability, a revolt against a hypocritical society that represses a vital part of life out of pure ignorance. While this may be well stated, the film fails to prove this point with its numerous unrealistic scenes of people acting shamelessly in both public and private settings.

Love is portrayed by the relationship between Dodo and his wife Silvia. In a playful foreplay scene, Silva dresses in front of Dodo, allowing us to get a good look at Katarina Vasilissa, a very pretty, tall blond. Her 23 years at the time of shooting stood up well to close inspection from the camera. She acted reasonably well, and the sex between her and Dodo appears intimate, however, I wasn't left with the impression that she was truly in love. This may be the reason the film only earned a rating of 6.

Moral depravation is portrayed by the relationship between Dodo's father and his nurse, Fausta, whom he hires more for sexual favors than for medical treatment. This humorous part of the story is too slapstick for my taste. A forgivable flaw, however, since Tinto gives you a good feel for Christina Garavaglia's well rounded buttocks! As for the overall production, what I liked most was the Jazz music soundtrack. On the other hand, most settings were rather mundane, and I didn't like the lighting at all. It wasn't consistent from scene to scene, and all too often the characters were set against a bright background, which actually makes it harder to see them clearly.

So, to sum it up, if well rounded buttocks and hairy vaginas are your thing, if you want plenty of sex without going hardcore, and if you find tall blonds attractive, than this film may be worth a look.

Among the first soft-porn I ever saw was the made for TV "Emmanuelle" series starring Krista Allen. It got my attention, but I had two main problems with it: 1) It looked too much like an endless series of orgies and not enough like the love story it was supposed to be; 2) I didn't see anywhere near enough gratuitous footage of Krista Allen as I would have liked in various states of undress. The second shortcoming was by far my biggest grievance.

After seeing numerous other soft-porn flicks, I gave up trying to find one that would give me what I wanted. I actually got Animal Instincts thinking it was a drama, and I almost deleted it after seeing a few scenes of ugly prostitutes in a sleazy night club. Fortunately, Shannon Whirry (Joanna) satisfied the most important criterion for the lead actress in this kind of film; i.e., she had good overall proportions and looked good in revealing attire. I especially liked her firm, well rounded derriere, although her breasts were too over-sized for my taste. That being said, she is not a bad actress either.

If you stick with this film, you may find that the plot proves to be intriguing. Far from being the laughable joke that many soft-porn flicks are, Animal Instincts exhibits dramatic irony, conflict, suspense, and even clever wit, but it still has some logical flaws. The most critical of them, beyond and doubt, is that we are supposed to imagine a young couple in love, but the relationship between Joanna and her husband (David) wasn't developed enough to even come close to achieving this end. They should have shared more intimate secrets with each other, and the emotional and psychological links between the two should have been accentuated, even when they were not together in the same room. If you want a good example, read the following spoiler.

{Begin spoiler} One day David comes home and finds Joanna in bed with another man, who he chases away. Then to our surprise, after what seemed like months of neglect, without a word Dave finally has sex with Joanna. Apparently, he was turned on by seeing her have sex with a perfect stranger. That might be true, but we are supposed to see that the relationship he shares with her is special and goes beyond a casual lay. It would have seemed more intimate if he had at first became enraged with jealousy. Then, after a passionate argument and a teary eyed moment where the two lovers kiss and make-up, finally we would enjoy a prolonged and intimate love scene. Certainly the sex between David and Joanna should have been the best in the film {End spoiler}.

To sum it all up, in the context of a fairly intriguing drama, I found a soft-porn film that does a fair job of revealing the more appealing assets of the lead female role; not a trivial point, given that this is the raison d'etre of the film. Unfortunately, I have yet to find one good skin-flick that draws a clear distinction between true love and wanton sex.

With her beauty and intelligence it should be easy for Moon (Juliette Marquis) to enjoy a successful career, have plenty of friends and find true love, even if she is burdened by her handicapped father. While her sex appeal is a valuable asset, so many of the men she meets are selfish, dishonest, and abusive. Can we expect them to want anything other than money or sex from a porn star? What begins as Moon's personal narrative of this brief period in her life gradually becomes a psychological drama, providing a cynical and somewhat realistic perspective on the modern sex culture; wanton sex, deception, and sexually transmitted diseases. James Woods (Pops) adds a fair dose of slapstick comedy and vulgar humor.

I gave this movie a 7. Juliette Marquis is above average in both the sex appeal and acting skill categories; a combination that is hard to find. James Woods does an impressive impersonation of a Parkinson's patient, and the supporting actors are good enough to sell what to me is a relatively novel story that is a little too far fetched and biased.

The take home message seems to be that women are honest and hardworking, while men get what they want by lying, cheating and, if need be, through brute force. Overall, women are smarter and more capable but, fortunately for men, they are also caring and compassionate; otherwise, who would be there to wipe a pathetic helpless man's ass? I guess it's not too surprising that this movie is especially popular among teenage girls.

The story is about a beautiful young girl, Blue (Nina Siemaszko), who is approaching sexual maturity. In order to achieve a happy and fulfilling life she must avoid being corrupted and enslaved by sexual desire and lust, and ultimately find true love. But this is no easy matter in the cold, cruel world in which she suddenly finds herself virtually alone and defenseless. She becomes the unwilling victim of power hungry individuals who seek to exploit her as a prostitute. With help from more compassionate and understanding people, Blue struggles to maintain dignity and courage in her desperate commitment to be free.

While its true that the film has little connection with its predecessor "Wild Orchid", its main flaw seems to be that its just a little too cliché and at times hard to believe. This shortcoming is difficult to avoid, however, in most any book or film. To Zalman King's credit, the final outcome and the essential theme are not completely obvious from the very beginning. The exotic setting in the past also helps give the film a sense of novelty.

While the movie does have numerous sexually explicit scenes, which may offend some people, it exhibits far less voyeurism and wanton sexual intercourse that are typical of so called "soft-porn" movies. Whereas, I found Nina Siemaszko's natural beauty to be a refreshing change from the irritating plastic-boob floozies that are the main attraction of the aforementioned genre. Moreover, Wild Orchid 2 is a far more compelling human drama than stories about men from out of space who want to learn what love is, but seem to only be interested in sex. A rating of 2.8 hardly does this film any justice. I myself was quite found of the movie, and consider it worth viewing by those seek more tragic and melancholy overtones than what you may find in a typical romance.

Nina Siemaszko portrays of young "virgin", who is lonely, innocent and vulnerable, yet strong willed and independent, with higher moral values. She acted well enough to earn my sympathy, and I found myself routing for her throughout the film. Through Blue's trying experiences, we learn that in order to find true love we must be bold and determined, we must exhibit self-sacrifice and compassion, and, above all, we must look beyond outward appearances and fallacies, and seek the inner beauty that lies within ourselves and others we meet.

While the sex & violence presented is typical of an exploitation film, Verhoeven manages to use these elements to drive home a meaningful message; moral consciousness, knowledge, and a sense of compassion are what make us civilized.

As the story progresses, two men become engaged in a brutal fight to the death over the beautiful princess Agnes (Jennifer Leigh). Steven (Tom Burlinson), her lawful suitor, is a nobleman and a self-proclaimed intellect. Martin (Rutger Hauer) is the villainous mercenary who has violated and abducted her.

To my satisfaction, Flesh & Blood turns out to be more than a banal story about a hapless young virgin, utterly powerless to control her own destiny, who must be rescued by a prince valiant. In fact, Agnes plays the most pivotal role, because it is up to her to decide which of two men she truly loves. If she is held prisoner, if she is forced against her will in any way, it is because she MUST choose one of the two men as her lover, with the full knowledge that her decision will cost the life of the other. Not surprisingly, Agnes experiences considerable difficulty in making a decision. In fact, she never seems to make up her mind even when the story ends.

This kind of dilemma is quite popular among French existentialists. The hero or heroine has complete freedom to choose, but from a moral perspective neither choice is suitable. Compare Agnes' role in Flesh and Blood with the one of Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) in Casablanca, where Rick must choose to either help himself, the woman he loves, or another man who represents a cause he believes in.

To Jennifer Leigh's credit, it is not easy to find an actress for this key role. On one hand, she must act well enough so we sense her distress. On the other hand, she has to be young, attractive, and photogenic in the nude. She fits the mold well enough to make the story work.

Overall, the production value was good in terms of acting, costumes, settings, lighting, and special effects. What I didn't like about the film, however, is its lack of subtlety. The mercenaries are clearly unmannerly, brutal, and falsely pious; all too clearly in my opinion. In the opening scene, just before our heroes set off to rape, burn and pillage, inexplicably, they have to pause for Holy Communion. And, to contrast this false piety, we have false nobility that comes right out of Charles Dickens. The noble lord Arnolfini (Fernando Hilbeck) offers one gold coin to any man who is brave enough to risk his life to set an explosive. And, he later reneges on his promise to share the spoils with the mercenaries.

In general, I felt most of the characters were too stereotyped, with Agnes being the most obvious exception. After being abducted by the mercenaries, her normal role is to feign affection for their leader, Martin, in order that he protect her. She breaks the mold when she actually does "fall" for him, and at one point she actually saves his life. Hawkwood (Jack Thompson) is another character with a more complex personality. While he is a soldier and therefore kills for a living, he demonstrates a moral consciousness and a sense of compassion not portrayed by the other principal male characters. For example, he saves the life and cares for an innocent nun, whom he mistakenly injures during a battle.

Another obvious flaw to the film is its lack of scientific credibility. Just to give an example, there is a point in the film where some of the characters become infected with the Plague. In one scene, one of the rogue mercenaries drinks a cup of contaminated water and moments later becomes seriously ill. While it is true that a person can be infected by contaminated food, to have the symptoms manifest only moments after ingestion is scientific fallacy. The Plague, like many infectious diseases is spread by bacteria. Once a person is infected, it normally takes several days for the bacteria to grow inside the body and spread to various organs, only then do the symptoms appear. While logical flaws like this are all too common in modern movies, in this case it is especially irritating, because one of the characters, Steven, repeatedly boasts that he is a man of higher understanding. Quite simply, Verhoeven doesn't own up to his claim.

While the movie clearly has its strong points, Jennifer Leigh being one of them, there were too many flaws for me to consider it a great film. I gave it 7/10.

Despite logical flaws and corny chauvinism, this movie comes off rather well. Having several characters who vie for power adds complexity to the plot; so, even though we know that good will surely conquer evil, we are not quite certain of how it will turn out until the very end.

The struggle for absolute power features many of the usual contestants: righteous noblemen, courageous warriors, brutal usurpers, and evil sorcerers. Whomever emerges victorious will have their way with the beautiful, but utterly powerless, Princess Alana; the most priceless jewel in the kingdom.

Fortunately for Princess Alana, altruism and loyalty, personified by Prince Talon, ultimately triumph over greed and treachery, exemplified by the despot Titus Cromwell and the sorcerer Xusia. Prince Talon enacts justice more for the thrill of adventure rather than for material possessions. He asks Alana only for the "honeymoon" without the "wedding". Fortunately for Talon, after some hesitation, she cheerfully accepts. How convenient that our handsome and magnanimous prince can satisfy his lust without having to ravish her. But let's admit, he did offer her a kingdom at a significant discount.

The producers try to blend as many thrills as possible into one film: blood and gore, sexy women, evil and the occult, action and adventure, and swashbuckling sword play. The acting is at times "flat", but the special effects and the overall production are quite good for a film made 25 years ago. I don't consider it a "must-see", but it is probably worth while for devotees to either sword & sorcery or adventure films.

Roger Corman tells a story so well that this sword & sorcery adventure would have been on par with popular blockbuster films such as Conan the barbarian, were it not for obvious shortcomings in the time and money spent on production. The dubbing is sloppy and the dialog is toneless. The cheap special effects are mediocre at best and, at their worst, they look like something taken out of a cheap horror/science fiction flick from the 1950's.

As an alternative attraction, Corman affords us numerous glimpses of sexy and/or athletic women, usually dressed in revealing attire and sometimes completely naked. Unlike a soft-porn production, however, the emphasis is on action and adventure, thus providing a unique platform for this kind of voyeurism.

This movie may have some appeal for amazon aficionados. The hand to hand combat scenes come off reasonably well. In fact, Mindi Miller (Windsor Taylor Randolph), as Dyala, was particularly adept at handling a staff. And, both she and Penelope Reed, who played Tashi, have physiques suitable for their roles.

Corman depicts amazons somewhat differently than I have seen in other productions such as Xena. In Corman's story, amazons have a prominent role in society, but still keep their place alongside men. This makes sense if anyone ever wondered where baby amazons come from. I also like the fact that despite being great warriors, the amazons still remain vulnerable, allowing us to fear for their safety and making them appear more human.

Basically, the amazons are threatened by en evil wizard, who makes a pact with supernatural ghost-like beings and uses human sacrifice to gain metaphysical powers. To stop him, Dyala and Tashi, are sent on a dangerous quest for the sword of Azundati. The suspense and the overall impact of the movie are dampened, however, since we know that despite impossible odds, ultimately good will conquer evil, and all will enjoy a happy ending. So, Corman makes their challenge more difficult by creating dissension and treachery among the amazons and their friends. To provide a greater sense of reality and mortal peril, a few key characters in the story actually die.

If you like the thrill of naked breasts and thighs, but you still want a half-way decent story, this movie may be worth your while.

Before you decide whether or not you want to watch this movie, consider the following questions: Do I want to see lots of freaky aliens and spectacular special effects? Do I want to see lots of half-naked women? If your answer to either of these questions is, yes, then you may be disappointed. The weird aliens and gory scenes we see during the opening credits aren't included in the story and, overall, the special effects are mediocre compared to what you would see in a good sci-fi blockbuster. The story's main appeal is suspense and intrigue. For a bonus, we get a generous look at voluptuous Traci Lords in a swimsuit.

The movie begins when an alien arrives on Earth and kills two young lovers in a secluded place. After this brief introduction to the story, we then see the credits. Set to eerie music, we get glimpses of horrible looking aliens and young terrorized women running, being raped, and giving unnatural birth to hideous creatures. Exactly the kind of thing I DID NOT WANT TO SEE! Perhaps Roger Corman found this montage to be artistic, but all he did was tell me that I was watching another low-budget science fiction-horror flick with a thoughtless plot, bad acting, bogus special effects, and disgusting gore. Fortunately, these scenes seem to have been lifted from earlier works and have no connection whatsoever with the actual story.

The more credible story that Corman tells is one of a very human looking alien with a strange disease, who relies on blood transfusions to remain alive. His intriguing problem is the main reason why I watched the film to the end. Unfortunately, Corman tried too hard to provide us with gratuitous glimpses of young women in various states of undress.

It works well when the model is Traci Lords, who plays the role of a young nurse, Nadine Story, and is quite stunning in a swimsuit. Her natural looking breasts were a welcome contrast to the "plastic" enhancements that have become a staple of modern B-movies. I'm relieved that the movie was made 20 years ago, a time before breast jobs had become "over inflated".

Even though sexy women are an important attraction, I still don't want them presented in a clumsy fashion. Corman's "excuse" for revealing Traci's curvaceous body is the simple fact that in the context of the story they are in the middle of a heat wave, and Nadine had a swimming pool in the house that she was staying in. Fair enough, given that Traci acts well enough to play a leading role in a B movie, but Corman doesn't stop there. He shows us more and more half-dressed women, often for entirely pointless reasons, who aren't nearly as good looking as Traci.

If you like Traci, and I expect you will, you have plenty of her earlier porn movies to choose from, which are doubtless more revealing. If, on the other hand, you want to see some skin, but you find endless scenes of orgies to be boring at best and at worst disgusting, like myself you're stuck trying to find a B-movie with good looking young models who act reasonably well and are cast in story that is at the very least plausible. In which case this movie is OK, but could have been better.

The story is essentially a mystery of both the occult and human nature. A serious minded young woman, Tara, returns to the exotic world of her early childhood and makes new acquaintances. Sexual encounters awaken her inner passions, and she soon exhibits a newly discovered physical prowess.

Jenna Bodnar, as Tara, is fairly attractive. The few erotic scenes and moderate violence add needed excitement, but they are not done to excess. Suspense and intrigue are the main appeals of the film. The setting is dark and foreboding, and the main plot develops slowly.

Tara inherits a wealthy estate from her distant estranged father. Inexplicably, just before his death he insisted that she stay away from the place. Tara's life is in danger and someone is trying to take advantage of her. Local folks repeatedly warn Tara, but they hesitate to tell her what they know. Even her new found mysterious lover, who seems to understand her true nature, offers little help. So, Tara is left practically all alone to ponder her mysterious circumstances. Naive, she is easily exploited, and she suffers a sinister fate.

The movie's main disappointment is the fact that it ends with the story unfinished. Tara slowly transforms into something frightening, but we never get to see what she becomes. I don't know if there is any sequel, in which case I am not sure the movie is worth the effort.