Thursday, March 28, 2013

Sexcula (1974, DVD Review)


Canada/1974
Directed by: Bob Hollowich
Written by:  David F. Hurry
Starring: Debbie Collins, Jamie Orlando, John Alexander
Color/86 Minutes/Not Rated 


The Film
I've seen all types of horror and monster movies. I've seen all sorts of porn. I've even seen them mashed together, but I've never seen anything like SEXCULA.

Recounting the 19th century events through the discovery and reading of an old diary the film surrounds an attractive Frankenstein-like scientist who is trying to find a cure to a man's lack of sex drive and the fact that he simply can't get it up. The woman calls upon the Countess Sexcula, another gorgeous woman who is extremely skilled in being a hooker. It is through the Countess, and continued experiments, that the woman finally gets her man... up.



There you go, SEXCULA in a... erm... nutshell. The Canadian made 70s porno flick had disappeared for three decades after only a single screening  and was thought lost forever. Luckily for the world of bizarre film lovers it was re-discovered just a couple of years ago. From the classic horror characters- vampire, mad scientist and even a hunchback named Orgie, to the hard sex, an orgy inside a church including the priest and making love to a gorilla, SEXCULA is something that really needs to be seen to be believed. And that didn't even mention the pleasure robot! At its core, the film is a porno and yes, it does a fine job at being a porno, with explicit blowjob scenes, long sequences of all sorts of penetration and all the juicy fun but SEXCULA will (and to an extent already has) find its place in bizarro film history. And to think the Canadian government helped fund it!



The Video
Impulse Pictures brings this long lost piece of adult film history to DVD with a Full Frame 1.33:1 transfer with a reasonable transfer. The gritty picture is full of grain and speckling but it only adds to the feeling this film brings. This is of course due to the nature of how the film was shot. Colors are decent and bllack levels are strong and never get muddy or block up. 

 

The Audio
A mono track is included for the audio and is perfectly acceptable. You wouldn't expect a 5 track surround sound mix for a 70s porno, and if you got one if might be terrifying. The sound is clean and clear with no noticeable distortions.



The Extras 
The original theatrical trailer is included along with liner notes from adult film historian Dimitrios Otis.

The Bottom Line
It is interesting to see how SEXCULA plays as two different films, a cute nudie horror flick and then a total hardcore skin flick with long sex scenes. It all comes together for a truly weird, bizarre and entertaining viewing experience. 

SEXCULA is available HERE

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