Based on the infamous novel by Leopold Sacher-Masoch. It 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. Up-dating the story, Dallamano takes a "supersensual" man who craves abuse and domination and an idealized cruel, icy Venus come to life.

review
Paroxismus (I shall refer to it as the American title Venus In Furs) is without a doubt Franco's masterpiece. Succubus comes close, and Love Letter of a Portuguese Nun is pretty good, but in terms of style and content, Venus in Furs is Franco at his best. It's a jazzy, hallucinatory, frightening drug haze of a film which is filled with sometimes unintentionally funny dated dialogue ("It was like she was on some crazy, drugged-out trip. But, hey, if that was her bag, then I was cool with it.") Venus in Furs is also filled with strange imagery which lingers in your mind like a horrible nightmare. And the ending is absolutely wonderful! Forget all the retro seventies crap out there now, if you want to see how the seventies were really like, check out this flick! Oh yeah, and it also has a cool soundtrack, complete with lounge music. And, hey, if it's your bag, then I'm cool with it!


Director: Jesus Franco
Writers: Milo G. Cuccia, Carlo Fadda

cast:
James Darren .... Jimmy Logan /
Klaus Kinski .... Ahmed Kortobawi /
Maria Rohm .... Wanda Reed /
Barbara McNair .... Rita /
Margaret Lee .... Olga /
Dennis Price .... Percival Kapp.

Runtime: 81 min
Country: UK / West Germany / Italy
Aslo known as: Paroxismus
Language: English
Colour