Venus in Furs (1969)

- Paroxismus
My favorite Franco, 27 February 2005

Jimmy Logan (James Darren), a trumpet player in a jazz band, is secretly in love with Wanda Reed (Maria Rohm). One night, he witnesses her being tortured and raped by three people. Some time later, Jimmy pulls Wanda's body from the surf. In a distraught state, Jimmy heads to Rio and starts playing music again. Jimmy is surprised one night to see Wanda walk into the party where he is playing. Soon, those responsible for Wanda's death end up dying mysteriously. Is it really Wanda? Jimmy is certain that Wanda is dead.

I am by no means a Franco expert - I've only seen six or seven of his films. But, Venus in Furs is by far the best I've seen. The other Franco films I've seen have very confusing plots and characters whose motivation is questionable at best. Some of those films were also hampered by less than stellar cinematography and editing. This is not the case here. Venus in Furs has a very compelling, thought provoking story. Most everything makes sense within the framework of the movie. And the ending will leave an impression in your mind for days after you've watched the movie. There are no problems with the editing. And the cinematography is simply beautiful. Everything from the stage the band plays on with the red background to the inviting shots of Istanbul are a real treat to the eye.

Other than his appearance in The Guns of Navarone, I had only seen James Darren in fairly lightweight fluff like Gidget. When I saw he was in the film, I was at first a little apprehensive. But after watching Venus in Furs, I can't imagine anyone else in the lead role. And, Maria Rohm is simply mesmerizing as Wanda. She has an otherworld quality that's perfect for the role.

While Venus in Furs may be classified as a horror movie, don't expect a lot of in your face gore or any other such mayhem. The horror is very subtle, but effective. There is any uneasy sense of morbidity just under the surface. While each of the deaths feature relatively little actual violence, the tension and atmosphere leading up to each is undeniable.

While I may have been leery at first of buying Venus in Furs, it's now a very welcome addition to my DVD collection.

8/10