(1979/AUSTRALIA)
REVIEW BY-STEVE GENIER DIRECTED BY-JOHN D. LAMOND CAST-GLORY ANNEN, CHRIS MILNE, JONI FLYNN, JODY HANSON, MARILYN RODGERS, GORDON CHARLES and JOHN MICHAEL HOWSON SOURCE-SEVERIN FILMS DVD (NTSC REGION 0 / 94MINS / 2006)
Felicity is an interesting soft erotic tale of a young woman named Felicity who is discovering for the first time those sexual feelings we all go through. From the confines of an all girl’s school, her first experience is with her best friend Jenny. Though this would just be a teaser for a young women in full bloom and the perfect fix is a gift from her father, a trip to Hong Kong. There Felicity stays with friends Christine and Stephen. While in Hong Kong her sexuality arises to the many occasions presented to her in the form of both men and women. Soon, that little girl from Australia has become woman.
Well, there’s one thing to say about erotic adventures such as this, don’t expect the acting to carry the film. FELICITY, though not a hardcore erotic film it does however exploit several different areas of the realm that would turn a few heads for the time. Usual aspects a thrust into adventurous mode, seemingly innocent love making with other females for one. Of course in the trademark marked soft lit scenes, the lesbian action isn’t extreme in anyway, at least for our present day examples. Though for the late 70's it certainly still raised a few eyebrows.
During the commentary of the film which includes FELICITY’S director John D. Lamond and star Glory Annen who both peg this film as a "Fun Fantasy Film" as well as stating that even the UK censorship boards excepted this film as an art example. Of course, I can see this as well as many others, but surely there is still a slight edge to this film that would set the rules the other way. Though much of the nudity and sexual content in FELICITY is pretty much filmed in a tame manner. Never really showing too much at all during the love making scenes. Though the nudity in the film is in abundance and runs wild through it. Yes, this is a good thing especially for a film of this stature in being both rare and very dated.
Alongside Canadian born Glory Annen (Felicity) there is the strikingly beautiful ex-Bond girl and former Penthouse model Joni Flynn. Both become good friends and more when Felicity arrives in Hong Kong. There is a few erotic scenes involving the both of them. Of course the climax being the one on one scene. Others would include a very steamy bathing scene in a Chinese bath house with two other girls. Along with the many female hills and valleys there is wonderful location grabbing throughout the film. The streets of Hong Kong’s night life during the 70's to the busy waterways of the body of water surrounding Hong Kong Island. It really gives you a first hand look at the conditions of both sides of living there during the late 70's. This is an aspect to this erotic tale that makes it different from other films of this sort.
The new DVD company Severin Films who’s first release was Just Jaeckin’s GWENDOLINE, follow it up with a pretty decent release of yet another erotic tale, FELICITY. Fully restored director’s cut never before footage here in North America. Though I still haven’t found out what exactly those scene are, and highly doubt they are long or make much of a difference. Of course, I may be wrong about that. Anyhow, the Severin DVD on a who isn’t too bad, the main feature has been cleaned up quite nicely accompanied buy a relatively clean audio track as well. You can also listen to both John D. Lamond and Glory Annen talk about the film through it’s commentary.
There is a huge discussion in fact on rather it’s right for people to watch hard core porns. The argument being that is gives the men a brutal look at women hence how they should treat them. That is Glory’s stance as she is a woman’s advocate in the UK along with being a casting director as well. Outside the film and the commentary, the extras are pretty bare indeed with only the trailer and photo gallery to choose from. Still, if you are an avid fan of these films, it’s a suitable disc to own in your collection.
STORY/FILM-2.5/5 BITCH SLAPS PICTURE-3/5 BITCH SLAPS AUDIO-3/5 BITCH SLAPS EXTRAS-2/5 BITCH SLAPS OVERALL DVD-2.5/5 BITCH SLAPS
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