REVIEWED BY - STEVE GENIER
DIRECTOR - Jack Cardiff
CAST - Alain Delon, Marianne Faithful, Roger Mutton, Marius Goring,
Catherine Jourdan and Jean Leduc.
SOURCE - PRISM LEISURE PAL REGION 2

Highly charged and very emotional, free-loving Rebecca (Marianne Faithful) sets out for a long journey on her motorcycle to see her lover Daniel (Alain Delon). Bored with her fresh marriage to Raymond (Roger Mutton), a one dimensional school teacher, she longs for her lover's electric touch. Along the way, she struggles with her direction of feelings toward both Daniel and Raymond. Raymond, the easy going one, and easy to persuade, but there when she needs him, or Daniel, her lover, treating her as an object rather than loving her? She is a slave to his very touch and always second to the former women of his life, pondering if he will ever love her or is even capable of it. As she gets closer to Daniel, her feelings begin to shift into overdrive, causing her to think erratically. As she drives faster, her sense of surrounding becomes less of an importance.

 

Laced with electrically charged erotic sequences, psychedelic dreams and sensual female skin on leather, GIRL ON A MOTORCYCLE is truly a trip in the country one would like to take several times. Directed by Jack Cardiff, a long time cinematographer, hence the lush camera work presented in GOAM, starting off with a trippy dream state ride through the mind of Marianne Faithful's character, Rebecca. Hot, steamy sex-ladened saurez between Alain Delon and Faithful masterfully command the viewer's attention. Cardiff seem to have the right touch in guiding both leads in their several nude scenes and there is the right amount of chemistry between Delon and Faithful. Both look very at ease and right in character. If they weren't, their acting and body language surely hides it well. Now, I'm a huge Alain Delon fan and I must say this was quite a different role for him in my opinion. Not the dramatic side, or the suggestions of sexual situations, but the role itself. Though not really a huge part, especially dialogue-wise, but none the less very different in it's appeal I suppose. Anyhow, both Delon and Faithful were very strong in each respective role. Faithful shows a great extent of character with her often in-character voice overs throughout the film. The range of emotions change like the wind, as you find yourself actually developing a fondness, if not a fetish for her.

Along with the often trippy psychedelia, there are a few elements that enhance each and every scene. Both the score and the lush camera work give the running theme a very rich depth. The several atmospheric scenes from start to finish are in abundance. Foggy small town roadsides, green countrysides and dark grey industrial backdrops are just many of the different shades you are exposed to in GIRL ON A MOTORCYCLE. Something that seems trademark of Cardiff's work, at least the same can be said for his 1973 horror film THE FREAKMAKER starring Donald Pleasence and Tom Baker. Also very rich in scenery and moody in feel. All these are incased with an equally as moody, but very hype for the day score provided by Les Reed. Mainly a score reflecting the psychedelic period, Reed dives into a very dark, vindictive feel as an undertone.

 

The Prism Leisure DVD of GIRL ON A MOTORCYCLE is not loaded to the brim with extras, but does have a very informative and highly entertaining commentary track provided by Jack Cardiff himself.As for the film itself, it is presented in anamorphic widescreen 16:9, and the visual is quite pleasant, though rough in areas. The audio is a simple Dolby Digital Mono track, but is quite clean and easy to hear. Rounding out the rest of the extras, there is also a trailer and Jack Cardiff filmography as well as ones for Delon and Faithful.

STORY - 3 BITCH SLAPS
PICTURE - 3 BITCH SLAPS
AUDIO - 2.5 BITCH SLAPS
EXTRAS - 2.5 BITCH SLAPS
OVERALL DVD - 3 BITCH SLAPS

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