The Story of O: Untold Pleasures Review

• 31st Jan 2013

Imagine my disappointment. There I was eagerly waiting to watch the 1970s erotic classic, Just Jaekin’s L’Histoire d’O (The Story of O) which was made in 1975 and on playing the DVD only to find a woman photographer shooting a model in thick blue body paint with fake boobs. Hey, wait a minute; they didn’t have fake boobs in the 70s. After all this DVD was released by Arrow Films, purveyors of forgotten sleaze films from the 1970s. There we go, I’ll watch it anyways. It always feels a little seedy and sad to watch soft porn. I feel as though I am that sad lonely person watching Movies4Men in the wee small hours. After all wasn’t it Woody Allen who said “Porn is terrible… They never get the lighting right.” This film is little different. It has all the hallmarks of a soft porn movie: over stylized lighting, bad acting, cheesy soundtrack (which in itself is very retro) and some cringing, though funny one liners.

The story as it is centered on O, a photographer making “artistic photos” which she plans to publish as a book. Unfortunately she is struggling financially. She begins a relationship with Rene who wants to explore her sexuality. With Rene O is submissive, although at home or in the studio she reckons that she is more in control. Rene introduces her to erotic exploring: bondage, whipping and making love in front of the fire none the less. He then introduces her to a man simply called Sir Stephen who demands, with Rene’s encouragement that she be submissive to his will to sell herself for her being financially strong to publish her book. And so it goes on and on. More and more kinky situations ensue and O being put into submissive situations.

The film as it is is tedious; an even lots of nudity becomes tiring – who would have thought. Films that are about eroticism are seldom erotic. Titillating maybe, but that’s as far as it goes. The timing of the re-release I would imagine is set to tie in with the popularity of the book of the moment – well for middle-class and middle-aged suburban women at any rate, namely ’50 Shades of Grey’, a book that will inevitably get made. Soft porn really is aimed at a female market who desire a bit of taboo (as well as the horny teenage boy sub-market) and this will probably be a film that is more likely for the ladies. For me though I would like 97 minutes of my life back. Is that possible please? Other than a scene selection there are no extras.

Chris Hick