User Reviews

There is no escaping the fact that, in the mid-1970s, audiences were deserting horror/exploitation films for the burgeoning hard-core porn industry. Infamously, one of Jean Rollin's finest, most poetic and personal films 'Lips of Blood' was such a commercial disaster, that to appease his financiers, Rollin re-edited it and inserted many hard-core scenes, releasing the resultant feature as 'Suck Me, Vampire.' That this new version was a success must have been galling for Rollin, who steered clear of making vampire films for years after. It did underline the audience's passion for porn, and inclined him to meld fantastique and explicit sex to create what he hoped might be a new genre. The result is 'Phantasmes'.

Young Amy is pursued by a deranged rapist, played by Rollin. Thrown into muddy waters and left there, she wakes in a huge Gothic castle owned by mightily mustachioed Gideon. Gideon wishes to emulate the spirit of the Marquis De Sade and appears to have many other young ladies, and the occasional gent, 'guesting' at his spacious home. These characters come and go, and may not even be real. Not that that really matters – orgies ensue, and that is the main focus.

Of interest is the arrival of two cheeky schoolgirls who, accompanied by Benny Hill-style comedy music, break away from their oblivious teacher who is leading their two-girl school trip by the water, and sneak into the château. These unnamed blond plaited girls are played by Cathy and Marie-Pierre Castel, who featured in a number of Rollin's more legitimate ventures. These characters immediately get into the spirit of the ensuing orgy before becoming virtually lost in a blur of faces and flesh and in long shots, are near impossible to identify.

A vague story exists about Gideon teetering between fascination with De Sade, and possession by his spirit, and various locations (and especially the château and the beach featured in the finale – although it isn't the usual Dieppe setting) have a certain Rollin-esque atmosphere about them, this is a cheap porn flick and little else. It contains glimpses of Rollin's trademark eccentricities, but by its very nature cannot be viewed in the same way as his fantastique films. As a venture it, too, failed to find an audience and the experiment was not repeated. Rollin continued to pursue pornographic output for the next three years before delving back into more personal cinematic journeys with his most horrific venture to date, 1978's 'The Grapes of Death.' 'Phantasmes' is very difficult to find, but is available in its original 80 minute French glory, or a cut 74 minute English version complete with credits that seem to bear little relation to the film.

The film begins with some mutant attempting to rape a lovely girl, and ends up striking her who falls into a lake, and is rescued by an immortal man inhabiting a glorious mansion, who is also related to The Marquis DeSade. This presentation is seemingly based in large part upon The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas.

Strange sexual rites were performed in a lower chamber, resulting in his everlasting condition, which features carvings, statues, he explains as he leads her through the manse, where its other inhabitants take their pleasures with each other for great mutual gratification, and where "Amy" learns the pleasures of the flesh herself, despite some inner contention, which she sheds upon the realization of her own blossoming body and her growing love for this mysterious man.

This precious maiden he rescued at the marsh takes his heart, destined to be his companion at least for another many years, as he persists unto timelessness, preserving her sweet memory.

This sinemaerotica is remarkable for its beautiful natural and aristocratic environments, attractive performers {including two lovely twins, a gorgeous redhead, the sweetly erotic Amy, and an Indian beauty}, indulgent situations, elegant accoutrement {befitting nobility}, with a plot that is much more thought-out than usual, actually complimenting the overall production.