Nicholas Steele followed his great career triumphs at Adam & Eve with a series of self-produced features like "Erotic Heat" that were more conventional but still quality Couples films in the Romantic genre. When he scored financial success at the British label Bluebird Films he dumped these archive titles on the market under a sub-banner called "Seductions", and apparently I'm the only one who's discovered their idiosyncratic charm.
I have to click on IMDb's Spoilers function to discuss "Erotic Heat", as it relies on several strange but compelling fantasy devices. Euro import Karina/Monica Star, excellent at projecting a rather subtle "I'm better than you are" attitude without overdoing it, stars as a mysterious lady living in a fabulous mansion and dealing in rare and fantastic art work. Her loyal servant is Randy Spears, also highly effective by underplaying for a change.
Steele's matter-of-fact approach to fantasy is impressive, as we see the framed paintings appearing as live-action videos inside the frames, resembling some sort of museum installation by an avant-garde videomaker. Later this gimmick is extended to cast members able to "walk into" the painting and join in erotic activity, sort of an artistic version of now the overused Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality innovations.
Karina had a brief stint starring in several vehicles at Sin City, and is a generally unsung performer worthy of rediscovery. Oher femmes here provide more European flavor, including stiking styling of both Dru Berrymore and Sophie Evans.
The ironic ending in which an uppity customer Steven St. Croix turns the tables in fantasy fashion on Karina is quite satisfying, and gives this minor film a mythic quality.
I have to click on IMDb's Spoilers function to discuss "Erotic Heat", as it relies on several strange but compelling fantasy devices. Euro import Karina/Monica Star, excellent at projecting a rather subtle "I'm better than you are" attitude without overdoing it, stars as a mysterious lady living in a fabulous mansion and dealing in rare and fantastic art work. Her loyal servant is Randy Spears, also highly effective by underplaying for a change.
Steele's matter-of-fact approach to fantasy is impressive, as we see the framed paintings appearing as live-action videos inside the frames, resembling some sort of museum installation by an avant-garde videomaker. Later this gimmick is extended to cast members able to "walk into" the painting and join in erotic activity, sort of an artistic version of now the overused Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality innovations.
Karina had a brief stint starring in several vehicles at Sin City, and is a generally unsung performer worthy of rediscovery. Oher femmes here provide more European flavor, including stiking styling of both Dru Berrymore and Sophie Evans.
The ironic ending in which an uppity customer Steven St. Croix turns the tables in fantasy fashion on Karina is quite satisfying, and gives this minor film a mythic quality.