THREE FROM SEVERIN

Before we start, let me say that I have always been a fan of Severin Films. They have brought me magnificent copies of Jess Franco flicks that I never would have seen in that condition. That being said Severin is releasing three flicks on the world that are miles apart in every way possible.
I decided to review these alphabetically.

THE HAIRDRESSER'S HUSBAND (Note: I don't count the 'THE' in the titles. Nuff said!)

I saw the cover and thought, erotica. Man, I was right, but I had no idea what I was in for. Our lead starts the film as a young man infatuated with getting his hair cut. He goes as often as money will allow to a voluptuous woman. He is in love. Period. This is a young man who clearly knows what he wants. Unfortunately, his heart throb takes her life.
Many years pass and he comes to a small boutique. It is there that he meets the woman of his dreams. He knows that he must marry her and she agrees. Life is perfect.
Right?
This movie has zero nudity, no foul language and not a single, solitary drop of blood.
I was fascinated from the beginning to the end. director Patrice Leconte gives us a tale of a man's life. A man who knows unwaveringly what it is that he wants from life. No more, no less. His goals may seem small to most, but to him they are all that is important in the world.
This is a film that is at once broad in scope and intimate in detail. The print used for this feature is gorgeous and the onscreen chemistry between the two leads threaten to make the DVD erupt into flames.
Now, notice how I have not mentioned a single actor's name in this review? There's a reason for that. It is not important. Sure, I've seen them in other things, but in The Hairdresser's Husband, they are so absorbed by the characters they portray that they are no longer mere actors.
I really could continue on with this film for days and never get tired of talking about it, but I think the less said the better. Go find this film and experience it for yourself.
Apparently, Severin will also be releasing another film by this director entitled, The Perfume Of Yvonne. Yeah, I'll need to see that one, too. If it's half as good as The Hairdresser's Husband then it's a masterpiece.



PORN-O-RAMA

(EDITOR'S NOTE: Apparently this DVD is produced by Private Screening Collection which used to be a part of Severin, but has been sold off to become a seperate entity. Sorry for the mix up.)


In 1992, adult film writer/director Paul Norman decided to create a five part documentary series where co hosts Ron Jeremy and Alexis DeVeil are allowed on the sets of adult films and talk to the people involved and see what makes them tick.
This is a wonderful concept, unfortunately, it is rather limited in its scope as the only films it covers are the ones that Paul Norman is making. Kind of a vanity project.
What it does succeed in is showing us the world of porn in the 90's. The storylines have managed to stay in place, but the cool look of film has been replaced by the harsh lights of video.
A minor masterpiece in managing to unveil the behind the scenes world of porn like no other, but it would have been fun to see a broader scope and a longer series of installments.

THE SINFUL DWARF

Man, has Severin been pushing the press on this thing. Heralded as 'The Mother of all Dwarfsploitation Films!', it is an odd little flick. Seems our titular dwarf lures incredibly stupid girls back to the boarding house that he runs with his mother and then hooks them on heroin and keeps them as unwilling prostitutes. The first time he pulled out that bent needle full of heroin I winced. This was not going to be a pleasant flick.
throw in a young couple with a really hot newlywed wife and things start to take a turn for the worse immediately.
This is good old fashioned grindhouse fare and a fun time.
Now, for the complaints.
There is a featurette entitled The Severin Controversy that is a waste of disc space. really phony in every aspect and kind of painful to sit through. wasn't there anything else they could have added to this package to make it better?
I know! How about the XXX rate version that they will be releasing in the future? It really burns me that these companies put out two versions of the same flick. It's the worst kind of double dipping and it really burns my cheese.
Sure, I loves me some Severin, but come on! If you don't want the two flicks in the same package then give us a coupon to send it and we'll decide if we want the more explicit version. Seduction Cinema has done this for years and it seems to work for them.



There you are folks! The three newest flicks from Severin. Be sure to support your independent purveyor of stuff that the majors will never release on DVD. This is the sort of thing that we would all rather watch anyway.