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THE IMAGE
© 2002 Synapse Films

Mania Grade: B+
Disc Grade: B+
Reviewed Format: DVD
Rated: Not Rated
Stars: Mary Mendum, Carl Parker, Marilyn Roberts
Writer: Jake Barnes, based on the novel L’IMAGE by Jean de Berg
Director: Radley Metzger
Distributor: Synapse Films
Original Year of Release: 1975
Retail Price: $24.98
Extras: widescreen anamorphic; Stereo Surround 2.0; original mono soundtrack; isolated music score; trailers; liner notes
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THE IMAGE

Radley Metzger is considered by many to be the premier director of erotica, and I've found that this proves to be the case. Metzger is not without controversy, having crossed the boundary into graphic sex in a fair number of his '70s movies, most directed under his nom de plume, Henry Paris. (Included in these films is the infamous THE OPENING OF MISTY BEETHOVEN, one of the few explicitly sexual films to be considered art. The fact that it's a reworking of George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion certainly doesn't hurt.)

A very slick director with a knack for finding talented actors and putting them into lush European and other jetsetter-favorite locations, his films often dealt with sexual interplay between the very wealthy and beautiful. Verbal interplay is very important in the Metzger film as the characters are often engaged in battles of the wits or just plain acting the part of upper crust sophisticates. Visually his films are impressive; his characters reveal much about themselves through their expressions, his locations are sumptuous, his players the height of beauty. Though in the '70s his films' visual contents would become more explicit, he was that rare director of erotica whose imagery never felt gratuitous.

Recently Image Entertainment has released a wealth of Metzger's early favorites, such as THE DIRTY GIRLS, THE ALLEY CATS (both these films were scripted by voice talent Peter Fernandez), THE LICKERISH QUARTET, CAMILLE 2000, and SCORE among others. (For a general sampler of Metzger's early work along with some other titles released by his Audubon Films, check out Image Entertainment's collection GIRLS WHO LIKE GIRLS.) These releases have created a much-deserved Metzger resurgence of popularity.

While all those title are good to great in their own ways, the real jewel for the Metzger fan comes via that Criterion of cult, Synapse Films. This film is THE IMAGE and is one of the few titles in the Metzger canon that bears his name and contains explicit sexuality. (Another one was SCORE, but those scenes were quickly cut only to be found on a mail order VHS tape distributed by Metzger himself. They are not on the Image DVD.)

THE IMAGE is based on the popular erotic novel L'IMAGE by Jean de Berg (actually a pseudonym for Catherine Robbe-Grillet) - Metzger often used respected literary material for the basis of his films - and concerns the sexual interplay between Anne (the ravishing Mary Mendum), Jean (Carl Parker, SCORE) and Claire (Marilyn Roberts). Jean is a writer and a friend of Claire's who becomes fond of Anne, who as it turns out is Claire's slave. Soon, Claire and Jean and Anne form a sexual triangle in which Claire and Jean take turns putting Anne in more and more sexually daring situations (in a way it reminds me of Georges Bataille's STORY OF THE EYE - I wonder if THE IMAGE is Bjork's favorite film.) As things develop it becomes apparent that the trio's activities are actually the initial courting stages for a real romance.

Daring, shocking, and yet at the same time tender, THE IMAGE is really a very well done film. Comprised of a series of situations of increasing sexual interplay, the movie deftly handles its sometimes explicit subject matter with the skill of one who knows just how much to give and just how much to hold back. The film never loses sight that this is a character piece with sex and not a sex piece that needs characters. The three leads are well cast and the subject matter is handled quite well; one truly feels that despite the punishment Anne receives that she is a willing participant in a role-playing activity and in no way a victim.

Fans of erotic cinema will no doubt be delighted that this film (also known as THE PUNISHMENT OF ANNE) has been restored to its full uncut version and that the movie has been given a visual and sonic overhaul.

Persons familiar with the Image releases will be blown away with the quality of the Synapse release. Working from the original negative, Synapse boss Don May Jr. has made THE IMAGE the best-looking Metzger release on the market today. The movie looks like it was shot yesterday and is as gorgeous as its characters.

Sonically the movie boasts a new Stereo Surround 2.0 soundtrack that sounds great, particularly in regards to the musical score. The vocals are all overdubbed, but they're competently handled so there's little distraction once you get used to them. The music is available on an isolated track, and for fans of mono the original soundtrack is available.

Trailers for other Metzger films SCORE, THE LICKERISH QUARTET, CAMILLE 2000, THERESE AND ISABELL, and CARMEN BABY are included along with liner notes by Stephen R. Bissette.