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| Images Courtesy of Cinetel Films |
The Godfather of the direct to video erotic thriller, Jim
Wynorski's Sins of Desire is one of his best films. Blending
expected neo-noir underpinnings and sexual antics with a science fiction
subplot, this is one of the more unique offerings in the subgenre.
Featuring a hilariously kinky duo of antagonists, above the bar sex sequences,
and several ridiculous scenes, this is without a doubt one of the most
memorable films of the VHS heyday.
Mysterious deaths and suicides have brought a shady virtual reality sex clinic under scrutiny by a private detective. What follows is a series of sensual revelations, sleazy rendezvous, and cold-blooded American murder. Wynorski's cast is a veritable who's who of erotic thriller heavies. Nick Cassavetes (and his Chigurh haircut) stars as a detective looking into the clinic, while Tanya Roberts plays the female lead. It is obvious that the heroes are having nowhere near as much fun as the villains. Wynorski has stated that he would not work with Roberts again. Still, Cassavetes and Roberts have style, and it mostly works, however when contrasted with their foils, their performances almost seem like caricatures of heroic archetypes.
On the side of evil is John Henry Richardson and Delia Sheppard as the owners of the clinic with a hilariously cast Jan Michael Vincent as their assassin. From the very first scene, it is obvious that Richardson and Sheppard are having an absolute blast, and their energy propels what could be another forgettable erotic crime story into something cheesy and special. The sex scenes are filmed with Wynorski's patented flair, with one of the "virtual" scenes involving a pair of women and an impotent man being the steamiest, though Richardson and Sheppard have an interesting BDSM sequence as well. Regardless, everything is filmed with an almost tongue and cheek approach that can’t help but to endear.
Jan Michael Vincent’s supporting turn as a doomed hitman has
the expected nonsense, but it is his appearance that will make even the most
stalwart fans double take. Playboy
playmate Carrie Stevens and British scream queen Gail Harris round out the cast
with cameos. Zoran Hochstatter's
cinematography is the final component. It has the grainy appearance that dominated
the era and Sins is no exception, however, his attention to detail,
specifically shadows during the climax up the stakes and allows the finale to
flow organically, despite the madcap shenanigans that occur.
Now available for digital rental, Sins of Desire
is a shining example of an early 90's VHS/Skinemax thriller. While not
reinventing the softcore wheel, this is a film that demonstrates Wynorski’s
complete understanding of the subgenre and a wonderful pair of actors who are
having an absolute blast being naughty.
--Kyle Jonathan