Sex Apocalypse – Mondo Macabro (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Spain, 1982
Director: Carlos Aured
Writer: Carlos Aured
Cast: Ajita Wilson, Ricardo Díaz, Kati Ballari, Lina Romay, Hemy Basalo, José Ferro

Release Date: July 9th, 2024
Approximate running time: 77 Minutes 45 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Spanish
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $29.95

"A kinky gang of free-loving criminals, three women and two men, come into possession of the keys to a large and luxurious villa belonging to a man travelling abroad for an extended period of time. Taking advantage of the extra space and security of their new home, they decide to try a shot at the big-time and kidnap a rich man’s daughter, intending to hold her for a million-dollar ransom. Discovering that the girl has enjoyed a privileged and sheltered upbringing and is also a virgin, two of the female members of the gang decide to induct the hostage into their own sexually liberated ways. But they find out that she may be a lot wiser than they thought. And soon a dangerous power struggle is set in motion, a struggle that ends in a deadly and shocking “apocalypse” of sex and violence." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Brand new 2K restoration of the ‘S’ rated version of the film from the original negative".

Sex Apocalypse comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 22.7 GB

Feature: 19.4 GB

The source looks excellent; the flesh tone looks healthy, the colors are nicely saturated, the image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image always looks organic.

Audio: 4.5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in Spanish with removable English subtitles. The audio sounds clean, clear, and balanced. Range-wise, this track sounds very good.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a Mondo Macabro preview reel, an interview with Carlos Aured biographer Miguel Angel Plana titled Carlos Aured: Cinema as Survival (30 minutes 45 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Spanish with removable English subtitles), an interview with Spanish writer and director Ricard Reguant on the history of ‘S’ films (45 minutes 56 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Spanish with removable English subtitles), and an audio commentary by Eurocult experts Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson.

Summary:

Directed by Carlos Aured, whose other notable films are Horror Rises From The Tomb, The Mummy’s Revenge, Curse of the Devil, and Blue Eyes of the Broken Doll.

The narrative revolves around a gang of deviants who kidnapped a millionaire's daughter.

Content-wise, Sex Apocalypse is a film that, in many ways, resembles the type of erotic films Jess Franco made in the 1970s and early 1980s. The narrative has bare bones, just enough to move things forward. In between moments of exposition, there is an abundance of nudity, female and male, with the bulk of the narrative being a series of erotic moments. That said, there are three main set pieces: the kidnapping, an elaborate pick-up of the ransom money, and a bloodbath finale.

Ajita Wilson (Sadomanía, Macumba Sexual) and Lina Romay are the two most recognizable faces, and they both have ties to the cinema of Jess Franco. Lina Romay, his creative muse and collaborator on over 100 films, is the actress most intimately connected with Jess Franco. Hemy Basalo also worked with Jess Franco on six films. Kati Ballari’s portrayal of the millionaire’s daughter is Sex Apocalypse’s most memorable performance. That said, the performance suits the story that unfolds, with the actress more than fulfilling the physical attributes required.

For as much flesh that is on display, there are few moments in the Sex Apocalypse that are truly erotic. Notable moments include fellatio with a coke bottle, orgies, and underwater sexcapades. Also, despite setting itself up as based on a true story, it is reportedly a cross between heiress Patty Hearst’s kidnapping and the Manson family. What unfolds in Sex Apocalypse bears little connection to Patty Hearst or the Manson family. That said, at 78 minutes in, there is never a dull moment, as the narrative does a great job moving things forward. Ultimately, Sex Apocalypse is a text-book example of Spain’s ‘S’ films.

Mondo Macabro gives Sex Apocalypse an excellent release that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and insightful extras, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer