I Am a Nymphomaniac / I Am Frigid… Why? – Mondo Macabro (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Dates: France, 1971 (I Am a Nymphomaniac), France, 1972 (I Am Frigid… Why?)
Director: Max Pécas (Both Films)
Cast: Sandra Julien, Janine Reynaud, Yves Vincent, Patrick Verde, Michel Lemoine, Alain Hitier, Bob Ingarao, Michel Charrel, Michel Vocoret (I Am a Nymphomaniac), Sandra Julien, Marie-Georges Pascal, Jean-Luc Terrade, Anne Kerylen, Thierry Murzeau, Virginie Vignon, Catherine Wagener, Robert Lombard, Arlette Poirier, Frédérique Aubrée, Joëlle Coeur (I Am Frigid… Why?)

Release Date: November 12th, 2024
Approximate Running Times: 95 Minutes 20 Seconds (I Am a Nymphomaniac), 100 Minutes 38 Seconds (I Am Frigid… Why?)
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Both Films)
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono French, DTS-HD Mono English (Both Films)
Subtitles: English (Both Films)
Retail Price: $29.95

I Am a Nymphomaniac: "Carole is an ordinary girl leading an ordinary life. Then one day it happens. She has an accident and falls down a lift shaft. Miraculously, she survives. But after she recovers in the hospital, she finds herself obsessed with her body, sex and sin. Will she ever be free from the torment of her passionate desires?" - synopsis provided by the distributor

I Am Frigid… Why?: "Her search leads from her convent school to 1970’s Paris, where she falls in with an outrageous theatre group, finally ending up as a high-class call girl in a house run by a lesbian dominatrix.  A riot of lava lamps, garish fashions and deliciously daft dialogue." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4/5 (I Am a Nymphomaniac), 3.75/5 (I Am Frigid… Why?)

I Am a Nymphomaniac and I Am Frigid… Why? come on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 40 GB

Feature: 17.4 GB (I Am a Nymphomaniac), 18.7 GB (I Am Frigid… Why?)

Both films have source debris; image clarity is strong, black levels fare well, compression is very good, and grain remains intact. That said, there are moments where colors are not as vibrant.

Audio: 4/5 (DTS-HD Mono French - Both Films), 3.75/5 (DTS-HD Mono English - Both Films)

Both films come with two audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in French and a DTS-HD mono mix in English. The main difference between these audio tracks is that the French language tracks sound cleaner than the two English language audio tracks, which have background hiss. That said, all audio tracks sound balanced, and dialog comes through clearly. Included are removable English subtitles for the French language tracks.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an Episode of the Eurotika TV series about Max Pécas (24 minutes 35 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo French and English with burnt in English subtitles for French), and I Am Frigid… Why? deleted scenes from the U.S. version released by Radley Metzger (13 minutes 18 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles).

Summary:

I Am a Nymphomaniac and I Am Frigid… Why? were directed by Max Pécas, a filmmaker who began his career mostly directing thrillers before making a name for himself in the erotic film genre.

I Am a Nymphomaniac: A traumatic event turns a sexually repressed woman into a nymphomaniac.

Max Pécas, Jean Rollin, and Jess Franco were a trio of filmmakers who thrived in 1970s French erotic cinema. Though all three made erotic cinema, the way they each approached it could not be further apart. Of these three, Jess Franco was the most graphic, pushing boundaries, Jean Rollin was the most artistic, and Max Pécas fell in the middle.

I Am a Nymphomaniac is a psychological melodrama about a woman having a sexual awakening. Her transformation from sexually repressed to nymphomaniac is not within her control. Instead of receiving help from those in her life, they take advantage of her, forcing her to embrace her own carnal desires.

The main attraction of I Am a Nymphomaniac is Sandra Julien (The Shiver of the Vampires), who portrays the protagonist, a woman named Carole. Physically, she has the assets that make her believable as an object of desire, while performance-wise, she’s able to pull off a naivety that perfectly captures her character's state of mind. During the first half of the 1970s, Sandra Julien's career was sizzling hot in the erotic cinema industry. However, when erotic cinema gave way to hardcore pornography, she chose to leave the industry.

The rest of the cast are actually very good, especially Janine Reynaud (Succubus), who portrays a woman who takes Carole in after her family rejects her. Janine Reynaud, like Sandra Julien, was an actress whose career was all too brief. Her portrayal of a sex-crazed manipulator in I Am a Nymphomaniac is arguably one of her best. Another cast member of note is Michel Lemoine (Seven Women for Satan); he was married to Janine Reynaud at that time.

Despite being an erotic film, the sex scenes in I Am a Nymphomaniac are brief and not that salacious. Fortunately, this works in this film’s favor, since its premise is well-executed and the narrative does a superb job maintaining momentum. An interesting tidbit about the music cue that plays whenever the protagonist becomes aroused is that it sounds like a variation of the James Bond theme.

When discussing I Am a Nymphomaniac, one should not overlook the role that the visuals play. Striking imagery and effective use of juxtaposition create a fusion that heightens the mood. The two most memorable moments are a merry-go-round dream sequence and an orgy finale. Ultimately, fans of the arthouse erotic films that Radley Metzger made should enjoy I Am a Nymphomaniac.

I Am Frigid… Why?: A trauma from her past prevents a woman from experiencing sexual fulfillment.

Max Pécas follows up I Am a Nymphomaniac with another film that revolves around a traumatized protagonist. The protagonist now recoils at the slightest sign of affection instead of undergoing a sexual awakening. Also, where her sickness was exploited in I Am a Nymphomaniac, characters now work with the protagonist to help her overcome her sexual repression.

Once again, Sandra Julien (Ravishing Dany) is the heart and soul. She portrays Doris, a gardener's daughter who is raped by an incestuous brother and sister. She delivers an utterly believable performance that perfectly captures her character's fractured state of mind. The rest of the cast gives good performances, but hers overshadows them.

Though erotica is prominent throughout, psychological elements play a significant role. One of the key characters on Doris’ journey is an older woman who teaches her to use her fragility as a positive instead of a negative. That said, in order to truly overcome her fragility, she must go back to where her trauma began.

This time around, Max Pécas foregoes the arthouse aesthetics and amps up the exploitation elements. Nowhere is this clearer than when it comes to the moments of erotica, especially a rape scene and a subplot about incestuous siblings. The narrative superbly executes the premise and moves things forward effectively. Another strength are the visuals, which take full advantage of the scenic landscapes. Ultimately, I Am Frigid… Why? is a well-made psychological/erotica film that's a must-see for fans of Sandra Julien.

Mondo Macabro gives I Am a Nymphomaniac, and I Am Frigid... Why? their best home media release to date, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer