Camille 2000: Original Version – Cult Epics (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1969
Director: Radley Metzger
Writer: Michael de Forrest
Cast: Danièle Gaubert, Nino Castelnuovo, Eleonora Rossi Drago, Roberto Bisacco, Massimo Serato, Silvana Venturelli, Peter Chatel

Release Date: June 28th, 2011
Approximate Running Time: 119 Minutes 16 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: Dolby Digital Mono English
Subtitles: N/A
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $34.95

"A child of the sixties sexual revolution, beautiful, sensuous Marguerite (Daniele Gaubert) is addicted to sex and money. She is kept by a wealthy man, has a string of young lovers and hosts wild orgies in her luxurious villa. When she falls in love with the handsome bachelor Armond (Nino Castelnuova), he insists in absolute fidelity. Known by her reputation, Armond's controlling father soon intervenes, triggering a tragic turn of events." – Synopsis provided by the Distributor

Video: 3.75/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "New, Restored High-Definition Transfer".

Camille 2000 extended version comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 22.1 GB

Feature: 15.2 GB

The source looks great; there is still some minor debris. Colors look correct, image clarity and black levels are strong, compression is very good, and there are no issues with digital noise reduction.

Audio: 3.5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a Dolby Digital mono mix in English, with no subtitles. The audio is in great shape; dialog comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and range-wise, things are satisfactory.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer for Score (3 minutes 38 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), a theatrical trailer for The Lickerish Quartet (2 minutes 45 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), a theatrical trailer for Camille 2000 (2 minutes 16 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), Cube scene alternate take (1 minute 52 seconds, Dolby Digital mono), Sylviana's Bare Striptease (2 minute 47 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), a before and after featurette titled The Restoration of Camille 2000 (6 minute 28 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), a featurette titled On the set of Camille 2000, narrated by director Radley Metzger (30 minutes 36 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and an audio commentary with Radley Metzger and film historian Michael Bowen. 

Summary:

Marguerite is a promiscuous woman with a troubled past that has led to her distrust of men. After she meets a man named Armand, she lets her guard down and falls in love with him. When distrust and old habits push the two lovers apart, will they be able to overcome the obstacles keeping them apart and reconcile before it is too late?

Though there have been a few filmmakers who have left an indelible mark on softcore cinema, none have done more for this genre than Radley Metzger. Instead of over-relying on erotica at the expense of exposition, Radley Metzger was always able to find a perfect balance between these two things. That said, his brand of softcore cinema is best described as arthouse erotica.

Radley Metzger's last film of the 1960s is an adaptation of Alexandre Dumas fils's novel The Lady of the Camellias. Shooting Camille 2000 in Rome, Italy, gives it a look that sets it apart from the majority of softcore erotica that American audiences saw. From a production standpoint, Camille 2000 is the largest budget Radley Metzger worked with, and the result is one of the most lavish softcore films ever made.

Camille 2000 is a story about excess and decadent behavior; it is perfectly suited for Rome and the 1960s. There are many aspects of Camille 2000 that have a Marquis de Sade vibe, notably a party sequence overflowing with S&M elements. That said, Camille 2000 is a product of its time with its grandiose sets and bizarre costumes.

All around, the performances are outstanding, especially Danièle Gaubert, who portrays the protagonist Marguerite Gautier. Her character lives a carefree life, free of any entanglements, and her performance perfectly captures the essence of Marguerite. The most impressive aspect of Camille 2000 is how much time and effort went into secondary characters.

Something I noticed about Radley Metzger, whether working in softcore or hardcore, is that he has a distinct visual style and that humor is an integral part of his films. Visually, Camille 2000 does not disappoint; every inch looks exquisite with its vivid colors and meticulously composed compositions. For a film filled with so many amazing moments visually, none is more striking than a sex scene where a bed is surrounded by mirrors.

From a production standpoint, Camille 2000 is a film where everything falls into place. The well-constructed narrative does a superb job building momentum to a bittersweet, tragic finale that serves as a perfect coda. Not to be overlooked when discussing Camille 2000 is its impeccable production design and Piero Piccioni’s (The 10th Victim) exemplary score. Ultimately, Radley Metzger's Camille 2000 is a fitting swan song to the 1960s softcore erotica, which was usurped by hardcore films like Deep Throat and The Devil in Miss Jones in the 1970s.

Camille 2000, the original version, gets a first-rate release from Cult Epics that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and insightful extras, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer