The Tale of Tiffany Lust – Mélusine (UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Dates: France, 1979, USA, 1981
Director: Gérard Kikoïne
Writer: Radley Metzger (as "Jake Barnes")
Cast: Dominique Saint Claire, Veronica Hart, Desiree Cousteau, Vanessa del Rio, Samantha Fox, George Payne, Ron Jeremy, Candida Royalle, Roger Caine

Release Date: August 29th, 2023
Approximate running times: 86 Minutes 23 Seconds (Hardcore Version), 83 Minutes 55 Seconds (Softcore Version)
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / HDR10 (Hardcore Version), 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Both Versions)
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English (Hardcore Version), Dolby Digital Mono French (Softcore Version, Hardcore Version - Blu-ray Only)
Subtitles: English SDH (Both Versions)
Region Coding: Region Free (UHD)/Region A (Blu-Ray)
Retail Price: $52.98

"Tiffany is a typical New York housewife whose life couldn’t be better. The only thing is, she’s sick of it and has decided that today she will break free from the shackles of mundanity and explore all of her pent up sexual desires. After leaving a parting note for her husband, Tiffany is off to see Betty, an experienced prostitute who gives her a chance to explore her sapphic side. However, it's a visit to the wild goings on of New York's favorite sex themed radio series, The Florence Nightingale Show, that really opens her eyes to the unlimited realm of sensual possibilities. But as each erotic experience becomes more outrageous than the last, Tiffany begins to wonder whether liberation truly is better than love." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5 (4K UHD), 4.5/5 (Blu-ray)

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Newly scanned & restored in 4K from its 35mm original camera negative."

The Tale of Tiffany Lust comes on a 66 GB dual layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 60.2 GB

Feature: 59.9 GB (Hardcore Version)

Outside of a few very minor blemishes, the source looks excellent. Colors are nicely saturated, image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image always looks organic.

The Tale of Tiffany Lust comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 46.4 GB

Feature: 23 GB (Hardcore Version), 19.3 GB (Softcore Version)

Audio: 4.5/5 (DTS-HD Mono English), 3.25/5 (Dolby Digital Mono French)

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in English and a Dolby Digital mono mix in French. The English language track is in great shape; it sounds clear, balanced, and robust when it should. The French language track comes from a VHS source; it sounds clear and balanced. The only subtitles are removable English SDH for the English language track.

Extras:

There are no extras on the 4K UHD discs.

Extras on the Blu-ray disc include a theatrical trailer for the hardcore version (4 minutes 46 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), a theatrical trailer for the softcore version (3 minutes 42 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), a now & then locations featurette titled The Locations of Tiffany Lust (2 minutes 28 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo, music from the film playing in the background), and a conversation with director Gérard Kikoïne titled Talking About the Tale of Tiffany Lust (18 minutes 45 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo French with removable English and French subtitles).

Other extras include reversible cover art and a gold foil magnet clasp slipcase + slipcover set (limited to 4,000 units).

Summary:

A bored housewife searches for sexual fulfillment.

The Henry Paris films have a look, a vibe about them, none of which is present in The Tale of Tiffany Lust; there is a workmanlike quality to the visuals, which are devoid of a distinct style. Though Radley Metzger wrote The Tale of Tiffany Lust, and some sources credit him with directing, the end result is nothing like his previous forays into hardcore cinema. This release has an interview with Gérard Kikoïne, who describes Radley Metzger’s involvement as mostly working with actors, while he was totally responsible for the visuals. That said, it's clear that Radley Metzger did not direct The Tale of Tiffany Lust.

Though released in America in 1981, The Tale of Tiffany Lust is actually a much older film being released originally in France in 1979. Despite many of its cast, crew, and director being from France, The Tale of Tiffany Lust was shot in New York City. That said, the end result is in line with other American adult films from this era.

Though recognizable faces from 1970s/80s adult cinema populate the cast, they are given nothing to work with. The narrative is anemic and all characters are one-dimensional. Like so many adult films, The Tale of Tiffany Lust’s narrative is heavy on sex scenes, and plot is an afterthought. When it comes to the sex scenes, they are nothing special; they could have been directed by anyone. The best part of The Tale of Tiffany Lust is the scenes with Vanessa del Rio, who portrays a radio show whose live audience performs sex acts. Ultimately, The Tale of Tiffany Lust is a by-the-numbers adult film that’s only remembered because of Radley Metzger’s involvement.

The Tale of Tiffany Lust gets a definitive release from Mélusine.

Note about the 4K screenshots: It is not possible to make Dolby Vision or HDR10 screenshots that faithfully match the experience of watching a film in motion on a TV. Instead of not having any screenshots, all of the 4K screenshots are m2ts taken with a MPC-HC player and lossless PNGs.

Written by Michael Den Boer