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

Death Squad – Mondo Macabro (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: France, 1985
Director: Max Pécas
Writers: Roger Le Taillanter, Marc Pécas
Cast: Thierry de Carbonnières, Jean-Marc Maurel, Lillemour Jonsson, Bernard Rosselli, Gabrielle Forest, Denis Karvil, Henri Lambert, Olivia Dutron, Jean-Pierre Bernard, Pascale Roberts, Christian Barbier, Yves Collignon, Sophie Ladmiral, Muriel Montossé, Brigitte Lahaie

Release Date: April 9th, 2024
Approximate running time: 96 Minutes 59 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono French, DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $29.95

"It’s late at night. In the notorious Bois de Boulogne Forest just outside Paris, a group of transsexual prostitutes offer their services to passing motorists.  Suddenly we hear the roar of a powerful motorcycle engine kicked into life. Headlights pierce the darkness of the forest. Two bikes appear, their riders dressed in black leather, faces masked, heavily armed with assault rifles. The prostitutes scatter, chased by the riders who slaughter them in a hail of bullets before vanishing into the night.

In the morgue, Inspector Gerard Lattuada, of the Paris Vice Squad, recognizes one of the dead as a police informant known as Dolores. He learns that a notorious crime boss called “The Greek” ordered the killing of Dolores to settle a grudge. As Lattuarda investigates further, he discovers that a psychopathic and sadistic hit man, employed by The Greek, is intent on taking over the Paris underworld by any means possible. Soon a violent and deadly gang war is in full swing. And soon Lattuada finds himself on a personal mission of vengeance when his sister falls victim to the psycho killer." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Brand new 4k transfer from film negative, digitally restored."

Death Squad comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 46.1 GB

Feature: 26.6 GB

This transfer's source is in excellent shape. Flesh tones look healthy, colors are nicely saturated, image clarity and black levels are solid, compression is very good, and the image always looks organic.

Audio: 4.25/5 (DTS-HD Mono French), 3.25/5 (DTS-HD Mono English)

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in French and a DTS-HD mono mix in English. The French-language track sounds cleaner and more robust than the English-language track. Also, the English-language track has background hum, and it sounds muffled. That said, the dialog comes through clearly enough to follow on both tracks. Included are removable English subtitles for the French-language track.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a Mondo Macabro promo reel (13 minutes 29 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo), a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 3 seconds, DTS-HD mono French with removable English subtitles), an interview with actor Thierry de Carbonnières titled Shock Cop (33 minutes 51 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo French with removable English subtitles), an interview with actress Olivia Dutron titled Beautiful, Blonde and Tanned (22 minutes 11 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo French with removable English subtitles), and an interview with cinematographer Jean-Claude Couty titled Photographer of Morals (22 minutes 11 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo French with removable English subtitles).

Summary:

Directed by Max Pécas, who is most known for his work in the erotic genre. Notable films he directed are I Am Frigid... Why?, House of 1000 Pleasures, and Felicia.

The narrative revolves around a vigilante cop who takes the law into his own hands when someone close to him is murdered.

From the get-go, it is clear that Death Squad is going to be a wild ride. In its opening moments, a group of transvestite prostitutes are killed by assassins with shotguns on motorcycles. That said, this moment perfectly sets the tone for what follows.

When it comes to carnage, Death Squad is overflowing with bloody shootouts. With each moment of carnage managing to top the previous, Besides these moments of carnage, there are several mean-spirited moments where women are brutalized. Even when it comes to the aftermath of carnage, it is not for the faint of heart.

When it comes to the performances, they work well with the story that unfolds. Thierry de Carbonnières is very good in the role of a cop who becomes a vigilante. Notable cast members are Muriel Montossé (The Inconfessable Orgies of Emmanuelle) in the role of a prostitute and Brigitte Lahaie (The Night of the Hunted) in the role of an undercover cop.

Death Squad is a well-put-together film that often exceeds expectations. Tone-wise, Death Squad is the polar opposite of Max Pécas’ other films. A briskly paced narrative ensures there is never a dull moment. Another strength of the narrative is how it balances carnage and exposition moments. Ultimately, Death Squad is a solid exploitation that fans of vigilante films should thoroughly enjoy.

Death Squad gets a solid release from Mondo Macabro that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and a trio of informative interviews, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer