The Voyeur

Falling somewhere between soft- and hardcore porn, the movies of prolific director Tinto Brass feature plenty of titillation, but also strive for an arty look. The Voyeur (1994) boasts a distinguished pedigree, being based on a novel by Alberto Moravia (the credits make no mention of this fact since the author's estate deemed the film unworthy of bearing his name). This adaptation does retain something of its source's main theme of alienation, but mostly it's concerned with fairly explicit exhibitions of the human anatomy engaged in sexual activity, some involving obviously artificial enhancement (the Italian penchant for prosthetic penises). The story focuses on Eduardo (Francesco Casale), a literature professor whose wife Sylvia (Katarina Vasilissa) has left him, although she visits periodically for amorous interludes. Eduardo watches with envy as those around him—his students, the general public—enjoy the sensual pleasures he longs for. Eduardo also spends time with his wealthy father—bedridden after an accident—who is ministered to by a beautiful nurse in ways that reveal the old man's prodigious equipment. In narrative terms, The Voyeur is about Eduardo's struggle to understand the reason that his wife abandoned him, but this is mostly an excuse for Brass to serve up shots of breasts, buttocks and genitalia—albeit presented in gorgeous, lush, widescreen color cinematography complemented by a bubbly music score. Extras include an interview with Brass, and a photo gallery. While not for all tastes, The Voyeur is a solid example of ‘90s art erotica and should be considered a strong optional purchase for more adventurous collections. (F. Swietek)