Venus in Furs (1969 Franco film)


Venus in Furs is a 1969 Italian supernatural erotic thriller film directed by Jesús Franco and starring James Darren.
The film bears only a superficial resemblance to the 1870 Venus in Furs novel by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch. The title and character names in Franco's original script were changed to the novel's for commercial reasons. Franco's film is a surreal supernatural erotic thriller about unattainable love and how far one is willing to go for the person they desire. It is not a study in masochism as the novel is.

Premise

James Darren plays a jazz musician who becomes obsessed to the point of madness with the mysterious fur-clad Wanda, then finds her dead body washed up on the beach.

Cast

The New York Times gave Venus in Furs a negative review on its initial release, stating that the film "features much inept fancy moviemaking, some semi-nudity, and virtually endless confusion". Glenn Erickson was more positive.