Flesh Circus Review

Distributor: Elegant Angel Edition Details: Standard DVD Movie Specs: Genres: Feature Film Run Time: 122 minutes Rated: XXX Release Year: 2003 Director: Thomas Zupko Written by: Thomas Zupko Cast: Barrett Moore (as Veronica Caine), Olivia Del Rio, Brittany Blue, Scotti Andrews, Sheila Marie (as Rosanna de La Vega), Valentino, Brian Surewood, Mr. Pete, Tony Tedeschi, Scott Snott Release Specs: Audio: English Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo Subtitles: none Video: Full Frame, 1.33:1 Video Format: NTSC Format: DVD Regional Code (for DVD/Blu-ray): 0 (All) Number of discs: 1 Disc: DVD 9 (SS, DL) Special Features: Behind the Scenes, Trailers, Bonus Scene DVD-ROM Special Features: none

Synopsis:
We are told that Jackie Wolf's (Veronica Caine) car has been found abandoned and there is no sign of her before we are brought to a bizarre circus where weird sex acts are performed before our very eyes.

Audio/Video:
Flesh Circus is presented with an English 2.0 Stereo track which works well for the material being presented in the film. The audio levels vary slightly between the sex scenes and the non-sex portions of the film, but not enough to ruin the viewing experience. The dialog is clear and can be heard at all times during the presentation. Elegant Angel hasn't included any foreign language tracks or any subtitle options for the feature film.

Flesh Circus is presented in the full screen aspect ratio of 1.33:1, which is the original aspect ratio for the film. The picture quality on the disc is good sporting accurate color definition and a nice clear picture. The picture is free from defects like blemishes, artifacts, and glitches giving the viewer a nice viewing experience.

Special Features:
Elegant Angel has compiled a few extras for the disc, unfortunately only one of them relates to the feature film. There is a 24 minute behind the scenes piece that focuses on some interviews, some backstage shots, preparing for the scenes and some other odd stuff thrown in. There is a bonus scene that runs for fifteen-and-a-half minutes from Sex Bazaar 3. There are also trailers on the disc for Hardcore Innocence 9, Sodomania Slapshots 13, The Squirting Adventures of Dr. G 2, and Slave Dolls.

Disc Design/Navigation:
The disc is nicely designed with a combination of animated and non-animated menus. The only complaint I have about the design is the music for the menus appears to be at a much higher base volume than the film and extras. There are seven chapters available from the chapter menu, as well as in the film itself, for Flesh Circus. They are identified by a video clip from where the chapter goes to in the film. It would have been nice if there had been more chapter stops made available even if they were only in the film itself. There is a time code for the feature film encoded on the disc.

General Review:
I have to admit that before watching this film, I'd never seen anything by Thomas Zupko before but I have read enough reviews of his work to know that I wasn't going to be watching another ordinary adult film. And Flesh Circus is definitely not another ordinary adult film. While watching this film you are under the control of Zupko and he shows you what he wants you to see along the way. Whether or not you like the film, you'll find yourself continuing to watch it just to find out what happens next. The film is an odd mix of humor, bizarre imagery and general weirdness combined with high intensity sex scenes.

The film starts out with a well thought out and very nicely done opening where you are lead into the story. You hear about a lady who disappeared while seeing a combination of images from within a car combined with some grotesque images thrown in. The opening draws you into the film before throwing you into Zupko's circus. This is a circus that you have never seen before and very likely will never see again. There isn't too much to the plot and it leaves a lot untold at the beginning of the film, the reason is revealed though before the end of the film. If you like a linear plot with your film, this film may ultimately end up frustrating you.

There are five acts presented to you in the circus, the first one featuring a cheerleader who has to pick from a nerd and a quarterback, both housed in cages. The next act features a waitress who gets to choose between Ralph Kramden and Ed Norton. The third act presents the viewer with Marilyn Monroe being checked out by Einstein. If the first three acts weren't weird enough for you, the fourth one features a high society woman being ravished by a Sasquatch. The final act in Zupko's circus brings out a call girl who goes for a round with the quarterback and the Sasquatch.

The film may not be the most erotic adult film that I have ever seen, but it certainly made for an interesting watch. The cast tends to stay in character for the sex scenes and the film features some decent make up work. The sex in the film is a little rougher than I generally like, but the cast seems to be having a good time and the scenes are far from formulaic. There are some great inventive camera angles mixed in with the scenes as well. The sexual themes in the film are vaginal and anal sex with anilingus (male to female and female to male), blow jobs, pussy eating (male to female), A2M, hand jobs, anal fingering (male to female), and titty fucking. For viewers that care about condom use, there are no condoms used in the film.

The main set for the film is simplistic, but that works in the favor of the film. There is enough to set the scenes, but not so much that the set distracts you from the sex. I can't help but think that even given the nature of the film, the grotesque imagery mixed in to the non-sex portions of the film ultimately end up working against the film. The film is not just slapped together and although it seems a little uneven at points, Thomas Zupko has put together a good finished product of his vision.

Scene Synopsis:
The first scene features Brittany Blue and Tony Tedeschi and starts out with a blow job before going into a pussy eating and anal fingering combination. The film then goes into some vaginal sex before going back to the blow job. The film then heads into some anal sex before another reprise of the blow job before the anal sex finale. The second scene features Rosanna de La Vega and Brian Surewood and starts out with a blow job before heading into the vaginal sex. The scene concludes with some anal sex.

The third scene features Veronica Caine with Mr. Pete and starts out with an anilingus (male to female), anal fingering, and pussy fingering combination before going into a blow job. The scene then moves into an anilingus (female to male) and hand job combination before going back to the blow job. Then there is some vaginal sex before going into some anal sex to conclude the scene. The fourth scene features Olivia Del Rio and Valentino and starts out with a blow job and anilingus combination before going into some titty fucking. The titty fucking is followed by some vaginal sex before going back to the blow job. There is a reprise of the vaginal sex before heading into some anal sex. The scene goes back into a blow job again before concluding with some more anal sex.

The fifth and final scene in the film features Scotti Andrews, Brian Surewood and Valentino and starts out with a blow job before going into a vaginal sex and blow job combination. The scene then heads into an anal sex and blow job combination before going into some standard anal sex. There is some more of the anal sex and blow job combination to finish the scene.

Parting Thoughts:
Flesh Circus is Thomas Zupko's debut film for Elegant Angel and is definitely not for all viewers. Viewers who like tamer sex or a linear story will want to pass on this title. The grotesque images thrown into the film will also turn some viewers off. If you like harder edged adult films that lean into the bizarre, a fan of anal sex or are a fan of Thomas Zupko's work, you should give this film a try as it is definitely an experience.

Screenshots:

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