Opening of Misty Beethoven, The (VCA) Review
VCA
Studio: VCA
Category: Classic , Comedy , Feature film
Directed by: Henry Paris
Starring: Jamie Gillis, Constance Money, Gloria Leonard, Marlene Willoughby, Jaqueline Beudant, Jenny Baxter, Mary Stuart, Terri Hall
Released on: 1/29/2001
fu_q's ratings for this movie:
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Reviewed by fu_q on 2/20/2015
**Note – This review is based upon the VHS version of the film. As such, the bonuses haven’t been given a rating here, and there could be some discrepancies between this version and the later releases.**
Constance Money -- Don't leave home without her... (70's porn product placement?)
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the production of "The Opening of Misty Beethoven", the 1970's adult film classic from director Radley Metzger and VCA. Starring Constance Money as a young prostitute whom the late Jamie Gillis chances upon while plying her trade in a Parisian theater, this flick traces her journey from an erotically uninspired bore to a talk-of-the-town, world-class sexpot. Indeed, under Gillis' tutelage and with his wealthy friend's (Jacqueline Beudant's) fortune, Money transforms from a hapless, young harlot unwilling to suck a dick to a seasoned pro, capable of pleasuring a group of men, turning homosexuals with her charms, and ultimately seducing the most powerful name in men's publishing and his mistress (Gloria Leonard). Coming from the early (and "Golden") years of adult cinema, the plot in this release far better resembles a quirky, Hollywood script of the era than it does anything in the niche-heavy, formulaic world of today's porn. As such, there's plenty of storyline meat to sink one's teeth into, and for this, the fans of porno past will be quite pleased. There's also a good deal of sex packed into the 84 minutes that are this production, though much of it is short, and it often finds itself in the background and / or bound by the plot. This is par for the course in such a film and is a welcome part of the overall work's construction. (That said, it will certainly rub some contemporary fans conditioned heavily by the more current gonzo releases the wrong way. To each his own.)
In terms of sexual highlights, both Money and Beudant put forth some fine performances. The former with her bringing a lineup of three gentlemen to orgasm (one with her mouth and two with her hands) during her training, and also with her bathroom stall romp at a ballet, and finally with her make-up sequence with Gillis...and the latter in her initial throw-down with a "gentleman" at a sex club. These two young women exude sexuality throughout the flick and come off as both beautiful and brilliant. Gloria Leonard works well with Money in their three-way, and Terri Hall puts forth some solid scenes, as well.
To put this production into perspective within its time-frame, a September, 1976 Hustler magazine review by Tim Beckley described it as "a sizzler" and a "definite contender for a porno Oscar", noting that prospective viewers should "be ready to go home and wave [their] magic wand[s] all night." Interestingly, it was contemporary with the Mitchell Brothers' "Inside Marilyn Chambers" and de Renzy's "Femmes de Sade", both also reviewed in the same issue.
As a further note related to this production, Constance Money (and her father) recently did a lengthy audio interview with the Rialto Report, a site / podcast devoted to the history of the adult industry. There, Money describes something of a dark experience with the project, which is truly a shame given the movie's legendary status. (LINK)
In all, "The Opening of Misty Beethoven" is no doubt a classic of adult cinema in the truest sense of the word. While it won't be for every contemporary porn fan, it will most certainly appeal to a fairly large segment of the porn-viewing population, and likely some of the non-porn-viewing public, if for nothing more than its amazing historical and nostalgic value and its uniquely charming storyline and sexual heat. Many have said that it's the best adult film of all time. Is this true? With the evolution and the niche-centric focus of the industry these days, such a comparison is rendered effectively impossible. What can be said, however, is that it is most certainly worthy of a watch...four decades later. Hands down and dicks up, it's a winner.
Follow me on Twitter…if you would like…(@fu_qreviews)
Check out the FSC anti-piracy PSA.
Constance Money -- Don't leave home without her... (70's porn product placement?)
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the production of "The Opening of Misty Beethoven", the 1970's adult film classic from director Radley Metzger and VCA. Starring Constance Money as a young prostitute whom the late Jamie Gillis chances upon while plying her trade in a Parisian theater, this flick traces her journey from an erotically uninspired bore to a talk-of-the-town, world-class sexpot. Indeed, under Gillis' tutelage and with his wealthy friend's (Jacqueline Beudant's) fortune, Money transforms from a hapless, young harlot unwilling to suck a dick to a seasoned pro, capable of pleasuring a group of men, turning homosexuals with her charms, and ultimately seducing the most powerful name in men's publishing and his mistress (Gloria Leonard). Coming from the early (and "Golden") years of adult cinema, the plot in this release far better resembles a quirky, Hollywood script of the era than it does anything in the niche-heavy, formulaic world of today's porn. As such, there's plenty of storyline meat to sink one's teeth into, and for this, the fans of porno past will be quite pleased. There's also a good deal of sex packed into the 84 minutes that are this production, though much of it is short, and it often finds itself in the background and / or bound by the plot. This is par for the course in such a film and is a welcome part of the overall work's construction. (That said, it will certainly rub some contemporary fans conditioned heavily by the more current gonzo releases the wrong way. To each his own.)
In terms of sexual highlights, both Money and Beudant put forth some fine performances. The former with her bringing a lineup of three gentlemen to orgasm (one with her mouth and two with her hands) during her training, and also with her bathroom stall romp at a ballet, and finally with her make-up sequence with Gillis...and the latter in her initial throw-down with a "gentleman" at a sex club. These two young women exude sexuality throughout the flick and come off as both beautiful and brilliant. Gloria Leonard works well with Money in their three-way, and Terri Hall puts forth some solid scenes, as well.
To put this production into perspective within its time-frame, a September, 1976 Hustler magazine review by Tim Beckley described it as "a sizzler" and a "definite contender for a porno Oscar", noting that prospective viewers should "be ready to go home and wave [their] magic wand[s] all night." Interestingly, it was contemporary with the Mitchell Brothers' "Inside Marilyn Chambers" and de Renzy's "Femmes de Sade", both also reviewed in the same issue.
As a further note related to this production, Constance Money (and her father) recently did a lengthy audio interview with the Rialto Report, a site / podcast devoted to the history of the adult industry. There, Money describes something of a dark experience with the project, which is truly a shame given the movie's legendary status. (LINK)
In all, "The Opening of Misty Beethoven" is no doubt a classic of adult cinema in the truest sense of the word. While it won't be for every contemporary porn fan, it will most certainly appeal to a fairly large segment of the porn-viewing population, and likely some of the non-porn-viewing public, if for nothing more than its amazing historical and nostalgic value and its uniquely charming storyline and sexual heat. Many have said that it's the best adult film of all time. Is this true? With the evolution and the niche-centric focus of the industry these days, such a comparison is rendered effectively impossible. What can be said, however, is that it is most certainly worthy of a watch...four decades later. Hands down and dicks up, it's a winner.
Follow me on Twitter…if you would like…(@fu_qreviews)
Check out the FSC anti-piracy PSA.
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