We have started a Patreon page with the hopes that some of our followers would be willing to donate a small amount to keep DVDBeaver alive. We are a tiny niche, so your generosity is vital to our existence.

We are talking about a minimum of $0.10 - $0.15 a day, perhaps a quarter (or more) to those who won't miss it from their budget. It equates to buying DVDBeaver a coffee once, twice or a few times a month. You can then participate in our monthly Silent auctions, and have exclusive access to many 'bonus' High Resolution screen captures - both 4K UHD and Blu-ray (see HERE).

To those that are unfamiliar, Patreon is a secure/verified third-party service where users can agree to a monthly donation via credit card or PayPal by clicking the button below.


 

Search DVDBeaver

S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

 

Scorpio Films: The Dutch Sex Wave Collection
 

Obsessions (1969)                               Frank & Eva (1973)

Blue Movie (1971)              My Nights with Susan, Sandra, Olga & Julie (1975)

 

 

The Dutch Sex Wave aka the Golden Age of Dutch cinema combined artistic freedom, sexual liberation, and exploitation with commercial success. Cult Epics presents four of frontrunner Scorpio Films most successful Dutch Sex Wave films, previously unreleased in the US: MY NIGHTS WITH SUSAN, SANDRA, OLGA & JULIE - the erotic four play; BLUE MOVIE - the most sensational taboo film of all time; FRANK & EVA - living apart together; and OBSESSIONS - Hitchcock, Scorsese and sex.

***

The obscure film OBSESSIONS (aka A HOLE IN THE WALL) was directed by Dutch artsploitation auteur Pim de la Parra and co-produced by longtime collaborator Wim Verstappen (BLUE MOVIE). This gritty, psychedelic Hitchcockian mystery, which is notable for being the first Dutch film shot in English-language, starts in a savagely brutal fashion. When a bloody painting of Vincent van Gogh falls from a wall and exposes a makeshift peephole, student protagonist Nils Janssen (played by the film's German co-producer Dieter Geissler) becomes an unwitting witness to a gruesome sex crime next door. When his young fiancιe Marina (Alexandra Stewart of Truffaut's DAY FOR NIGHT), an enterprising journalist, tells him about a report of a murder that she is writing, he naturally wonders if it's the very same killing.

This classic exploitation film was the birth of auteur cinema in Holland, and inspired legendary filmmakers such as Paul Verhoeven to make their start in the industry. Originally distributed in over 100 countries, the film remained unreleased in the U. S. (and France) until now. Perhaps most notably, the film was co-written by a young Martin Scorsese, who shot the legendary erotic dream sequence for his first feature WHO'S THAT KNOCKING AT MY DOOR (1968) in Amsterdam, that same year. Additionally, the film also stars legendary Dutch filmmaker Fons Rademakers (MIRA, THE ASSAULT), is edited by Henry Rust (CHILDREN OF PARADISE) and scored by Hitchcock composer Bernard Herrmann (TAXI DRIVER, SISTERS). OBSESSIONS is a curious cultural hybrid where late-1960s Dutch exploitation and classic Hollywood Hitchcock collide in a provocative and revolutionary fashion. Hitchcock, Scorsese & Sex. Made in Holland.

***

Frank (BLUE MOVIE's Hugo Metsers) and Eva (THE LIFT's Willeke van Ammelrooy) cannot live with or without each other. In the liberal 1970s, Frank sleeps with every woman he can get. Eva, meanwhile, is looking for more security and wants to start a family. Frank's behavior frustrates her so much that she starts an affair with their mutual friend. This social drama offers a view on relationships not much different than today. For Sylvia Kristel (her debut prior to EMMANUELLE), a special role was written after she said to Pim de la Parra, "Why won't you discover me? I'm the best."

***

BLUE MOVIE was the most controversial and talked about Dutch film upon theatrical release - a sensation that brought millions of visitors to cinemas. Produced by Pim de la Parra (FRANK & EVA, OBSESSIONS), and directed by his partner Wim Verstappen, BLUE MOVIE was a breakthrough commercial hit for their company Scorpio Films - and the start of the Golden Years of Dutch cinema, also known as the "Dutch Sex Wave." Presented by Cult Epics for first time ever in hi-definition on Blu-ray and DVD, and featuring cinematography by Jan De Bont (TURKISH DELIGHT, PRIVATE LESSONS, BASIC INSTINCT) - now see for yourself what all the commotion was about!

***

Susan (FRANK & EVA's Willeke Van Ammelrooy) lives in an idyllic farmhouse, along with the sex-loving youngsters, Sandra, Olga and Julie and the unstable voyeur Albert. A number of killings take place by the sex-vampires, the allegations however, go out to Piet (Flodder's Nelly Frijda), the crazy woman on the other side of the ditch. A young craftsman, Anton (Hans van der Gragt), visits and gets surprised by the dangerous ladies.

MY NIGHTS WITH SUSAN, SANDRA, OLGA & JULIE was the last of Scorpio's "Dutch Sex Wave" productions, directed by auteur filmmaker Pim de la Parra, masterfully shot in Techniscope by Marc Felperlaan (THE LIFT, THE NORTHENERS), featuring the last score by composer Elisabeth Lutyens (known for Hammer films and Amicus Productions), and with a screenplay co-credited to Harry Kumel (DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS). Stay in and have a night out with these ladies of seduction!

Posters

Theatrical Release: August 15th, 1969

Reviews                                                                                                       More Reviews                                                                                       DVD Reviews

 

Review: Cult Epics - Region FREE - Blu-ray

Box Cover

CLICK to order from:

Distribution Cult Epics - Region FREE - Blu-ray
Runtime 1:30:54 / 1:37:21 / 1:28:53 / 1:24:04
Video

Obsessions (1969)

1.37:1 1080P Sing.-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 23,067,408,175 bytes

Feature: 14,443,180,032 bytes

Video Bitrate: 20.00 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

Frank & Eva (1973)

1.37:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 21,920,819,647 bytes

Feature: 18,495,909,888 bytes

Video Bitrate: 19.99 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

Video

1.37:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 23,659,402,778 bytes

Feature: 15,304,845,312 bytes

Video Bitrate: 20.00 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

My Nights with Susan, Sandra, Olga & Julie (1975)

2.35:1 1080P Sing.-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 24,756,447,897 bytes

Feature: 16,339,132,416 bytes

Video Bitrate: 22.00 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.

Bitrate Obsessions (1969) Blu-ray:

Bitrate Frank & Eva (1973) Blu-ray:

Bitrate Blue Movie (1971) Blu-ray:

Bitrate My Nights with Susan, Sandra, Olga & Julie (1975) Blu-ray:

Audio

DTS-HD Master Audio English 1647 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1647 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)

Subtitles Obsession has none, the rest have; English, None
Features Release Information:
Studio:
Cult Epics

 

Edition Details:

• Introduction by Dieter Geissler (:37)
• Introduction by Pim de la Parra (3:33)
• Interview with Dieter Geissler (22:46)
• Interview with Pim de la Parra (20:27)
• Scorpio Films (4:02)
• Theatrical Trailer (2:55)
• Interview with Martin Scorsese
• Original Script Notes By Martin Scorsese
• Obsessions Photo Video Gallery (2:04)

 

• Audio Commentary by Pim de la Parra
• Up Front & Naked: Sex in Dutch Films (12:03)
• Trailer: Obsessions (2:24)
• Trailer: Frank & Eva (2:55)
• Frank & Eva Photo Gallery (3:25)
• Sylvia Kristel Film Poster Video Gallery (3:32)

 

• Interview with Director Wim Verstappen (11:21)
• Introduction & Interview with Producer Pim de la Parra (17:19)
• Interview with Hugo Metsers Jr. (9:42)
• Eye Film Institute (7:02)
• Blue Movie Poster & Photo Video Gallery (3:08)
• Trailer: Blue Movie (1:50)
• Trailer: Frank & Eva (2:24)
• Trailer: Obsessions (2:55)
• Trailer: My Nights with Susan, Sandra, Olga & Julie (2:02)

 

• Short Film: "Heart Beat Fresco" (10:19)
• Short Film: "Joop" (10:50)
• Short Film: "Joop Strikes Again" (10:30)
• Trailer: "Obsessions" (2:55)
• Trailer: "Frank & Eva" (2:24)
• Trailer: "Blue Movie" (1:50)
• Trailer: "My Nights with Susan, Sandra, Olga & Julie" (2:02)
• My Nights with Susan, Sandra, Olga & Julie Poster & Photo Video Gallery (3:59)


Blu-ray Release Date:
October 29th, 2019
Custom Blu-ray Case (see above)

Chapters 12 / 14 / 12 / 12

 

 

Comments:

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

NOTE: Obsessions is available individually on Blu-ray HERE.

NOTE: Frank and Eva is available individually on Blu-ray HERE and is fully reviewed HERE.

NOTE: Blue Movie is available individually on Blu-ray HERE and is fully reviewed HERE.

NOTE: My Nights with Susan, Sandra, Olga & Julie is available individually on Blu-ray HERE.

ADDITION: Cult Epics Blu-ray (November 2019): In 1965 collaborators Pim de la Parra and Wim Verstappen founded Scorpio Films, a Dutch production company that would make 13 features over the next decade before dissolving in bankruptcy. Scorpio Films is best remembered today for a group of four films that treated their audience like adults with their frank exploration of human sexuality. The journey began with the Martin Scorsese co-written “Obsessions” a psycho-sexual thriller which plays like a low-budget De Palma film from a decade later and anticipated elements of David Lynch’s “Blue Velvet”. Next up is the film that turned de lar Parra and Verstappen into millionaires: “Blue Movie”. The film was notorious for showing its main character’s erection (the first of its kind in Dutch cinema), and was a huge hit throughout Europe and Japan. With a little more financing behind them, the pair moved on to “Frank & Eva”, a dramedy about a couple who can’t live apart or with one another. Finally, when the company was in financial decline they produced the film “My Nights with Susan, Sandra, Olga & Julie”, the story of a pair of anarchic women who take over a farm after murdering an American. All four films are full of nudity (male and female), sex, and pathos. They’re made for adults without apology for their content, and the sort of films that we haven’t seen in North American cinema for many years now.

All four films in this set went through a restoration, with inconsistent results. I’m sure that these films look vastly superior to their pre-reproduction elements and approximate what the films looked like in the theaters, but I also suspect that the image could have been sharper on all four discs. “Obsessions”, the oldest and grainiest of the set, has a pleasing transfer that looks good for its age/production value especially in close-up. The transfer on “Blue Movie” has a bluish hue to it throughout. Like the previous film, it looks best in close-up, but has a noticeable softness in its medium shots. Thankfully, the color coding on “Frank & Eva” seems perfect, but it too has inconsistencies with the strength of the image.* Finally, “My Nights with Susan, Sandra, Olga & Julie” is the most recent of the films, and has the overall strongest transfer. It has a pleasing amount of grain, apt coloring, and looks excellent in close-up.

“Blue Movie”, “Frank & Eva”, and “My Nights with Susan, Sandra, Olga & Julie” all come with DTS-HD Master 2.0 audio tracks, and all sound about the same. The mono on each is about what you would expect from low budget filmmaking in the early-mid 70s, and has clearly been cleaned up by Cult Epics. Nothing on here is going to wow you, but there are also no distracting hisses or pops to take you out of the viewing experience. “Obsessions” is the outlier here with a DD AC3 2.0. While perhaps not as robust as the other films on the disc, I have no doubt that it accurately recreates the audio of the original theatrical release. To put it another way, it’s unimpressive, but more than serviceable.

Director/producer Pim de la Parra is everywhere on these four discs, providing introductions and interviews on “Obsessions” and “Blue Movie”, as well as a feature length audio commentary on “Frank & Eva”. In all of these appearances, de la Parra provides insights into the background of Scorpio films and the production of those films. Producer Dieter Geissler also provides both an introduction and interview on “Obsessions” which go into the history of the company with an emphasis on “Obsessions”. Other interviews include Hugo Metsers Jr., son of the star of “Blue Movie”, and a vintage interview with the film’s director as well. On “My Nights with Susan, Sandra, Olga & Julie” Cult Epics have included three short films: “Joop”, “Joop Strikes Again”, and “Heart Beat Fresco”. While I enjoyed all three, the last of them was the closest to the theme of the box. “Blue Movie” contains a behind the scenes look at the Dutch archive/museum The Eye Film Institute. “Frank & Eva” has a short feature entitled Up Front & Naked: Sex in Dutch Films which brings the film’s star Willeke van Ammelrooy together with contemporary director Eddy Terstall to discuss the subject of erotica in the Netherlands. The final documentary short is a very brief (4:02) look at the history of Scorpio Films on “Obsessions”. Also included are theatrical trailers and poster/photo galleries for all four films, as well as a Sylvia Kristel poster gallery.

None of the films in this set will ever be mistaken for a masterpiece, but I have to admit to enjoying all four films in the set. It used to be possible for filmmakers to make a sexy film for adults. Now in the era where studios want everything to be PG 13, we’re lucky to even get substandard fare like the “Fifty Shades of Gray” trilogy. Thankfully these films have two things that those didn’t. First, they have the courage to wade into frank and explicit material regardless of marketability. Second, they have a brain. These are smart and thoughtful films that tell a good story whether it’s a relationship drama or a thriller about murder. Yes, it’s definitely recommended.

Brian Montgomery

 


Menus / Extras

 


CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

 

Obsessions (1969)

 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


Frank & Eva (1973)
 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


Blue Movie (1971)
 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


My Nights with Susan, Sandra, Olga & Julie (1975)

 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


Box Cover

CLICK to order from:

Distribution Cult Epics - Region FREE - Blu-ray


 


 

Search DVDBeaver

S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

 

Hit Counter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DONATIONS Keep DVDBeaver alive:

 CLICK PayPal logo to donate!

Gary Tooze

Thank You!