A
TOUCH OF GENIE (1974)
Director: Joseph Sarno
After Hours Retro
One of the great auteurs of New York City sexploitation, Joseph
Sarno has only recently been given his due as a rare instance of an artist working
in a generally sleazy industry. Throughout the 1960s, his films displayed a
beautiful noir aesthetic, making beautiful use of light and shadow, and Sarno’s
trademark voyeuristic cinematography added depth and intrigue to his melodramatic
scripts. Titles like THE SEX CYCLE, MY BODY HUNGERS, and ANYTHING FOR MONEY
hide a series of consistently astonishing works that easily stand head and shoulders
above other films playing 42nd Street theaters at the time. With the advent
of hardcore in the 1970s, it was only natural that Sarno begin to make the move
from X to XXX to pay the bills. Followers of his are familiar with his softcore
offerings of the decade, such as the Marie Forsa films (BUTTERFLIES, VEIL OF
BLOOD, BIBI) and his Rebecca Brooke/Mary Mendum films (ABIGAIL LESLIE IS BACK
IN TOWN, MISTY, LAURA’S TOYS, CONFESSIONS OF A YOUNG AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE).
But he also helmed three excellent hardcore titles (SLEEPYHEAD, SLIPPERY WHEN
WET, THE TROUBLE WITH YOUNG STUFF), worked uncredited on Evart’s starlet
profile films, and actually took the director’s chair from Gerard Damiano
for DEEP THROAT PART II, the sequel to Damiano’s biggest moneymaker. Using
many of DEEP THROAT PART II’s cast, Sarno shot another comic adult romp,
A TOUCH OF GENIE, long considered lost….until now! Rescued from obscurity
thanks to After Hours Retro, Sarno fanatics can finally see this missing piece
of his filmography. The question is: was it worth the wait?
Melvin is a shy, gawky nerd who runs an antique shop when he isn’t donning
a fake mustache and glasses to jerk off in adult movie theaters all over New
York City. The poor guy not only can’t get laid, but is perpetually nagged
by his worrisome and controlling mother. One afternoon, when he’s feeling
particularly randy, he masturbates into the nozzle of an antique vase, releasing
a scantily-clad genie named Amara who grants him five wishes. Seeing as he loves
porno movies, he naturally wishes to transform into the biggest male names in
adult cinema to pork his favorite skinflick actresses, including Miss Tina Russell.
However, Melvin is so occupied with living out his fantasies that he may be
ignoring the girl of his dreams right in front of him.
Anyone
who has watched DEEP THROAT PART II can be forgiven for thinking that Joe Sarno
simply has no place in the comic genre. A misfire in just about every way, the
only novelty to be found in DT2 is enjoying the over-the-top comic performances
of its who’s-who cast of New York porn; even the legendary lost hardcore
footage couldn’t possibly save the mess. Keeping in mind Sarno’s
mishandling of comedy material there, one may go into TOUCH OF GENIE with some
natural caution. So how does TOUCH OF GENIE stack up in the grand scheme of
Sarno’s oeuvre? Quite well, actually. The comic script is a vast improvement
over the hodge-podge storyline of DT2, combining the male fantasy of “I
Dream of Jeannie” with the imagination and whimsy of WALTER MITTY, and
while there are no visual flourishes so typical of Sarno’s work throughout
his career, it’s clear from the overall atmosphere on-screen that everyone
involved with the production is having a ball. This is not the film to introduce
you to the world of Sarno, but anyone who already adores his work of both the
1960s and 1970s will definitely enjoy this excursion into the absurd from a
man known for his singular melodramas.
This infectious free-for-all really works because of the comic abilities of
the cast. Sarno leaves it up to them to carry the film, and they do so admirably.
It was a gutsy move of Sarno to cast a lead actor who actually performs no sex
in the film, but thankfully for actor Doug Stone, the script’s imaginative
premise finds him wishing to be his favorite porno actors, resulting in him
being replaced by Harry Reems, Marc Stevens, Eric Edwards, and John Ashton (better-known
as Levi Richards). Stone is rather amateurish in the part, but is really quite
endearing and geeky as the perpetually horny, befuddled virgin living out his
fantasies through the bodies of porn’s biggest male names. You also may
recognize Harding Harrison, appearing here as Melvin’s henpecked best
friend, from Armand Weston’s DEFIANCE, among other films of the period
like, always in non-sex roles, like WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO MISS SEPTEMBER. Even
though the male porn stars here are given very little to do, it’s great
to see some of the biggest names in New York City erotica actually get a chance
to act, especially as all of them (except Marc Stevens) had acting backgrounds
and did these films on the side while looking for legitimate work. The most
effective of the group is actually the only non-professional actor of the lot,
Stevens, especially during a scene from one of the many films-within-a-film
that Melvin sees at his favorite adult movie theater, where he is held at gunpoint
by Tina Russell. Stevens even wears a “Marc Stevens 10 ½”
T-shirt! How much would one of these be worth today??
In
addition to forgotten starlets Linda L’Amour (billed as Lynn Stevens)
and Sandy Foxx, the real female star of the film is Ultramax, a middle-aged
sexpot who actually has less sex here than she would in any other film she did.
Ultramax was the odd one out among the New York City adult film starlets. Looking
like your Aunt May or perhaps a well-worn elementary school teacher, she certainly
helped to pave the way for less-than-youthful actresses like Georgina Spelvin,
Kay Parker, and Juliet Anderson in later years, but is largely forgotten today.
Why? She simply didn’t make that many films, and the ones that are available
aren’t very good. As Melvin’s Yiddish, qvetching mother, she really
delivers the comic goods, and is in fact so amusing and perfect in the part
that one forgets she’s an adult film actress…until she briefly has
hardcore sex in the second half of the film! The biggest female name in the
cast, and one of the real surprises, is Tina Russell, the first major female
star of East Coast pornography. Despite her immense popularity on stage and
screen, Tina (like her West Coast counterpart, Rene Bond) made only one great
film: Sarno’s SLEEPYHEAD. It’s clear from her work here (and in
DT2) as a comedienne that Sarno’s reputation as an actor’s director
is completely justified, and that he could work wonders on even the most questionably
talented actress in the industry. Try watching Tina in anything else; while
she has charm to spare and is one of the most gorgeous creatures to ever make
adult films, she’s not really an actress. In the accompanying interview
on the disc, Sarno’s eyes twinkle as he remembers working with Tina, and
it’s a shame they didn’t make more films together. Looking back
on her film career, the highlights would have to be SLEEPYHEAD (as a repressed
nun brought out of her shell by sister Georgina Spelvin’s ) and TOUCH
OF GENIE. Try tracking down her autobiography, “Porno Star”, wherein
the first chapter details her affectionate memories of Sarno while working on
SLEEPYHEAD (though she uses pseudonyms for all involved).
Special attention must be given to Chris Jordan, the GENIE herself, who was
never a superstar of the adult industry, but who has developed a small cult
following in recent years, thanks in no small part to her work in Sarno films.
Though Chris performed hardcore at the start of her career in loops with long-time
boyfriend Eric Edwards, she was pretty consistent about appearing in strictly
non-sex roles throughout the 1970s. She’s simply adorable as Amara in
GENIE, heart-breaking in ABIGAIL LESLIE, goofy and eccentric in AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE,
tragic in CLAMDIGGER’S DAUGHTER. Her effortless portrayals of both charming
comic sprites and captivating emotional trainwrecks over the course of her career
should have seen her making the move from exploitation to legitimate television
and film work. Though I’m still confirming details, it appears that Chris
Jordan passed away at a young age, not long after shooting her last film.
Culled from the last remaining print known to exist, found in a stroke of luck
on eBay, TOUCH OF GENIE looks the best it possibly could, though there are a
number of print jumps, discoloration spots, and other instances of print damage.
Just be thankful the film exists at all! Thankfully, unlike some of After Hours
Retro’s 1.78:1 anamorphic transfers of sexploitation and adult films of
the past, the transfer does not look to be overmatted.
A brief featurette covers an April 2007 screening of the film in New York City
(which I was supposed to attend, but unfortunately could not due to scheduling
conflicts), and interviews a few surprise guests like Anthony Lover (cinematographer
of Sarno’s MOONLIGHTING WIVES, RED ROSES OF PASSION, and MY BODY HUNGERS)
and Sarno’s son! Sarno and star Doug Stone appear in another featurette
discussing the movie, how it came about, and their memories of working with
the superstar cast.
While I already take issue with the fact that Joe Sarno is labeled a “grindhouse
director” on the disc’s packaging, the inclusion of a second disc
containing two 60-minute cheapies with a genie theme rather cheapens the historical
home video debut of TOUCH OF GENIE. While some may consider it added value,
they may want to rethink that after watching the movies. Of the pair, SWING
GENIE is the more enjoyable. A pothead, played by Keith Erickson (a quite unsung
stud of early West Coast porn), discovers a fat, jolly genie erupting from his
marijuana smoke, who can grant his every sexual wish. He invites over his friends
(including Sandy Dempsey) to experience what the genie can offer. That’s
about it. There’s some funny improvised dialogue, mildly erotic sex scenes,
and nifty animated credits, and watch for Ric Lutze in an orgy scene. GENIE’S
MAGIC BOX is harder to comprehend, following a mad scientist who discovers a
genie who can transport female historical figures through time to please her
male masters. GENIE’S MAGIC BOX unfortunately, as is standard with these
16mm flicks through After Hours Retro, has stolen music replaced with new music,
and while this is understandable to avoid legal complications, rather detracts
from any historical value there is in preserving the film on DVD. Sadly, the
film isn’t available anywhere else. A liner notes booklet contains another
excellent essay by Michael Bowen (including quotes from producer Jason Russell)
and a run-down of the accompanying two films on disc 2 (these liners incorrectly
identify Sandy Dempsey as “Sandy Carey”). (Casey
Scott)
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