Music Video Distributors presents

Pervirella (1997)

"I welcome you my friends and fellow deviants, to a new era in the Cult of Perv."- Sexton Wing (Anthony Waghorne)

Stars: David Warbeck, Emily Bouffante, Eileen Daly
Other Stars: Sexton Wing, Jonathan Ross, Mark Lamarr
Director: Alex Chandon

Manufacturer: LMW
MPAA Rating: Not Rated for (nudity, sexuality, gore)
Run Time: 01h:31m:47s
Release Date: 2002-02-05
Genre: late night

Style Grade	Substance Grade	Image Transfer Grade	Audio Transfer Grade	Extras Grade
B	C	C+	B-	C+

 

DVD Review

Prepare for a whacked-out lovefest as the underground Cult of Perv tries to lay (ahem) their hands on Pervirella in this kinky, low buck, erotic British comedy. Inspired by the likes of Modesty Blaize, Barbarella, Vampirella and Gwendoline, Alex Chandon and Josh Collins produce a bizarre world where a tyrannical and decaying queen, surviving only by artificial means, rules the land of Condon, a place where sexual perversion is forbidden. The Cult of Perv exists as an underground organization, headed by one of the queen's own family, perpetuating deviant delights and forbidden fetishes in secret. Their domination of the society can be achieved by unleashing the ultimate power of sexuality, embodied by a young girl (Emily Bouffante) who has had the power handed down to her genetically. Only a sacred amulet restrains her unbridled passions, which are too intense for any mortal man to endure.

The queen's survival requires the ingestion of an ancient elixir found only in the wilds of Amazonia, and here too lies the sacred seed that can set Pervirella free from her inherited encumbrance. An expedition is mounted to retrieve the elixir, but unknown to its participants, there are evil forces amongst them, out to destroy Pervirella's guardians, and capture the girl's incredible libido, so it can serve the Cult of Perv.

Around the globe they go, facing all manner of peril, from monsters—expert in the art of self-gratification—to the writhing rituals of the Amazonian societies. Only Pervirella's passionate and lethal power can save her from the grips of perversion.

Fans of low budget, quasi-erotic B films should get a kick out of this little production. The special effects are purposefully abundant in the cheese factor, utilizing a plethora of miniatures and models which are designed to look fake, down to their highly visible wires that dangle an assortment of airships across the screen. Sets are stuffed with gaudy props and gadgetry, which match the gloriously kitsch costuming and freakshow lighting. It is hard to pinpoint a style here, but if you mascerate a Terry Gilliam-on-acid sense of machinery and atmosphere, a Bad Taste-era Peter Jackson sense of gore, with bathroom humor and knockoffs of Flesh Gordon, you'd be in the ballpark. The characters are all equally over-the-top: the decaying Queen Victoria , who gives birth on an hourly basis; the conniving Sexton Ming (aka Anthony Waghorne, who plays the entire Royal Family); Professor Rumphole Pump (Bruce Brand) and Pervirella herself, adorned in pink feathered boas. There is ample nudity and suggestiveness, and an abundance of menacing prostheses and general tastelessness. Certainly well beyond the mainstream in terms of audience, but there is some deviant charm to be gleaned for those with an appetite for camp.

Rating for Style: B
Rating for Substance: C

 

Image Transfer

	One
Aspect Ratio	1.66:1 - Widescreen
Original Aspect Ratio	yes
Anamorphic	no

Image Transfer Review: Pervirella was shot on Super 16mm, so the source is pretty grainy. The transfer is adequate, colors are generally fairly strong, and blacks are solid, but there are many contrast issues in the print, leading to a somewhat dark and undefined image in places. There are a couple of video anomalies, but where these originate is speculative. Serviceable, and probably pretty true to the source.

Image Transfer Grade: C+
 

Audio Transfer

	Language	Remote Access
DS 2.0	English	no

Audio Transfer Review: English audio is encoded at a fairly loud level. Frequency coverage is quite good, but there are some oddities in the low-end translation, which seems to have a few notches in the response. Dialogue and the many musical numbers are well balanced, and of higher quality than I would have expected.

Audio Transfer Grade: B- 

Disc Extras

Static menu
Scene Access with 12 cues and remote access
Cast and Crew Biographies
1 Other Trailer(s) featuring Perv ParlourPerv Parlour
Production Notes
1 Featurette(s)
Packaging: unmarked keepcase
1 Disc
1-Sided disc(s)
Layers: single

Extra Extras:

1. Photo gallery
2. Bonus short

Extras Review: The menus here are some of the slowest I've ever encountered, despite being pretty basic in design, and annoyingly you can scroll backwards through the options.

A collection of text supplements are supplied, with extensive biographies for director Alex Chandon and producer/model maker Josh Collins, which includes a trailer for Perv Parlour, and the 6-minute short film Titten Helga—not for the squeamish, this is more of an "N" trailer.

A production essay tells The Story of Perv, and Pervirella the Music covers the numerous musicians who perform and appear in the film.

Two photo galleries are included, one of production stills, and one dedicated to Pervirella herself, Emily Bouffante.

Two more options feature other titles available on DVD and VHS from the distributor.

Extras Grade: C+
 

Final Comments

A kitsch and kinky comedy stuffed with outrageous costumes and marvelous miniatures—these made the film for me with their purposeful tackiness. Attempting to make Ed Wood look like high art, Pervirella succeeds in its sexy silliness, and aside from a few tasteless nasty bits, most of the film provides a good mockery of itself, making it so bad it's almost good. Recommended for fans of sleazy B only.

Jeff Ulmer 2002-03-13