Film Review – Emmanuelle

“Emmanuelle” began life as a 1967 novel by author Emmanuelle Arsan, who collected her sexual fantasies and shared them with the world, turning her book into a best-seller for readers interested in a more refined presentation of lust. This literary success eventually spawned a film franchise that began in 1974, helping to launch the career of star Sylvia Kristel during the “porno chic” era. Sequels were made, and soon enough, producers went wild with the brand name in a very “Amityville”-like manner, including “Black Emanuelle,” “Carry On Emmanuelle,” and a television series, “Emmanuelle in Space.” Co-writer/director Audrey Diwan looks to restore a little seriousness to the franchise, delivering a frostier take on amorous activity in “Emmanuelle,” which attempts to remain as serious as possible while dealing with sexualized encounters and games of mystery. The helmer has the right idea when it comes to commitment to the material, but this feature fails to summon heat, or any emotion, really, as Diwan keeps the whole thing mummified while aiming to deliver excitement. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com