Ameriatch
One of the best films i have seen
ChicRawIdol
A brilliant film that helped define a genre
Plustown
A lot of perfectly good film show their cards early, establish a unique premise and let the audience explore a topic at a leisurely pace, without much in terms of surprise. this film is not one of those films.
BA_Harrison
The rather absurdly named Erotica Lantern stars as Viveca Hansen, an emotionally troubled blonde who recounts her sexual history to shrink Dr. Rogers (Fred J. Lincoln) in a bid to cure herself of lesbian tendencies. In a series of flashbacks, we see how Viveca was raped by her stepfather Hans (C. Davis Smith), found love with stud Don (Harry Reems), and experienced pleasure with Marie (Suzy Mann) and Linda (Laura Cannon). At the end of the film, having heard all of the juicy details of Viveca's love life, Dr. Rogers personally administers his special form of cure, making good use of his psychiatrist couch.A grubby, low-budget slice of vintage filth from Roberta Findlay, Altar of Lust is a strange beast that uncomfortably straddles the soft-core/hardcore divide, making it hard to see who it will appeal to: it's far too raunchy for those looking for soft-core titillation, it's not quite explicit enough for those after some full-on hardcore action, and for those like me, who mistakenly expected it to be a horror film (I really should do my homework in future), it's extremely low on gore and scares! (ie., there isn't any).Certain near the knuckle scenes suggest that the performers became very well acquainted with each other during filming, but a lack of revealing camera angles makes it unclear as to whether the sex is real or simulated (I suspect that there was a spot of both); either way, it's all extremely tedious, with endless dull scenes of Reems' hairy ass rising and falling between splayed legs. I imagine that even avid fans of 70s smut will find Altar of Lust hard to watch in one go.
Woodyanders
Troubled young gal Viveca Hansen (pretty and slender blonde Erotica Lantern) discusses her fixation on lesbianism with psychiatrist Dr. Rogers (Fred Lincoln of "The Last House on the Left" infamy). Writer/director Roberta Findlay certainly covers all the scorching soft-core bases: We've got loads of tasty girl-on-girl action, heterosexual copulation, some arousing fun in the shower, and even solo masturbation. Said sex scenes are basically soft-core, but cross over into more explicit hardcore territory quite a bit here and there. A very young Harry Reems appears sans mustache as Viveca's faithless boyfriend Don while C. Davis Smith contributes a memorably odious turn as Viveca's vile abusive stepfather Hans who rapes the poor lass in an especially ugly flashback. The bevy of good-looking ladies helps a whole lot in keeping this one watchable: Foxy blonde Suzy Mann, slinky brunette Arlana Blue, and the insanely luscious Laura Cannon. Findlay earns extra kudos for showing both the positive and negative aspects of sex, plus even has the astounding audacity to present straight coitus as a possible unorthodox cure for lesbianism (!). The throbbing tribal score and funky-grooving rock soundtrack hit the right-on happening spot. Findlay's bright cinematography provides an attractive sunny look. Recommended viewing for Findlay fans and aficionados of racy sexploitation fare in general
morrison-dylan-fan
Shortly after I put a cake in the oven that I was baking for a friend,I decided that whilst I wait for the cake to cook,that I should take a look at a "Roughtie" that a friend had recently passed me,which would also allow me to see a title from DVD studio Something Weird for the first ever time.The plot:Lying down on psychiatrist Dr.Rogers coach,Viveca Hansen begins to tell Rogers about the rape that her mothers new husband Hans,committed on her,which along with destroying Viveca's innocence's,also led to Hansen leaving Sweden for the US,so that she could get away from Hans forever.Being interested in the deep psychological effect of Hans attack,Rogers begins to ask Viveca about a guy who she was dating until recently called Don.Initially refusing to answer any of Rogers question,Hansen begins to tell Rogers about the huge impact that Don has had on her life,which includes Don "actidentally" introducing Viveca to lesbianism…View on the film:Empthasised by a down'n dirty transfer from Something Weird,the traumatic scene of Viveca Hansen, (played by a very pretty actress,who is credited under the false name "Erotica Lantern") getting rapped,has a strong,murky Horror atmosphere,thanks to writer/director/composer/cinematography/lighting and uncredited dubber of Lantern's voice Roberta Findlay keeping away from making the scene too graphic,by instead focusing on Lantern's pain from being pushed into the mud and dirt by her evil stepfather. (played by a nasty C.Davis Smith.)Made at the time when she was in the middle of a messy divorce from husband/3D pioneer (who sadly died in a helicopter crash a few years later,when he travelled to show a group of investors the portable 3D camera that he had invented) Michael Findlay, (who despite being in the middle of a divorce,actually dubs Dr Rogers voice)Roberta Findlay uses the screenplay and bedroom scenes of the movie,as a way to make a decisive statement about not needing a "man's help" in making a very enjoyable,quick-moving "Adult" movie.For the "bedroom" scenes in the film,Findlay uses each of them to reveal Viveca Hansen's changing sexual orientation,with the heterosexual scenes being shown in a non-sensual manner,whilst the very graphic lesbian scenes are filled with a smooth,sensual atmosphere.With the screenplay of the film,Roberta Findlay strongly hints at the attitude that people had in the Adult industry at the time on a woman working behind,instead of in front of the camera,by showing all of the men in the movie trying to get Viveca to accept her "right" sexual orientation,instead of the one that Viveca finds herself desiring,at the altar of lust.
lor_
Cited as her first solo movie, made without the collaboration of hubby Michael (who merely helps out in the narration as the voice of a shrink), THE ALTAR OF LUST is also interesting as a transitional film memorializing the switchover from softcore to hardcore in adult cinema.Findlay was to make more softcore films in the future, notably her wonderful romantic melodrama THE CLAMDIGGER'S DAUGHTER and later a series of clumsy & ineffective horror movies, but by 1971 hardcore had already taken over the exhibition side of the business. Its victory was complete the following year with the release of DEEP THROAT.A young girl Viveca, who flashbacks reveal was raped by her step dad, moves to New York with her boyfriend, a pre-mustache Harry Reems. He has another girl friend, Marie (a pretty Kelly Lynch-type) and eventually we are treated to a menage a trois by the principals.With a party scene involving a sexy belly dancer as filler, film portrays fairly convincing dramatics, culminating in the heroine's shrink resorting to unorthodox therapy -balling his patient on the psychiatrist couch! In-joke has Michael Findlay as voice of the shrink making reflexive statements like "I make no moral judgments" in voice-over, and frequently pressing Viveca to reveal her possible incestuous thoughts.Viveca is well played by an unknown actress, assigned the colorful pseudonym here of "Erotica Lantern". Maybe she'll show up in the new GREEN LANTERN movie, in 3-D! Supporting femmes Susie Mann, Arlena Blue and Laura Cannon all make an impressive visual impression.The unusual aspect of THE ALTAR OF LUST is Findlay's stretching the softcore envelope. Besides the de rigeur split-beaver closeups, there are several scenes (signalled by footage in the trailer, which is attached to many Something Weird video releases) in which explicit finger penetration (of the vagina) is shown -that's virtual XXX territory. Superstar Reems' penis is on view quite a bit too, even shown erect in a shower scene.These fleeting moments are hardly enough to satisfy a hardcore porn enthusiast, but they do put THE ALTAR OF LUST into a different category from traditional softcore.
