Draguse or The Infernal Mansion Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		5.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Draguse or The Infernal Mansion Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf March 20, 2022

1976’s “Draguse” is an episodic exploration of fetishes and desires involving Parisian characters, and there’s something of a horror element to the endeavor, giving it a different tone than most adult efforts of the era. Director Patrice Rhomm doesn’t have a game plan for the feature, but there’s the vague shape of a story, tracking the determination of an author working through a case of writer’s block, tasked with creating erotica, which brings him to a remote house inhabited by a seductive and potentially evil presence. Throughout the movie, elements of sex, tourism, and Naziploitation are offered screen time, giving viewers an unexpectedly unsteady ride of carnal and commerce delights.

“Draguse” doesn’t spend a lot of time with hardcore elements, with Rhomm adding more explicit content here and there. He’s more committed to voyeuristic displays of gyrating bodies, and there’s a huge section of the picture handed over to a tour of Parisian streets and sex shops, which is actually the highlight of the endeavor, provide time capsule appeal. The plot is limited to a few spooky encounters, with most of “Draguse” free flow in terms of character development and incidents.

Draguse or The Infernal Mansion Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.67:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "Draguse" is sourced from a 4K scan of the original 35mm camera negatives. The picture is a bit of a travelogue at times, and dimension is present, along with excellent detail on skin surfaces, which are displayed throughout the endeavor, including lots of body hair. Colors are lively, with primaries found on signage and interior decoration. Skintones are natural. Delineation is satisfactory. Grain is heavy and film-like. Source is in good condition.

Draguse or The Infernal Mansion Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 1.0 DTS-HD MA mix offers the basics in dialogue exchanges, with dubbed performances sounding clear. Funky scoring is appreciable, with crisper instrumentation, including snappy percussion.

Draguse or The Infernal Mansion Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Interview (39:21) with actress Monica Swinn explores her early interest in counterculture participation, leading her to time with director Jess Franco and her experiences in erotica, or as she calls it, her "ass films."

• Interview (11:58) with actress Erika Cool tracks her early years as a model, eventually accepting film roles, including a small part in "Draguse," which helped to establish her name in the world of pornography. It was a label she didn't care for, eventually getting out of the business.

• Interview (14:10) with production manager Eric de Winter examines the Parisian filmmaking freedoms of the 1970s, including the development of erotic cinema, which "Draguse" helped to popularize.

• A Trailer has not been included on this release.

Draguse or The Infernal Mansion Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Draguse" eventually reaches a conclusion, which aims to provide a genre jolt after spending most of the run time wandering from scene to scene. Suddenly clarity is welcome, but this isn't a cohesive feature, offering more of a grab bag viewing experience, which sometimes scores and occasionally bores.