Sex Madness Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.0
Audio		3.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		3.0

Sex Madness Blu-ray Movie Review

Swingers and Zingers

Depending on the viewer (and their response to the film), Sex Madness is either a moral film intending to instruct youth about the dangers of sexual relationships or it is an exploitation film in a genre that was still in development in the 1930s. Kino seems to feel it fits the bill as a classic example of the exploitation genre. Take note and decide for yourself.

The story revolves around the beautiful chorus girl Millicent Hamilton (Vivian McGill), who takes place in a Hollywood casting couch scenario only to get syphilis. The lure of sexual pleasure has a impact on her. As the story delves deeper into a territory of darkness, the character faces lesbianism, sex parties, and per-marital sexual relations. Sex has a toll on her life and the course of her history. What will the future hold for the nation's youth?

"How do you like my sensual massage? I take classes."

The screenplay by Joseph Seiden (Eli Eli, My Son) and Vincent Valentini (Sunday Sinners, Miracle in Harlem) is underwhelming. The storyline doesn't paint real characters: only imitations of real people. The focus is on the moral questions of the time. The end result is a film that is more concerned with sexual mores than with crafting a solid piece of storytelling.

Dwain Esper (Sinister Harvest, The Seventh Commandment) did a solid job directing the film. Though many regard Sex Madness as a misfire, the film is somehow entertaining and engaging throughout. It manages to make an impression (good or bad) and that says something. Despite the poor script, the over-the-top acting and style is effectively engaging. It is entertaining even if it is unclear if it truly deserves the exploitation tag-line.

Sex Madness Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber, Sex Madness has received a 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition presentation in the original 1.33:1 full frame aspect ratio. The presentation looks outdated at the start: the source footage simply isn't as vibrant as one would hope to find. The image looks a little too harsh at times and is inconsistent. Some occasional print damage can be seen on the footage. There are thin scratches and the video looks like it could have used a more extensive restoration. Even so, the image has some sharp photography but it is somewhat marred by the abundance of print damage. There are even a few scenes showing burn marks and telecine wobble (with the edges of the screen being a bit obscured ). The presentation is far-off from being a pristine restorative effort.

Sex Madness Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Sex Madness features an uncompressed PCM 2.0 16 bit audio track. The sound quality on the release is average sounding at best. The audio track is somewhat thin sounding and the quality of the recording is merely decent at best. Dialogue was easy enough to understand but the track still sounds a bit harsh and is not as crisp as is ideal (even given the age of the source elements). The track might be sufficient for viewing but it is not as well restored as it could be.

Sex Madness Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

For more information on the supplemental features, please refer to the primary review page for the Reefer Madness / Sex Madness double feature.

Sex Madness Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Sex Madness is in many respects a reflection of the fears of its time. Though modern viewers might find it comical (and hence the "exploitation genre" tag), the film reportedly aimed to teach youth about the dangers of sex. Viewers can (and should) see it for themselves to decide how they feel. Recommended.