The Fireworks Woman Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

The Fireworks Woman Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf November 4, 2025

Before he was the mastermind of “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” before he scored a major hit with “Scream,” before he tried to do something different for a change in “Music of the Heart,” Wes Craven was…well, just trying to find a gig. 1975’s “The Fireworks Woman” is an adult movie from the helmer, who pivoted to the ways of obsession after disturbing viewers (and even himself) with 1972’s “The Last House on the Left.” While newly tasked to deliver a more sexual viewing experience, Craven’s interests in dark tales and disturbed people remain in play in “The Fireworks Woman,” which hopes to offer a bit of titillation as carnal events are created. However, the picture is more invested in alarming the raincoat crowd with its surreal understanding of submission and punishment, testing patience with its crude filmmaking and general ickiness.

Angela (Jennifer Jordan) is deeply in love, consumed by thoughts of passion for the one man she wants most in the world: her brother, Peter (Eric Edwards). A priest trying to do right by God, Peter remains patient with his sibling and her demands to carry on their childhood affair, looking to help his sister manage encroaching madness as the weight of her emotions becomes too much to bear. Rejected, Angela begins her own journey to adulthood, taking a job as a maid for Elizabeth (Erica Eaton), only to be turned into a plaything for her and her lover. She hopes to find peace on a sailboat, but falls into the ocean, rescued by Celeste (Helen Madigan), who seduces her, showing her the pleasures of her company. And she’s ruined by sexual violence, trying to keep her mind on Peter to get through her torturous life. The man of the cloth is greatly disturbed by Angela’s journey, forced to deal with his faith and his passions, which threatens to drive him insane.

Craven (credited as “Abe Snake”) actually appears in “The Fireworks Woman,” popping up as a vaguely evil figure, dressed in a top hat and smoking a cigar. He seems to be some type of satanic presence, but nothing is truly clear in the picture, which hopes to deliver an experimental viewing experience, perhaps to help Craven distance himself from the carnal demands of the material. The feature opens with a display of naked people playing with fireworks, establishing a puzzling tone to come in the movie, which is rarely focused on the needs of storytelling. “The Fireworks Woman” tries to become more of an experience, immersing viewers in Angela’s troubles and she wrestles with her deep feelings for Peter, who’s become forbidden fruit after joining the priesthood. Incestual elements aren’t feverishly promoted in the endeavor, with the production showing more interest in the rising tide of fixation as Angela deals with depression, dreams, and nightmares tied to her forbidden love.

“The Fireworks Woman” soon sends Angela on a journey of her own, forcing her into various situations that test her sanity. The first involves Elizabeth, a rich woman who hires Angela to be her maid, only the job doesn’t involve just cleaning and service. The young woman is pulled into a submissive situation when Elizabeth and her lover seek to destroy their “pet,” subjecting her to abuse and humiliation, which involves urine play. There’s time with Celeste, who pulls Angela out of the water when she attempts to sail away from her problems, introduced to her rescuer’s sexual interests on her farm. There’s weirdness to most of “The Fireworks Woman,” but there’s ugliness as well, surfacing during a sequence where a fisherman clobbers his pal with the catch of the day, demanding alone time with Angela, who tries to fight off the attention. It’s a horrible moment of sexual assault, keeping up with the 1970s and the odd demand for this type of addition to nearly every genre endeavor. Craven complies, and successfully sheds whatever sensuality is included in the rest of the feature, and perhaps this is an intentional move, looking to make an adult movie as repellent as possible. Or perhaps there’s a deeper, darker psychological desire from the helmer on display. You make the call.

The Fireworks Woman Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The image presentation (1.33:1 aspect ratio) for "The Fireworks Woman" is listed as "newly scanned and restored in 4K from its best surviving film elements." Detail reaches as far as possible during the viewing experience, offering softer skin particulars on the often fully nude cast, exploring different bodies and fine hairs. Costuming is passably textured, going from flowing dresses to stiffer religious uniforms. Interiors are reasonably dimensional, exploring various living spaces. Exteriors offers interesting depth as the picture works around rural areas and the ocean. Color is strong, with a rich sense of greenery. Primaries are alert on costuming and decorative additions. Skin tones are natural. Delineation is satisfactory. Grain is heavy and film-like. Damage is detected throughout, encountering some chemical blotches and scratches.

The Fireworks Woman Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix does wrestle with age and technical limitations. Dialogue exchanges are intelligible, but a certain level of muddiness is present. Scoring selections are also slightly dulled but remain appreciable, working with classical music recordings. Sound effects are blunt.

The Fireworks Woman Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Interview (10:31, HD) is a conversation with filmmaker Roy Frumkes, who was initially exposed to Wes Craven during a showing of "The Last House on the Left," joined by film preservationist Robert Harris, who left the theater in disgust. Frumkes was instantly curious about Craven, contacting the filmmaker, who was going through complicated feelings about "Last House" at the time, even handing over scripts and footage for Frumkes to keep. The interviewee discusses Craven's upbringing, reflecting on his childhood restrictions, which led to an interest in violence. Without professional opportunities, Craven took an offer to make "The Fireworks Woman," and memories from the shoot are shared, including time with producer Sean S. Cunningham, who invited Frumkes and his wife to join an orgy scene in the picture. Thoughts on the cast are offered, and information is shared about a 60-minute-long cut of "Last House" prepared by Frumkes and Craven that's been lost. The interviewee closes with information concerning another Craven collaboration, and recalls the dangers of real fireworks ignited around nude actors.

• "Ugly People Doing Ugly Things: Wes Craven and 'The Fireworks Woman' Saga" (28:44, HD) is a visual essay by Wes Craven biographer Joseph Maddrey.

• And Theatrical Trailers (HD) for "The Fireworks Woman" (4:01) and "The Fireworks Man" (4:01) are included.

The Fireworks Woman Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"The Fireworks Woman" grows more despondent as it goes, adding Peter's aching confusion to the mix, which results in a bout of self-flagellation. And there's a climax featuring an orgy, which plays into adult film requirements of the age, though Craven isn't exactly enjoying it, attempting to nudge the material into position as a statement of dark commitment and faith-flinging love, complete with an interpretive ending. If there's more to be gleaned from "The Fireworks Woman," the feature doesn't exactly encourage audience participation, leaving the offering a messy, tedious assortment of half- realized psychological ideas and poorly photographed pornography. It's a chore to sit through, best appreciated as the next career step for Craven after testing the potency of shock value in "The Last House on the Left."