Woman in Love: A Story of Madame Bovary Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.5

Woman in Love: A Story of Madame Bovary Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf September 22, 2024

1978’s “Woman in Love: A Story of Madame Bovary” is a take on the classic 1857 novel by Gustave Flaubert. The source material is used to inspire an adult cinema version of desire and disruption, following the passions of a woman who wants to experience everything as she moves from lover to lover. Director Kemal Horulu tries to turn the endeavor into a classy take on betrayal, employing a large cast and mining some dark emotions as he also tends to the needs of carnal activity. It’s a somewhat strange mix of melodrama and heat, but it’s varied enough to engage, providing opportunities for the actors to handle conflict and bedroom activity in a semi-consistent feature.

Christine (Laurien Dominique) is married to Alex (Robert Kerman), an architect habitually buried in his work. Christine is bored and sexually frustrated, but she remains faithful to her husband, soon finding a job at a clothing store run by Simone (Vanessa Del Rio). It’s here where Christine is exposed to the world, pursued by playboy Georgia (Paul Thomas) and seduced by artist Eric (Ron Jeremy), offered sexual experiences and passion she’s always dreamed of. However, as she gets comfortable in her new life, Christine’s lovers begin to pull away, leaving her exposed to dark feelings and a lonely future.

Christine wants excitement, but she’s not getting it at home, facing the fatigue of Alex, who only thinks of work. It’s this frustration that powers the dramatic arc of “Woman in Love,” following Christine as she tries to acquire a sense of fulfillment while surrounded by temptation, losing the battle of fidelity as she’s approached by an assortment of lovers. “Woman in Love” is episodic, tracking Christine’s dwindling defenses as she takes a job with Simone, who wants more than an employee. Giorgio is a smooth talker ready to win his prey over with money and confidence. And Eric plays the part of a sensitive artist trying to capture Christine’s heart, becoming the first to break through as she embarks on an affair with the man.

This odyssey of personal satisfaction and bedroom adventure is fairly well-stocked by Horulu, who supplies a large cast of adult talent to fill out Christine’s carnal experience, putting the character in tight situations with practiced seducers, also delivering some group action with an apartment party sequence. There’s some disjointedness to the feature, primarily located in a late-inning dream sequence that finds Christine navigating a BDSM wonderland. It’s a sudden turn into kink that doesn’t fit with the rest of the picture, perhaps added to pad the run time.

Woman in Love: A Story of Madame Bovary Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presented is listed as "newly scanned and restored in 4K from its 35mm original camera negative." "Woman in Love" delivers strong detail throughout the viewing experience, exploring fine hairs and skin particulars on the cast. Costuming is also textured, highlighting style from the late 1970s. Interiors dominate with defined decorative additions, while a few trips outside retain dimension, especially when focused on New York City sights. Color is distinct, with rich primaries found on clothing choices and design elements. Skin tones are natural. A colder sense of city life is preserved. Delineation is satisfactory. Grain is fine and film-like. Source is in good condition.

Woman in Love: A Story of Madame Bovary Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix does deal with some sibilance issues, but nothing too severe. Dialogue exchanges are intelligible and emotive. Scoring is simple but appreciable, with decent instrumentation.

Woman in Love: A Story of Madame Bovary Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

There is no supplementary material on this release.

Woman in Love: A Story of Madame Bovary Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Woman in Love" doesn't go the tragic route with the material, electing to keep things relatively upbeat and hopeful as Christine endures hard lessons concerning manipulative people. It's certainly not an emotional viewing experience, but it's colorfully performed (the supporting cast understands the assignment) and lively as the production works in as much sexual activity as it can. Flaubert purists might be horrified by the adaptation, but viewers with other entertainment goals should walk away satisfied.