Synapse Films presents their second Jean Rollin release on DVD with the most often lighthearted sexual romp Bacchanales Sexualles AKA Fly Me the French Way. There may not be any lesbian vampires to be found this time around, but there sure are plenty of lesbians! Dig in if you're not to shy as Rollin and erotica fans alike will surely find themselves to be anything but disappointed by this guilty pleasure of the highest degree.

Please allow me to set the scene for you. A beautiful young woman named Valerie is all alone watching her cousins home while he's away on business. One night during a fearful episode, she calls her friend Sophie over for some comfort (wink, wink). Sophie and Valerie proceed to drink some wine, play some funky records and eventually shed their clothes and any inhibitions they may (or may not) have already had. That evening, Sophie is awakened to find that some masked burglars have entered the apartment. She promptly calls her friend Fred (lucky guy) to come over and assist, but alas, by the time Fred makes it over it's too late for Sophie who has already been kidnapped. Fred awakens Valerie with a little mystery man pickle tickle, and the two play happy homemaker for the time being. All the while Sophie is tortured, teased and pleased by the members of a strange sex cult that Valerie's cousin was a member of, yup they got the wrong gal (are ya with me so far?). Moving along, Fred and Sophie discover some incriminating photos that lead them to the realization that something just may be rotten in Denmark. They head off to get to the bottom of things (literally) but not before they participate in a 3-way bubble bath / bed romp with a sexy and all too European French maid.

In case you haven't gotten the message (which should actually be all too loud and clear) this film is very different than the Rollin you may be used to. In addition to his many gothic vampire films (and horror in general) Rollin has dabbled in the fine erotic arts (most recently indulging in some super hardcore action). Bacchanales Sexualles is in my opinion, an example of Rollin at his non-horror finest with some great (and unforgettable) set pieces that should make just about any Rollin aficionado groan with glee. It may be a bit shocking and even a little confusing at first for fans of Rollin's work who are unfamiliar with this terrain, but once you're in you're hooked from start to finish. It's nothing but a dirty good time all around. Much like Rollin's other work his trademark techniques are present, the man certainly knows how to set a story to celluloid.

As usual, Rollin fills the screen with some of the most gorgeous French women you have ever seen as there is most certainly no lack of skin or sexy French dames (with lots of familiar faces on display as well). Much of the action verges on hardcore, but never quite crosses that thin line of soft to hard (although there are some incriminating close ups that could be considered medical). Needless to say this is still not one for the kiddies or the prudish. I'd be willing to wager that during certain scenes these folks were not acting (although there aren't really and proof positive close ups to prove my case). All in all we're given a film that has some effective humor, surprisingly good performances, and an unforgettable animated opening credit sequence. Oh, and did I mention the sexy French dames?

Synapse Films presents Bacchanales Sexualles on DVD for the first time in a most impressive widescreen transfer. Yes, there are some rough edges (as expected) but for the most part one would have absolutely no reason for complaint. This edition of Bacchanales Sexualles puts all other 5th gen dupes to shame, toss them in the trash, ASAP. For the most part colors are bright and lively with only a few examples of a drab color scheme evident (a few overcast outdoor shots for example). There are some slight evidences of print damage that creep up from time to time in the occasional scratch or speckle or some slight grain but it's nothing to be concerned about, that's for sure. Keep in mind that this DVD is not reference quality but for a hard to find Rollin film, it's top notch in my book.

Audio is presented in a French mono mix with nice readable and removable English subs. Dialogue sounds just fine for a film of this age and rarity. Once again it's most certainly not reference quality, but it serves the title at hand quite well. The great 70's jazzy score is a personal favorite of mine. It's a shame that we couldn't have an isolated track for the score that would have been sweet.

Extras are limited to an easy to find easter egg that features trailers for two other Synapse titles (Grapes of Death and Castle of Blood) and liner notes courtesy of Nathanial Thompson of the great Mondo Digital site. I'm sure that if other extras were available Synapse would have included them. Besides, the feature speaks for itself, so really no complaints here.

Bottom line here is that Rollin fans will want to pick this DVD up sight unseen as it's a real gem to add to your DVD library. Fans of erotica who may be less knowledgeable about Rollin and his work will most likely want to check it out as well. This is a great flick and a great DVD... Synapse should be applauded for their efforts as once again, they've done the fans proud.