Flavia the Heretic has always been a favorite of mine, but for some reason it's quite often dismissed as an unworthy example of exploitation, or in this case "nunsploitation" but I've always thought of it as being so much more. Sure the film isn't without its problems and at times can be taken as a bit too preachy, but overall I've always found Flavia to be a well made and quite often - (dare I say) artistic exploitation flick. I mean sure it's got plenty of naked nuns, bloodshed, whippings and horse castration but mostly presented in an artistic way! (well maybe not) In any event, I think you catch my drift. Well, when I first heard that Synapse Films was releasing Flavia on DVD, I knew that fans should be in for a real treat, and after checking out the recently released disc the other night, just as I suspected - I wasn't disappointed.

The story of Flavia (played by Florinda Bolkan) while extremely odd and disturbing is quite a simple one at heart. Set sometime in the 1400's Flavia is locked away in a convent of carnal desires by her father. Tired of all of the sadism she sees around her (rape, sexual cravings, the aforementioned horse castration) Flavia decides to hightail it out of there with her Jewish friend from the outside, Abraham. The two don't get very far before they are captured and then brought back to be tortured and forced to repent.

Flavia's still had enough though and after realizing that there is no justice to be found within the convent (since it is still after all a man's world in there) she once again decides to make for the road. She joins up with a band of Muslims called the Tarantulas (Flavia just wants to be bitten as they say), who had invaded the convent prior and leads a crusade that turns into nothing short of a bloody battle behind the convent walls.

Make no mistake about it, Flavia is without a doubt an exceptional (and notorious) example of nunsploitation. At times, the film is quite graphic as with the scene of horse castration (man I hate to bring that up again) along with a frightening bit of nipple torture (not so effective, but still pretty gruesome) and various forms of rape including one woman who's taken against her will in a pigpen. I don't want to go into too much detail because discovering the violent depravity to be found within is only part of the fun. Just bear in mind that there is plenty to satisfy the gore hound here (and all you freaks and geeks), but the exploitation elements on display aren't the only things that Flavia has going for it.

I find it very difficult to dismiss Flavia as exploitation simply for the sake of exploitation, which is something that I think many would be inclined to do. There is an extreme amount of character development, we certainly think of these characters as real people and not just objects. There is plenty of nudity, but it's never titillating and the violence is quite often upsetting. At times the film is quite beautiful to look at and takes on a real artistic quality. Everything on display is put to good use including locations, costumes and props. Performances are all above average for a film of this type (especially that of Bolkan who has a commanding screen presence and a glare that can kill!) and the exceptional score is both beautiful and haunting at the same time. Now, it's hard to get through Flavia without having the thought of "girl power" running through your mind. The Spice Girls may have said it with rhythm but their impact will never match that of Flavia. In Flavia's world women make every attempt to rule, and though they may not always be ultimately successful, it's their undying determination that sets these characters apart - this is without a doubt where the film is able to transcend the typical framework of pure exploitation and come across as something a bit more.

Quality wise, we're giving Synapse Films high marks once again for this one. This is easily the best I have ever seen this film look - definitely time to throw away those bootlegs. While colors aren't likely to jump off of the screen and wring your neck, the muted color scheme is obviously the way the filmmakers intended the film to look and this DVD is true to that bronzed color scheme. Print damage is extremely minimal, present mostly in the form of some specs that creep into frame from time to time. The mono audio track is equally impressive with extremely clear dialogue and absolutely no sign of distortion. Uncut is definitely the way to go when viewing Flavia, kudos Synapse - everything here is present in all of its disgusting, depraved glory!

Extras include an odd interview with Florinda Bolkan that seemed to take place in a coffee shop of some sort, during business hours no less. It was a little weird, but still a welcomed extra. Other extras include a nifty still gallery with lobby cards, production stills and promo pieces along with well-written liner notes from Nathanial Thompson of mondo-digital.com. It's also worth mentioning the cover art for the DVD case (which I don't do too often). Synapse has done a fine job in truly capturing the essence of the film through images and color scheme for the box art - I dug it.

Flavia the Heretic definitely gets the recommendation from me and this DVD from Synapse Films is certainly the way to go. If you've never seen Flavia, there's currently no better way to indulge than with this DVD presentation from Synapse. The extras may be light, but the film and presentation are not - this is definitely one to check out.

Screenshots? I know you love 'em, so do I! Hang on tight cause they are on the way!