While I'll be the first to admit that I don't know much about Factory 2000's history, I have fond memories of seeing them represented twice a year (late 90's) at The Chiller Theatre Expo in Secaucus NJ. At that time, (if I'm remembering correctly) there were usually 3 people at their table; William Hellfire, Ruby Larocca and a still wet behind the ears, Misty Mundae. This is before the days of Playmate of the Apes, Roxanna and Lord of the G Strings (review here). Speaking of which (on a side note), it looks as if some scenes were pulled from Roxanna and a few other titles for this release.

And now back to our story. Mr. Hellfire (with Misty and Ruby by his side), would hock VHS copies of bizarre soft-core fetish films like International Necktie Strangler, The Electric Cord Strangler and The Silk Stocking Strangler, in addition to candid (and sexy) photos of the female leads from the films, Misty included. As I look back at these Chiller Expos from years past, I wish I would've stocked up on these photos, they'd prob be worth a mint on Ebay these days.

While we rarely bought their films (only on a select few occasions), we were fascinated by these people and their unknown (to us) stories. We did however; look forward to walking by their little table at Chiller Theatre every single year. As strange as it sounds, it was one of the highlights of the show for us. We would stand 10 feet away and gawk in amazement. Even back then we had fallen in love with Misty Mundae and we didn't even know who she was.

Time has moved forward and things have changed. Misty went on to become a huge 'underground' soft-core celebrity and a real commodity for EI Cinema. And me? I don't even go to Chiller with the same people I used to. Now tell me, whose story is more interesting? Yeah, I know.

Along with Misty's new found popularity (and subsequent split with EI Cinema) multiple needs have arisen to scrape the vaults for 'new' Misty material to find its way onto DVD. Enter Flesh for Olivia, a Factory 2000 release from 2002 (and from what I'm told, a sequel to The Silk Stocking Strangler), the cover of which is somewhat alluring, yet downright sleazy. A photo of a dolled up Misty (heavy makeup) with pigtails lounging in such a way that both her bra and panties are equally exposed.

Ummmm...Sold.

The thing you need to know going in however is that your typical Factory 2000 release differs tremendously from your typical EI Cinema release in that Factory 2000 releases are more fetish oriented. Smoking, stockings, feet and asphyxiation are all part of what makes Flesh For Olivia what it is. Don't go in expecting a soft-core spoof or lighthearted sexual romp with giggling tits and ass. What you are actually going to get is much darker than that.

So what else do you need to know about Flesh For Olivia before diving in? Well, in addition to your fetish elements listed above, the film stars EI Cinema faves A. J. Khan, Julian Wells, Ruby Larocca and of course Misty Mundae. All of who participate in some form of naked sexual shenanigans with one another. The basic story revolves around a young woman named Olivia (Mundae), on the run from a creepazoid named Claudio. Claudio, who pays Olivia to put on these live girl on girl shows which often end in strangulation, won't let her go so easily.

For me, the appeal lies in how Hellfire seems to emulate soft-core directors from the past. Hellfire must be a fan of types like Sarno and Phillips because he seems to take a page from their book in the films that he makes. I've only seen a few, but I can easily make this comparison for each and every one. And I respect that. Rather than a quick buck, Hellfire and the people that he employs seem to be genuinely interested in making these films and (to the best of their ability) making them well. While these films, Flesh For Olivia included, may not be for everyone, they certainly are for someone. You know who you are.

Image and sound quality offer me little room for complaint. I mean, it is what it is. The full frame transfer and stereo audio track look and sound fine for such a low budget SOV production. Extras are limited to 7 EI Cinema trailers (The Seduction Of Misty Mundae, The Erotic Diary Of Misty Mundae, Lust For Dracula, Chantal, Dr. Jekyll And Mistress Hyde, An Erotic Vampire In Paris, Sinful). It would be nice to see a bit of a Factory 2000 retrospective. I'd love to hear Hellfire, Mundae and others speak about the films they've made and time they've spent together; it would probably make for a really interesting view. Someday maybe?