One by one the classics of Tinto Brass are being rediscovered by generations old and new. Any self-respecting fan of adult erotica (or newcomers alike) should really be dipping into the director's work. Salon Kitty (re-titled Madam Kitty for its edited US release) is an infamous, yet classy entry in the nazi-ploitation sub genre and a spectacular example of just the kind of adult orientated filmmaking Brass is capable of. It's amazing to think that a film of this type can hold up as well as it does nearly 30-years after its initial release. Blue Underground went through a painstaking process to deliver this 2-disc special edition, and the result is nothing more than...nah, I'm not giving up the cookies that quick this time, it'd be too easy!

An elite group of women are chosen to serve Nazi superiors at the start of World War II. Madam Kitty (Ingrid Thulin) is forced to close her successful brothel and take in the new class of whores for this latest house of debauchery. The women are hand picked and trained to serve. What Kitty or the girls don't know is that every room in the bordello is bugged and the prostitutes are indeed employed by the SS (unbeknownst to them) as spies. The story focuses on one girl in particular Margherita (too cute Ann Savoy) and her relationship with a repeat customer officer Biondo (John Steiner). The two happen to fall in love while neither one wants to admit it. One evening at the brothel, Biondo confesses his desire to revolt against Hitler and of course his entire tirade is caught on tape and it's this very taped confession that eventually does him in.

In the mean time Officer Wallenberg (Helmut Berger) who had taken a liking to Margherita early on in the process steps in, but Margherita knows the blame should be placed on Wallenberg for Biondo's fate. Unaware of just how much Margherita knows, Wallenberg attempts to demoralize and weaken her, but what Wallenberg doesn't realize is just how smart Margherita actually is. Margherita unveils the secret of the bordello to Kitty and the women in turn retain an even more sinister plan of their own to deal with those that have wronged them.

One of the reasons that Salon Kitty really stands out in a crowd of classic adult erotica is because of the true scope of its production. Brass is a very capable filmmaker and more often than not was able to take the most lurid of subject matter, turning it into near epic filmmaking. Nothing is left to chance, as Brass is a very particular director and nearly everything is accounted for. From the incredible costumes (that is, when people are indeed wearing clothes), set design and the over the top yet effective performances (sometimes the film itself is like watching Cabaret through a funhouse mirror), nevertheless Salon Kitty is quite a mesmerizing view. The exploitation elements never overshadow the material at hand, and that's the real key here. No matter how outrageous or uncomfortable it gets, it always seems necessary and appropriate - never too over the top (well, most of the time anyway).

Speaking of exploitation elements Salon Kitty (presented completely uncut here) is pretty godddamn filthy throughout. I don't think I've ever seen a film that had this much nudity in it (male and female), it's hard to believe these characters even would need costume design (but they certainly did). Obviously not for the prudish or easily offended, mixed in with the nudity are plenty of scenes of simulated sex. While the action never crosses over into hard-core territory, there are quite a few close calls. When the girls are "tested" to see who will make the cut in the actual bordello, there are scenes in which they're put through their paces with a bunch of deformed misfits (I'm talking a midget humpback and a guy with no legs for starters) needless to say these are very disturbing visuals. There's also a scene (a very real scene) that takes place in a slaughterhouse (pretty graphic), so a word of warning to all you vegans out there.

Presented anamorphic in its original aspect ratio Blue Underground has done another outstanding job with this DVD. Colors are bright and lively with black levels that are just dead on. There is really only a minimal amount of print damage present along with some slight grain in a few scenes, but overall it's another fantastic transfer all around by Blue Underground. Believe me, I'm looking for something negative to say about one of their releases, but it ain't gonna happen this time folks, sorry.

Audio is presented in both Italian and English mono with optional yellow English subtitles. I'd give a slight edge to the Italian track but both options feature clear dialogue and really no evidence of distortion. I'd also like to note that if you opt for the English audio track there are scenes that had not been translated so the subs pop on from time to time.

Salon Kitty is presented in a 2-disc set with the first disc including the feature film, and international and domestic trailer along with a well-written Tinto Brass BIO. Disc 2 includes a 15-minute interview with Tinto Brass entitled Inside Salon Kitty in which he discusses everything from casting to censorship. There's also a second featurette with production designer Ken Adam entitled Designing Salon Kitty that runs about 18-minutes. I was glad this was included since I was quite taken with the sets in the film and Adams discusses nearly every major set piece with comparisons to sketches. Extras are rounded off with 3 radio spots, 3 extensive still galleries and DVD ROM supplement entitled The Story of Salon Kitty a reprint of a behind the scenes book (in Italian but with plenty of pics).

Score another point for Blue Underground with this limited edition (15,000 units) 2-disc set of a Tinto Brass adult classic. I would imagine that these are not going to be around for long, I sure as hell wouldn't hesitate to nab one. Between Salon Kitty and Emanuelle in America, June is shaping up to be a pretty good month thanks to Blue Underground.

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