Retro-Seduction cinema unleashes a pretty impressive package with their limited edition release of Lustful Addiction on DVD. Pairing the rarely seen 1969 Nick Phillips film alongside a "re-envisioning" written, directed and starring The Monsters favorite Seduction Cinema part time player Misty Mundae. Also included are a few interesting bonus features making this release a near essential purchase for fans of retro erotic cinema and Misty Mundae alike.

Nick Phillips 1969 feature Lustful Addiction concerns a young woman named Jean, overtaken by excess. Always looking for her next fix, she's not above allowing others to use or abuse her body in exchange for the goods. Satisfying her pusher's needs, Jean slips out the back with the goods, as he lies asleep. On her never-ending quest to gain more out of life, Jean encounters Tad at a local coffee stand. Nice guy that he is, Jean thinks that this may just be the relationship she has been looking for. In the matter of a day, the two meet, shop at the local "hip" store, snuggle, frolic and make love. All the while some mildly poetic narration guides us through their most intimate of thoughts.

Desperately in need of her next fix, Jean arranges for a meeting with her pusher at a local strip club. Overprotective as he is Tad decides to tag along ultimately setting himself up for disaster. Jean and Tad await the arrival of the pusher at the strip club and pass the time by enjoying the extremely erotic (or maybe not too erotic) dance of the raincoat. Jean eventually gets her fix, but not before she shares with her man, introducing Tad to the wonderful world of drugs and debauchery. Jean's next quest for a fix takes her to a "happy" hooker who's all to ready to oblige even after returning from a long (and I'd assume hard) night of work. Without giving too much away let's just say that Tad doesn't take word of the overdose too well and we're ultimately set up for a dark and upsetting grand finale.

Misty's version retains much of the melancholy attitude of the original, which isn't to say that she doesn't take her own artistic license with the characters and their motivations, which she does, and winds up putting to good use. Here remains the character of Jean from the original, now played by Ruby LaRocca although this time around she comes across a bit as a different sort. After her encounter with her pusher, Ruby "borrows" an added fix as she slips out the door, only to enrage her dealer once he awakens.

Ruby meets up with Misty in the park (she looks as cute as ever here), who happens to be a drug-induced powerhouse herself. The two head back to spend some quality time together (which of course includes drugs and heavy petting) and a rapidly developing relationship ensues. Misty heads out after their encounter to pick up some more smack while Ruby eagerly anticipates Misty's return. Ruby's withdrawal gets the best of her and 3-hours later she fears the worst... that Misty will not be returning. Ruby enlists the services of a former stripper friend (played by Darian Caine) for another quick fix and some more heavy petting. Of course Misty does wind up returning eventually and the two take some time to indulge just a bit more (this time, maybe a bit too much as well). Once again, without giving too much away, we are dealt with another overdose, and this time around a very unhappy pusher to boot… as with the original, there is no happy ending to be found here.

Keeping in tune with the original B&W flick, Misty incorporates no sync sound, just music and narration (provided by Misty herself). Characters motives remain similar throughout both editions, but I have to admit that I felt Misty's version did a much better job of expressing the unfulfilled angst brought forth through the Jean character. This is most evident in the opening scene in which Ruby is engaged in sexual conduct with her pusher. It's obvious that Ruby is experiencing extreme pleasure at the cost of ultimately being bored with it, going thorough the motions with only her next fix in mind, there is only so much that this poor girl can see ahead of her. This point is brought across in the original Nick Phillips version as well (mostly through the use of bizarre insert shots of monkeys, you do the math), yet I thought that Misty's version did a much better job of expressing it to the viewer. Both flicks have their virtues with bonus points to Misty Mundae on her directorial debut that she also wrote and starred in as well.

While both films remain erotic fodder at heart, they both still manage to come through as fairly well made films. With an extreme amount of angst and suffering thrown in both films for good measure, each manages to transcend the fact that they may both be ultimately perceived as boner material (please pardon my French). The erotic elements remain, but with the addition of sympathetic, vengeful and all too human characters at the heart of each story, there's much more to each piece than just tits and ass.

Quality wise, both versions of the film hold up exceptionally well on this DVD. The remake, shot on DV, is crisp and clear with no hint of artifacts or pixelation. The production is well lit throughout and features a clear and audible soundtrack. The original '69 version also looks exceptionally well on this DVD. The black and white photography boasts strong black levels and nice definition throughout. There are a few minor instances of print damage in the occasional spec of dirt, but aside from that, this is a really clean transfer. Audio is clear and solid throughout as well, with no evidence of hiss or background noise. This is a quality transfer of a true grind house classic that no one could have ever imagined would have surfaced on DVD.

Extras include trailers for the original version of Lustful Addiction as well as the remake. There are also an additional 16 trailers for other Retro Seduction Cinema and Spoof Cinema titles. Next up is a 12-minute documentary featuring interviews with Misty Mundae and grind house historian 42nd Street Pete. Also included is a nifty fold out booklet with some more information provide by Misty and Pete. Just when you thought you knew Misty Mundae comes information straight from the lovely gals mouth and believe me when I say, you'd never expect the results that you're given. The final bonus provided is an audio CD that features soundtracks to the new versions of Lustful Addiction, Roxanna and a few bonus tracks, 17 in all.

All told, I'd have to say that this release is an essential purchase for fans of retro erotica and Misty Mundae alike. Both films are given exceptional treatment and the extras only add to the pure joy of this DVD release. I don't know how much added value the CD will raise with fans but it is a nice bonus to have nonetheless. Keep in mind that this is a limited numbered edition and only 20,000 were manufactured. I'd assume that when they are gone, they're gone. There's no time like the present to dig and enjoy. Seduction Cinema has done an incredible job with this release and among the Seduction Cinema line of EI Cinema titles, this disc comes with my highest recommendation.