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 EUGENIE…The
Story of Her Journey into Perversion (Blue-Underground)
1969. Eurosleaze. 87 minutes.
Not rated. Nudity, sexual situations. Directed by Jess Franco. After
getting the ok from her stupid ass father, the young, innocent, and very
beautiful Eugenie (Marie Liljedahl) visits a family “friend” (aka
Dad’s side slice) on a private island resort. Once there, she is slowly
sucked into a world of lesbianism, man sex, s&m, drugs, and
murder.
Based on the Marquis de Sade novel Philosophy in the Boudoir, this
classic piece of Eurosleeze did just enough to make me continue watching,
but not enough to actually make me like it. Although I can appreciate that
Eugenie must have shocked the snot out of grindhouse audiences worldwide
in 1969, my attention was basically held captive for only two reasons:
Marie Liljedahl and Christopher Lee. Ms. Liljedahl (who also starred in
Joe Sarno’s Inga) is an absolute sight, and
whoever would have guessed that Christopher Lee guest starred in a Jess
Franco Eurosleeze flic? Fear not Hammer Studios and Lord of the Rings
fans, Mr. Lee explains himself and this role in the “interviews”
extra. As I wrote above, the story is odd enough and the erotic scenes are
erotic enough to keep you interested, but they fail to push the envelope
(by today’s standards anyway). The sex scenes are softcore, but the
nudity is plentiful. Extras include: interviews with Franco, Liljedahl,
Lee, and producer Harry Alan Towers (this feature is pretty interesting
and shows the four as they are today), trailer, poster/still gallery, etc.
Unless you’re a fan of Jess Franco, Eurosleeze, Marie Liljedahl, and
even Christopher Lee (he’s not in this movie much, but it is still weird
seeing him in this genre), watching Eugenie won’t kill you, but neither
would not watching it. – Denis Sheehan
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