Emmanuelle’s Perfume – Le parfum d’Emmanuelle (1992)

Directed by: Francis Leroi | 90 minutes | romance, fantasy | Actors: Marcella Walerstein, George Lazenby, Sylvia Kristel, Joel Bui, Jay Hausman, Pham Duc-Tu, Daniel Hung Meas, Vibbe Haugaard, Tony Senegal, Frédéric Fratini, Natala Sevenants, Jean-Pierre de Varenne, Robert Terry Lee, Corinne Mafiodo , Lauren Song

However it may have been before, what is striking about the new Emmanuelle film series, the seven films shot in the ’92 and ’93, is that there is never enough story made for the entire running time of the film, which is usually less than an hour and a half. At least two storylines are always used to fill the total playing time. Maybe it’s a conscious choice to let Emmanuelle get in touch with as many other women and couples as possible in order to spread her love message to the world, but it seems rather the case that the simple premise of the film is not inspiring. to telling “complicated” stories. Entering other bodies or transforming yourself into another body does not have that many dimensions within the universe of ‘Emmanuelle’. A couple has problems, Emmanuelle enters their lives (and bodies) and tries to improve their sex drive. You’ll be done with that within half an hour of playing time, after which it’s time for the next, similar (or even simpler) story.

When we start from this structure and story elements, we can be happy when the tone and elaboration of a story for once offer something more than the standard sex addicts who regain their libido. It helps when the sex scenes are tantalizing in their own right, of course, but some humanity or charm can add a lot to substandard genre work like this.

‘Emmanuelle’s Perfume’ is a good example of such a film. The sex is well represented – wild and humorous sex, or the subtle and tender variety. In pairs or alone, in atmospheric semi-darkness or in the morning light, everything is covered – but, more importantly, the heart of the film is also in the right place, with acting performances that even occasionally cause a bond. becomes with the viewer. The first touching moment in the film takes place when the parents of Sam, an old friend of Emmanuelle’s whom she visits, find Emmanuelle’s magical perfume as a present in their hotel room. The woman uses it first and becomes a beautiful woman of twenty again. The man suddenly feels as if he is holding his granddaughter, so he rubs some of the perfume on his chest as well. The spark is flying again as usual, and they are having the time of their lives. They continue their lovemaking long into the night, and when they wake up, they simply pick up where they left off. They are young and vital again and are enjoying it to the fullest. Lovely to watch, and the free scenes are exciting too. It’s funny when Sam says he can’t get used to being older than his own parents.

The second major story in the film revolves around Sam’s love life. He is a bit lost and does not see that a dear woman, the servant, is longing for him. And the woman herself is of course not daring either. Don’t worry, Emmanuelle is near. She lets her discover herself and Sam in exciting, stylishly filmed scenes. Some compositions seem almost picturesque. The acting, especially with regard to the dialogue, is often wooden and the stories are not really startling, but if you manage to find a little charm within the confines of this genre and start caring about the characters from time to time , you can still speak of a mild success.