Girl Slaves of Morgana le Fay – Morgane et ses nymphes (1971)

Directed by: Bruno Gantillon | 86 minutes | horror, fantasy | Actors: Dominique Delpierre, Alfred Baillou, Mireille Saunin, Régine Motte, Ursule Pauly, Michèle Perello, Nathalie Chaine, Velly Beguard, Solange Pradel, Patricia Lecarpentier

Exploitation films come in many shapes and sizes. From the blaxploitation films of the 70s and the timeless zombie film to the many appearances of the porn industry. With ‘Girl Slaves of Morgana le Fay’ (‘Morgane et ses nymphes’) we have a nice variation of the women-doing-it-with-each other genre. Such films are usually set in a women’s prison, where sex and lust for power make for a cheerful whole. Despite the fact that these films are only populated by women, they are intended for the male part of the population.

Although “Girl Slaves of Morgana le Fay” isn’t set in a real prison, it comes pretty close. The story is about Françoise, a student who gets lost in a forest and ends up in the castle of Morgane le Fay. The castle has a population of beautiful women, less beautiful elderly people and a horribly ugly dwarf. The women are mainly busy sniffing each other, and the imprisoned Françoise is given the choice of joining the castle harem or dying like the elderly.

Although the film is mainly based on tasty sex scenes, the makers have done their best to make it something more. The plot is based on well-known myths, of which ‘Der Ring der Nibelungen’ stands out the most. The story features a magic ring, a cloak that makes invisible and a dwarf who has made a stupid promise. And we see three women who, as seers, can see what remains hidden from others.

Furthermore, the film is especially recommended for fans of culture from the 70s. Music, decoration (especially in the beginning of the film, if there is still decoration) and the way in which the sex scenes are filmed, breathe that decade. The camera work is sometimes inventive, although it is never really special. It is striking how well this exploitation film fits within the French film culture. As in the serious French film, ‘Girl Slaves of Morgana le Fay’ is a lot of rambling, with Morgane’s philosophical musings often unintentionally funny.

For lovers of the genre and lovers of curiosities, ‘Girl Slaves of Morgana le Fay’ is therefore perfectly doable. It is doubtful whether this has anything to do with the average film buff. Lovers of beautiful naked women, on the other hand…