PLAYGIRLS OF MUNICH

From the elusive European hardcore director Navred Reef (DUTCH TREAT; ANGIE, UNDERCOVER COP), comes possibly his most ambitious film: PLAYGIRLS OF MUNICH.

The film opens with some very Germanic oomph-ah music played out to painted images of various sex acts, intercut with clips of a young Munich couple getting it on in a studio. As the opening titles draw to an end, the woman smiles into the camera as the man masturbates into her face.

Then we abruptly cut to New York, where we meet our protagonists - Chuck (Roger Caine, THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS) and Barney (the one and only Zebedy Colt, THE DEVIL INSIDE HER; SEX WISH).

We first glimpse these two telephone repairmen as Chuck reads a book entitled "Sexy Europe", which convinces him that Bovaria is the place to go for great sex. The older, wiser Barney is reluctant to entertain Chuck's pleas to go there, reminding him of the "trouble" they got into in Amsterdam (I haven't seen DUTCH TREAT, but I assume this is an allusion to that film, as the pairing played the same Laurel and Hardy-type characters there …).

Their overweight boss breaks up their dreamy conversation by bowling over and ushering them to the nearest airport on a "last chance" job. It's here that Barney finally warms to Chuck's incessant insistence that Germany is the place to be - and they both climb aboard the next aeroplane as stowaways.

However, they're quickly discovered in the plane's luggage compartment and ejected with parachutes. They land, of course, in Munich.

Realising they only have $14 between them, our two heroes promptly set about looking for employment in the "Olympic village" (this is 1972). Barney is the more practical-minded one, while Chuck is more openly excited about the prospect of hooking up with the local frauleins.

After fleeing a German cop car on foot, the misfits run into local girl Gretchen (Ginny Noack, SCHOOLGIRL REPORT PART 12: YOUNG GIRLS NEED LOVE). Her dad owns a bar and she tells the boys she can get them a job there - after Chuck has serviced her. Which he duly does, while Barney reads a magazine - occasionally remarking between a picture in it and wondering whether the nude centrefold is Gretchen.

True to her word, Gretchen gets the boys gainful employment. It doesn't go well for long though, as Barney soon spills a drinks order and the pair are sacked by the diminutive bar manager.

Chuck and Barney flee the scene, and continue to move episodically from one job to another. Most of which are light-hearted romps (quite literally, as Chuck spreads his wick around while Barney provides the comedy relief). But they also fall foul of the Mafia …

Everything comes around full-circle (after a bizarre indoor pool sequence - one of a couple of scenes where Colt actually gets hardcore), and the boys meet up with Gretchen again … leading up to a surprisingly dark faux climax, which is quickly followed by a wise uplifting coda.

Stock Hofbrau music and traditional dancing complements the lush exterior location shots, helping to make PLAYGIRLS a great example of authentic Americans-in-Europe-smut. But, better than that, this works as a comedy - at least in the early stages.

Anyone who has sat and smiles through the CARRY ON or CONFESSIONS films will appreciate the bawdy banter and innuendo shared between Chuck and Barney, and the sex scenes - though obviously very graphic - are met with a jokey schoolboy manner too.

Colt and Caine are both likeable leads (Colt is always fun; I've only seen Caine previously in GLASS, and although that's one of the greatest adult films I've viewed he comes across much better in this film). The female performers in the film are not required to do any more than get naked and sexed up. For the most part, they do it well.

The sex scenes do purvey a sense of genuine attraction between all relevant performers. Although, people used to modern porn may be alarmed at how tame this all looks (one brief foray into anal territory is as risqué as this gets). Also, they'll no doubt remark on how hairy genitalia was in the 1970's … and how spotty all the women's backsides were back then!

The film is best enjoyed as a so-so comedy with competent performances from the male leads, some nice scenery and the intention to provide an amusing backdrop to the sex that ensues. It goes without saying though that the sex - after a slow start - takes prominence.

The film is presented uncut on disc one of this two-disc offering. It's served in a nice anamorphic 1.78:1 transfer, with relatively sharp and vivid images. It's one of After Hours' best transfers to date.

The English mono audio is a good job too: very little hiss, no dropouts or unwelcome pops.

The only extras on disc one are trailers for 11 titles, including A TOUCH OF GENIE and CHIC 69.

Disc two is largely made up of five 8mm loops from the 1970s, all of which originate from Europe (we're told).

These are, in order: SWEDISH SWING (8 minutes), SEX BOUTIQUE (8 minutes), MEASURING MEAT (6 minutes), DIE VEREINIGTEN SCHWEINE (8 minutes) and DANISH DELIGHT (4 minutes).

All five loops are very grainy and soft in look, but do their job - the usual stuff: vaginal sex, oral sex, lots of hair etc. The first four are virtually ruined by stupid fake voice-overs courtesy of the After Hours crew. Perhaps it's funny if you're 14.

The final loop is presented in silence, and is better for it. Although, it's hardly inspiring either.

Disc two also offers an incredible 25 trailers, which include the likes of THE STARLETS, GUNILLA and SEX SLAVES OF THE SS.

PALYGIRLS OF MUNICH is a pretty competent sex comedy, and a must for fans of Zebedy Colt. It looks very good here, all things considered. Recommended for fans (and hopefully if this sells we may get DUTCH TREAT) …

Review by Stu Willis