BLOODLUST: THE EROTIC CINEMA OF TONY MARSIGLIA

Aah, I get it. Blood, because this has vampires and what-not in it. And Lust because, you know, it's filled with boobies ...

What we actually have here is a three-disc set housing four films from Tony Marsiglia, one of Seduction Cinema's most successful protégés. Don't feel guilty if you're none the wiser.

Disc one offers two films, the first of which is 2004's LUST FOR DRACULA.

The opening image of a girl staring into a defaced mirror, caked in blood, is striking enough. And when she begins to subsequently strip off, it's hard not to appreciate what's going down.

But, despite a cast that contains cult favourites Misty Mundae, Darian Caine and the lovely Julian Wells, this soon outstays its bum-numbing 90-minute stay.

Marsiglia gives us lots of languidly edited scenes of pretty women stripping and fondling themselves (usually while dripping in gore), along with some sensually slow lesbian scenes - but the story in-between is rum.

For what it's worth, it concerns the demure Mina (Mundae) who is locked into a frustrating marriage with Jonathan Harker (Wells). That's right, Wells plays Jonathan. Which may go some way to explaining why Mina's hopes of starting a family are proving to be fruitless.

Enter Dracula (Caine), who seduces Mina in the hope of awakening her to the possibilities of a truly lesbian alternative. It doesn't take much doing, although it's worth pointing out that this is all very tame (albeit highly stylised, courtesy of cinematographer Dang Lenawea)

Well-shot but terminally too long and seriously lacking in the plot department, this cheap but good-looking yarn is at least sexy on frequent occasion. And surprisingly 'arty' at times.

WITCHES OF SAPPHO SALON follows, which I believe was Marsiglia's first feature film. It's 77 minutes of really well-lensed, well-lit female nudity with horror overtones. Imagine FANTOM KILER, but tamer and artier.

Considering it was shot on video, this weird obscurity - which opens with a dream sequence detailing the lead actress being fucked by a pair of scissors - is actually very nice to look at.

Colourful, imaginative and bold, WITCHES is an aesthetic triumph of no-budget proportions - even if its storyline of a girl who is seduced by a trio of sexy witches when she joins a local salon is so peripheral to the plot that it all but passed me by.

If you like soft-core lesbianism with a large dose of the Gothic thrown in (some blood on breasts, even), then this one may well be for you.

Over on disc two, we're greeted by the enjoyably trashy DR JEKYLL AND MISTRESS HYDE.

From 2003, this effort is aided by the inclusion of Wells in the lead role of Jackie, a scientist who turns into nympho alter-ego Heidi when she experiments on herself - trying to create a serum that will separate the feeling of lust from the brain.

Jackie appears studious in gegs while being interviewed on TV in the opening scenes but soon loses them when her untested drug transforms her into an insatiable lesbian, who proceeds to embark on a demented relationship with hooker Dawn (Mundae).

It's all good, but then admirer Paula (Ruby LaRocca) also takes a shine to Jackie - much to her domineering husband's chagrin ...

Nicely framed and carefully paced, HYDE also benefits from a truly sexy female cast and warm aesthetics. And the soft-core fumblings are actually quite titillating.

Again, the fun is stretched extremely thin at 88 minutes in length. But there's enough here to recommend it as fun. The opening titles alone are very fetching.

Disc three opens to an animated main menu page with soft piano music and artistic shots of Misty in melancholic mode.

Yes, it's time for Marsiglia's "coming of age", in the form of 2006's SINFUL.

Shot on Super-16 and predating INSIDE by a good couple of years, it's not a bad film. Certainly, the intention is there - and the skill also (see below, Mundae was nominated for an award!).

But, as with the later CHANTAL (2007) - another Marsiglia/Mundae collaboration that toned down the fun - this is oppressive stuff that feels squalid on such a meagre budget. The camerawork is ugly in comparison to the three films featured elsewhere in this set, and the performances from the usual suspects can't hope to cope with the synopsis of a woman (Mundae) so obsessed with having her baby that she's prepared to pursue the one growing in her neighbour's belly.

All four films look very good in these 16x9 presentations, seeming to be correctly framed and exhibiting very clean picture quality indeed.

Likewise, English 2.0 audio plays without problem across the board.

Disc one has some decent extras attached to it.

These begin with a worthwhile commentary track for DRACULA, conducted by Marsiglia and the film's producer, Michael Raso. Marsiglia has a welcome sense of humour but also displays an intelligence and integrity that perhaps the casual viewer wouldn't gleam from his film. It's good stuff.

Unfortunately the same cannot be said for DRACULA's Behind-The-Scenes featurette, which is far too short at only 6 minutes in length. Still, we get to see Misty strumming on a guitar while clothed in something so short that it practically exposes her snatch. So all is not lost.

WITCHES doesn't warrant a commentary track, and so gets nothing more than a briskly edited 4-minute Making Of featurette. It'll suffice.

Over on disc two, the bonus features begin with an 80-second trailer for HYDE. It doesn't give much away.

Much better than that though, we are treated to a 76-minute documentary on the making of the film. It's filled with marvellous behind-the-scenes footage and some priceless candid verbal interaction between the film's actresses.

Five minutes of interviews follow.

The disc is completed by trailers for 16 other Seduction titles, including INGA, SPIDERBABE and more.

Disc three boasts some highly worthy extra features: a six-minute interview with Mundae (intelligent, honest); a seven-minute Behind-The-Scenes featurette; footage of Erika Smith's audition; Marsiglia's audio commentary (good); the film's original trailer; a featurette detailing the film's premiere at New Jersey's 2006 International Film & Screenplay Festival - where Mundae was nominated for the Best Actress award (4 minutes); a 6-minute Q&A session recorded at the aforementioned festival.

A highly stylised, attractive and colourful 8-page booklet rounds off the set. This is bolstered by sexy photographs and good liner notes from Bruce G Hallenbeck.

Although no scene-selection menus are offered, each disc opens with extremely fetching animated main menu pages.

Marsiglia has talent. He can film erotic soft-core scenes effortlessly, and he knows how to make micro-budget films look attractive. He's not yet found the script (or the cast) to complement his clear aspirations towards greater things, but this set evidences that he's got in him to get there eventually.

A good all-round package.

Review by Stu Willis