The Fourth Sex

This now-campy soufflé is an indispensable time capsule of the decadent 60s, and is a lot more erotic than the harder X material that it helped open the door for. José Benazeraf, before he decided to take artistic control of his material, served as producer, and his idiosyncratic touch is ubiquitous -- gorgeous jaded players, elliptic dialog, arty milieux, jazzy (now retro) music, and bizarre striptease acts (including one at the legendary Crazy Horse Saloon), all with sensuously tactile b&w photography. Radley Metger released it in the States, and apparently added or altered some footage -- the Roman orgy party scene does bear a striking resemblance to the prison party in Camille 2000. If you can deal with the now politically incorrect view of alternative sexuality (which was de rigueur in the cinema of the era), this is a superb treat for the eyes and ears, accompanied by a martini or two.