Sacher Masoch's book about a "suprasensual" poet (Severin) who craves to be dominated and beaten by a beautiful woman (Wanda) is a classic erotic novel, although to describe it as such is to do it a disservice. Masoch's book, mostly auto-biographical, is a philosophical discourse on the nature of power, a morality tale and really the first serious attempt to describe the masochistic experience (masochist being a word we wouldn't have if it wasn't for the influence the book had). Written in the 1870's the books interest lies not only in Severin's desires, the expression of which are fairly commonplace in our more liberal society, but Wanda's inner journey. Wanda's initial reluctance to beat Severin comes out of her love for him (not disgust, which would be rather less interestion), and only to please him does she first attempt to beat him and then recoils when she finds it enjoyable. As the story progresses she learns to enjoy the feeling of power, but in losing respect for Severin learns to hate him. The story could be read as an analysis of how a man attempts to shape a woman and then regrets it - it's the Pygmalion of erotic literature and has none of the cliches you might expect from the genre.
The book has had far more influence on the shape of BDSM culture today than the rather better known works of De Sade (this is the first novel, I know of, that has the submissive sign a contract handing himself over to his mistress), and inspired a fantastic song by The Velvet Underground. Unfortunately it also inspired (if that's the word) this tedious film.
This film fails in every respect to compare to this novel, or for that matter understand it. The filmmakers, clearly unable to identify with the masochistic hero of the book, pay only the mildest lip-service to submission and domination and transform Severin into a voyeur wishing to see his goddess making love to a series of men, even though this is the very form of abuse the hero in the book fails to enjoy. The only time we see Wanda strike Severin is in anger, which yet again misses the point.
The prevalence of BDSM interest in the general public was probably greatly underestimated at the time, and the makers assume that most audiences will find nudity and sexual intercourse more titillating but the nudity is rather bland and sanitised, and the sex is laughable. The attempt to give it a modern setting further undermines the credibility of the piece.
The style is pseudo-arty, but the attempt to turn an intelligent and daring novel into a universally acceptable soft-porn film does Masoch a disservice and renders the story itself much less interesting and most of all much less sexy.
![Venus In Furs [1970]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/716HHEBT2FL._SL500_.gif)
