Fantasm (1976) is an Australian exploitation film cast and shot in the US. Film makers Richard Bruce and Antony I. Ginnane, realizing that Australia would soon be adopting the "R" rating, allowing soft core into the country, decided to make one and jump start their career. They settled on a sex comedy, and chose to make a mockumentary of women's sexual fantasy. They first tried to cast it in Australia, with no luck, and decided to move the production to Hollywood. It also occurred to them that, while the names of the popular adult stars were well known in Australia, they had never been seen. So, armed with $50K and a ten day shooting schedule, they shot a fantasy a day for 10 days, then returned to Australia to add dialogue tying the scenes together -- supposedly a German shrink introducing the episodes.
The film announces its intent during the opening credits, with Ronnie Sholes stark naked and masturbating. She was the only Australian actress in the film.
Episode one: The Beauty Parlor. Dee Dee Levitt is taken to dinner by her hair dresser, then brought back to his salon for a private makeover, which includes shaving her. She shows breasts and bush.
Episode two: The Card Game. Maria Aronoff resents her husband inviting other couples to the house. She imagines a strip poker game where the men play and the women pay. Her husband is not a good poker player, and both of the other men have sex with her. She gives a three B performance. We also see breasts and buns from the other two women, played by Helen O'Connell and Wendy Cavenaugh.
Episode three: Wearing the Pants, is perhaps the strangest of the ten. Gretchen Gayle dreams that being a man would be more fun, then sees a man stealing her undies from the clothes line, and hiding in the bushes to put them on. She grabs him, drags him into the house, flogs him, then reams him with a strap-on. She shows a headless nipple, and partial bush in her "dominatrix" outfit.
Episode four: Nightmare Alley is the popular rape fantasy with Rene Bond. It is very moody and atmospheric. She is walking through dark alleys, feeling like she is being followed, when a box pulls her into his gym ring, and takes her. This is another 3 B performance.
Episode five: The Girls, features Maria Lutra as a slender girl who imagines herself boring, plain and unappealing. She finds herself in a sauna with her polar opposite, Uschi Digart, and the two enjoy a little girl on girl. Uschi shows three Bs, and Lutra breasts and buns.
Episode six: Maria Welton has an often absent and very jealous husband. She dreams of actually doing some of the things she is accused of. She is longing by her pool, playing with herself, and eating tropical fruit when Neptune (John Holmes) emerges from her pool, smears her with juices from the fruit, then takes her in the pool. I am not entirely sure all of the sex here was simulated. Her lips did touch Neptune's spear, and it sure looks like John found his mark to me in the last image. I have included a shot of Holmes emerging from the pool for those who aren't familiar with his asset. This shot impressed Australian female audience members.
Episode seven: Mother's Darling is the incest mother son fantasy, with Candy Samples seducing her son, back from Nam. She shows all three Bs.
Episode eight: Black Velvet, stars Shayne as a high price call girl who never gives the customers what they want, but rather strips for them. This is the weakest of the 10 episodes. Shayne does show all three Bs.
Episode nine: After School has Roxanne Brewer back in school, but gaining the upper hand over the teacher. She shows breasts and buns.
Episode ten: Serena is the guest of honor at a satanic ritual. Again, a three B performance.
The film was banned in Queensland, generating enough publicity to insure that it was a huge box office success in the rest of Australia. It has become a cult favorite for many reasons. It is very Un-PC, concentrates mid 70s hard core talent in one place, and is entertaining in parts.
IMDb cast list is incomplete, and has some character names wrong. 34 readers have it at 4.3 of 10. This is sexploitation at its finest. IF you love the genre as much as I do, it is a must see. C+.
