John Leslie is an institution in porn – as a performer, but no less as a director. Although much of his later work has been in the gonzo genre, in the early 90s he was behind some pretty classy examples of glossy, high-end porn. And for some reason I have a special fondness for his “Curse of the Catwoman” (1991).
To get the plot out of the way: Don’t bother – it’s nigh on incomprehensible. It’s obviously inspired by the erotic thriller(s) “Cat People”, featuring oversexed mutant humans – except in this film, there seems to be competing packs of “cats” and “hyenas”. It only serves to add a sense of surreal heightened eroticism to the plot.
And this is what John Leslie does so well: Every scene in the film oozes sex – even when the performers aren’t fucking, there’s a sense of smoldering lust beneath the action.
The female cast is gorgeous: 90s stars like Raven, Selena Steele and Ashley Nicole have never looked better – and never acted hornier. Their beauty is emphazied by stylish lighting and cinematography: The classic “sex in a dark alley” scene looks absolutely stunning.
The male talent, too, is like a golden age who’s who: Jamie Gillis, Mark Wallice, TT Boy – and an early appearance of Rocco Siffredi – where he clearly shows the raw sexual energy that has made him the go-to superstud for decades.
And there’s a lot of inventiveness in the sex scenes, too: A lot of the sex goes on in a nightclub with other guests watching, catering to anyone’s voyeurist/exhibitionist fantasies. The most unusual scene features the lovely Zara Whites crawling around on the floor, touching herself as a room full of men masturbate and ejaculate around her. The way this scene is put together makes it one of the most surprisingly arousing scenes I’ve ever watched.
Yes, the film is from 1991 and it shows: Lots of big hair and pink tube skirts. But if you can deal with that (or perhaps even find it sexy), “Curse of the Cat Woman” is a highly recommended watch for the porn connoisseur.
Somewhat random clip trailer from Adult DVD Empire: