Cravings (1985)

**Title: Cravings (1985)

• Overview and Review****Overview:**"Cravings," directed by Gerard Damiano, is an erotic film released in 1985. Known for his previous works like "Deep Throat" and "The Devil in Miss Jones," Damiano attempts to explore themes of fantasy and desire. The film involves two couples, Sharon Kane and Johnny Nineteen, and Tasha Voux and Richard Gaunt, who navigate their relationships amid their sexual cravings.

Plot Summary: The narrative begins with Sharon and Johnny celebrating their seventh wedding anniversary, during which underlying tensions in their sexual relationship emerge. Sharon expresses doubts about her desirability and compares Johnny's attributes to others.

The second couple, Tasha and Richard, features a flashback that portrays them in their youth, emphasizing the disconnect in their current relationship. Tasha's fantasies involve her husband, leading to scenes of sexual experimentation, including bondage and group dynamics. As the couples interact, Sharon experiences separate fantasies at home, leading to a surreal exploration of her desires. Her fantasies involve abstract settings and suggest themes of degradation as she engages in increasingly extreme scenarios. The film concludes with Johnny comforting Sharon after her vivid dreams, presenting a resolution to her emotional turmoil.

Review Highlights: The film has been criticized for straying from the quality of Damiano's earlier work, described as a "chamber piece" or "XXX soap opera." Reviewers note that the writing lacks depth, resulting in a viewing experience that feels pretentious and unconvincing. The performances of the cast are considered weak, especially when compared to the more celebrated adult films of the previous decades.

Scene Breakdown: 1. Sharon Kane and Johnny Nineteen 2. Tasha Voux and Richard Gaunt 3. Nikki Wright, Scarlet Scarleau, Tasha Voux, and Richard Gaunt 4. Sharon Kane 5. Melanie Scott with an unnamed partner 6. Barbie Dahl, Bobby Spector, David Christopher, K.Y. Lee 7. Sharon Kane, Ashley Moore, Bobby Spector, K.Y. Lee

Technical Information:

• Video Quality: Decent overall, with clarity rated at 7/10 and color at 6/10.

• File Type: MKV with a bitrate of 1.6 Mb/s.

• Video Encoder: x264, Resolution: 720 x 480.

• Audio: AC-3 / 2 channels.

Final Notes: The film struggles to engage viewers due to its narrative shortcomings and the perceived decline in Damiano's filmmaking prowess. It serves as an example of the changing landscape of erotic cinema in the mid-1980s, contrasting sharply with the more impactful works of earlier years.