REVIEW: Hardgore (1974) Reviewed by Bryan SHU-IZMZ Schuessler
Hardgore is the story of a nymphomaniac that is admitted into a sanitarium so she can become cured, but the sanitarium turns out to be a front for a satanic cult. The film is more of a XXX feature with many elements of horror in it, but I would say that because it is so unique and bizarre a film, it could be classified as a cult-porn film. In fact, my love of all things horror and sleazy, this film was a very entertaining piece of depraved smut, throwing doses of the 70’s hippie culture into the mix of things.
The film stars Justina Lynn (Nurse Lucy Douchenfar), John Seeman (Dr. George), Turk Lydon (Satanist in orgy), Toni Scott (Satanist in orgy) , Joan Devlon (Nurse Cindy), and Dianne Galke (Maria). John Seeman was uncredited in Hardgore, but has been in over 100 pornographic features, including such classics such as Fantasex Island (1985), Teeny Buns (1977), and Spirit of Seventy Sex (1976). The other actors and actresses also have been in mainly adult features.
The film was very enjoyable, loaded with hardcore sex action and quickly-paced with its violent scenes of murder and bloodshed the film keeps the viewer entertained. But being entertained really depends on what your form of entertainment is. I, for one, am a pervert and this film preyed upon my fetish for a nice hairy bush in between the legs and since the film originated around the mid-70’s, it would only be appropriate that this film would be rampant with thick pubic jungles.
But do not become to comfortable with the hot scenes of sex for this is still a horror film of some sorts, and an independent one at that. Also known for being entitled Hard Gore, Horror Whore, and Sadoasylum, Hardgore is a “fun” gore film that really does not take itself too seriously and neither should the viewer! The acting is atrocious (but right along the lines of most pornographic endeavors), the script is subpar at best, the soundtrack is random stock music found in most skin-flicks of its era, and the editing and plot are at best, crappy. So why would one enjoy this film? Well, take aside all the professional elements that make a good film good and toss them out. One has to compare Hardgore to a XXX feature and then take a very large step back with a very open mind and voila!: Hardgore is a masterpiece in epic proportions of smuttiness! Afrobush places high in things I like to see on the screen and coupled with gore, violence, and weirdness, I was in shu-heaven, if such a place exists….maybe shu-hell would be more appropriate.
Definitely some of the “higher” points in the film included the lesbian scissor sex scene, the rape/imagery collage scene involving bizarre symbols, oral sex, and both genders in white tights with holes cut out in appropriate regions that included a penis getting bitten off from one of the cult members. I also was cracking up at the scenes where the large black boom mic was in the top of the camera’s shot. A scene that actually was a slight bit sickening was where a nurse sticks a dildo hooked up to a machine that administers voltage into her own nether-region and someone mysteriously cranks it all the way up and her twat starts smoking from the heat! The dildos spurting out gallons of pearly-white sperm was quite inventive as well! Epic!
The film has a running-time of a mere 63 minutes, and if you can find a decent copy of it, it would be to your benefit. My copy has a yellow line and red spots popping up here and there, most prominently during the huge orgy with everyone in white tights and a person donning a satanic demon mask who is orchestrating the whole affair. After viewing this film again, I actually think the red spots and lines flashing in the film may be part of it, but then again, who knows?
Director Michael Hugo really produced a fine piece of American trash and filth in Hardgore. My favorite scene is when a henchmen is screwing a women from behind and has her bent over a guillotine and upon imminent orgasm, he lets the blade come down, chopping her head off and causing the henchman to achieve the ultimate orgasm. Horror-porn at its best, or worst, depending on your point of view.
