Tales of Erotica

Tales of Erotica
Directed bySusan Seidelman
Bob Rafelson
Ken Russell
Melvin Van Peebles
Written bySusan Seidelman
Bob Rafelson
Ken Russell
Melvin Van Peebles
Produced byRonaldo Vasconcellos
Jonathan Brett
Melvin Van Peebles
Noah Golden
StarringMira Sorvino
Aida Turturro
Sharon Angela
Cynda Williams
Arliss Howard
Kathleen Wilhoite
John Toles-Bey
Hetty Baynes
Simon Shepherd
Richard Barboza
Laura Lane
Dewar Zazee
Kim Smith
CinematographyHong Manley
Maryse Alberti
Igor Sunara
Theo van de Sande
Edited byXavier Russell
Mona Davis
Melvin Van Peebles
Michael Elliot
Music byWendy Blackstone
Melvin Van Peebles
David McHugh
Distributed byTrimark Pictures
Release date
  • 1996 (1996)
Running time
103 minutes
CountriesGermany
United States
LanguageEnglish

Tales of Erotica (also known as Erotic Tales[1]) is a 1996 compilation of four erotic short films directed by Ken Russell, Susan Seidelman, Melvin Van Peebles, and Bob Rafelson

Year Title Director Screenplay Synopsis Duration
1993 The Insatiable Mrs. Kirsch Ken Russell Ken Russell A beautiful woman (Hetty Baynes) is followed by a stranger (Simon Shepherd) who is lured into her world by the noises he hears coming from her chamber. 27:00
1994 The Dutch Master Susan Seidelman Susan Seidelman, Jonathan Brett Teresa (Mira Sorvino) is a woman fascinated by a young man (Rick Pasqualone) in a Dutch painting that comes to life. She escapes into the living painting to fulfill her secret desires. 32:00
1995 Vrooom Vroom Vroooom Melvin Van Peebles Melvin Van Peebles Leroy (Richard Barboza) saves an elderly woman (Laura Lane) with voodoo powers from being run over by a bus, and receives a motorcycle that transforms into an attractive woman. 29:00
1995 Wet Bob Rafelson Bob Rafelson Bruce Lomann (Arliss Howard) is a hot tub salesman who is seduced after-hours by a beautiful woman named Davida (Cynda Williams) in a hot tub. 27:00

Legacy

In 1996, "Erotic Tales: An International Series" began on Westdeutscher Rundfunk (German television).[2] Regina Ziegler, a German producer, with Westdeutscher Rundfunk, under the series title Die schönste Sache der Welt (The Most Beautiful Thing in the World) hopes to continue the series for 69 episodes.[3]

In 2001, The Museum of Modern Art presented 24 of the half-hour films.[3]

In 2004, the series consisted of 10 programs running approximately 90 minutes each, that played in Chicago.[2] This series included the film shorts by the directors: Susan Seidelman, Ken Russell, Bob Rafelson and Melvin Van Peebles.[2]

By 2016, a four-DVD set of 30 Short Films was released by Umbrella Entertainment and distributed in Australia by Special Broadcasting Service.[4][5]

References

  1. ^ Pillai, Sreedhar (10 July 2002). "Sheer will to succeed". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 30 July 2003. Retrieved 29 April 2024. I stopped importing films when the censors did not pass the film, 'Erotic Tales'!
  2. ^ a b c "Erotic film fest on tap at Facets". Chicago Tribune. 19 March 2004. Archived from the original on 1 May 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2025.
  3. ^ a b "Erotic Tales: An International Series". MoMA | Press Releases. July 2001. Archived from the original on 10 January 2004. Retrieved 23 September 2025. Filmmakers exploring the nature of sensuality include an international array of new and veteran directors such as Hal Hartley (USA), Melvin Van Peebles (USA), Bob Rafelson (USA), Susan Seidelman (USA), Susan Streitfeld (USA), Nicolas Roeg (Great Britain), Ken Russell (Great Britain), Eoin Moore (Germany), Mani Kaul (India), Mika Kaurismäki (Finland), Amos Kollek (Israel), and Antonis Kokkinos (Greece). All prints are 35mm; foreign language films are English-subtitled. PDF
  4. ^ ASIN B01MSCT76L
  5. ^ "Die schönste Sache der Welt - Erotic Tales (Volumes 1 & 2) - 4-DVD Set ( Erotic Tales - Volumes One and Two (30 Short Films) )". DaaVeeDee.com. Archived from the original on 23 September 2025. Retrieved 23 September 2025. Out of Stock