Zazel. The Scent of Love. Collector's Edition - dvd by Metro - review by KaraSutra

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After reviewing This Ain't Avatar XXX I was pretty sure porn couldn't get that much worse, especially considering it had everything bad porn should; poorly painted blue people (who's genitalia weren't painted might I add), tacky music, horrible cut-to scenes, cheesy dialogue, a lack of sexual chemistry between performers, a plot that made little sense and a terrible 3D option that was migraine inducing. Basically put - it was bad, real bad.

When I saw Zazel: The Scent Of Love, a 2008 movie that had previously won 7 AVN awards, being offered for review on Eden Fantasys I quickly scooped it up. Unfortunately to my shock, horror and surprise it was just as bad as This Ain't Avatar, dare I say on some levels - possibly even worse?.

Side Note: They fail to mention the awards were won back in 1998 when the movie was originally released, not in 2008 when it was re-released. What can I say, it's false advertising at its best! It did win a 2009 AVN award for "Best Classic Release" though.

The Bad

Aside from the fact that it was outdated there were other aspects of this film that made it rather hard to watch;

All the sex scenes were void of passion or feeling. No one looked interested, aroused, excited or like they were really enjoying it. Maybe it was a lack of chemistry. Maybe it was a lack of talent. Maybe it was the director wanting it to be 'artistic'. Or maybe it was all of the above. Either way we fast forwarded through every sex scene and ended up far less turned on then when we began.
On that note, the sex scenes go on far too long which makes it even harder to watch (pun not intended). With a 126 minute run time, this movie could have easily been cut down to 70 - 90 minutes, which may have made it a bit more enticing.
Although there is no scripted dialogue you often see the actors talking dirty to each other yet can't hear what they're saying, something both of us found rather disappointing.The Good

Don't get me wrong, Zazel has a lot going for it; the cinematography is visually stunning with lush back drops that stir the imagination, the costumes - though outdated - are for the most part creative, extravagant, awe inspiring and interesting, the artwork, including body painting, drawings and vaginal 'tattoos' is beautifully done, some of the scenes are compelling, shocking and cross lines I've never seen in a porn before (the decapitated head/oral sex scene for one), and the lack of dialogue between performers allowed me to watch without the constant snickering or giggles many other adult movies beget.

It's also a movie I could see some viewers really appreciating, especially those that are off put by the visuals and intensity 'hard core' gonzo movies provide.

To read the full review check this link: https://karasutra.blog.com/2011/09/08/zazel-the-scent-of-love/

I tried to sit through it again as I thought it might help watching a second time around. I got 15 minutes in, got bored, turned it off. Maybe the remake will be better.