Cadinot: 'Pension Complète'
'Pension Complete' from 1988 is one Cadinot's earliest so this picturesque erotic feature is shot on real film, rather than the cheap video used by modern adult film makers. The difference is jarring, and this beautifully realized fantasy is a fine example. Two French students travel to the Bavarian Alps for a holiday. After some artistically-shot erotic scenes on a train, they find themselves in a Pension in the mountains, with students from all over the World. Equal time is spent filming the scenic countryside as it is on the sex scenes, of which there are many. Cadinot was really the master of all-male erotica, and here he seems to take great care that there is something for every taste. But the final scene with Djemel Dixy (the Egyptian boy) and the English-speaking blond is the most romantic scene in the film. Those familiar with Cadinot's early work will expect beautiful production values, fine music score, great sets and super-attractive performers, and this "Pension Complete" does not disappoint. There is also a surprising amount of comic moments, mostly involving alcohol, and these moments make this even more fun to watch. Some of the erotic scenes are surprisingly short and to the point, but every scene is finely executed. These early Cadinot films are a remnant of a special time and should be considered today, as art.
