Dvd are traditionally overpriced in France, since the market for them is much more limited than in the US, and I don't think they could recoup their investment in overseas sales. Honestly, any xxx dvd you can find for less than 38 euros (= 36$) is a bargain. And that's because you order them online. If you buy at your local sex-shop, prices vary from 40 to 50 euros, back catalogue included. The prices you cited are the norm, I hardly think you can find cheaper imported Marc Dorcel. When I see that dvd's in the US are sometimes as cheap as 20$ for Vivid or VCA, I'm downright green with envy !
Oh yes! I was shocked the first time I went to a brick and mortar shop in Pigalle, when I was visiting Paris. DVD's were sold 400-500 French Francs (about 60-76 Euro's). I knew the price's might have been in little off since I was in Pigalle, but I never expected it to be that much.
Vodka Tonic, whatever happened to the tax law the french politicians wanted to impose on adult products? They were talking about a tax increase of 97% percent on adult DVD's or something close to those numbers.
As far as I know it hasn't passed yet. They tried the same regulation in Italy some weeks ago, & it was overruled by the Itialian porn business. But it's true that there has been a resurgence in anti-sex conservatism recently in my country. There are laws left & right that are proposed to ban erotic movies on public network (a Sunday night institution in France!) & even porn on cable. There's a lot of debate in our mainstream mags (even proto-feminist mags like Cosmo or Elle) that is against these new rules & take defence of pornography, which is reassuring. As usual, since our politicians cannot keep their electoral promises to fight against increasing delinquency, violence in school & rampant unemployment & low salaries (oh! don't think France is an economical Eden !), they focus on sexual politics. Fortunately, French citizens are not dupe.
The $20 price that you are seeing in the US isn't really reflective of the price when these DVD's are initially released by Wicked. Typicel price for a Wicked/Dorcel title when it is released is usually in the $25-$28. The lower prices that you see after the discs have been available for a little while is a result of the competition that exists in the us between retailers as well as a desire of the stores to rid themselves of excess inventory.
I'm glad to see that there's so much interest out there in the Dorcel DVDs. As I write this, our latest Marc Dorcel DVD, LILITH, is shipping.
Written and directed by award-winning cult film actress Ovidie, this DVD stars Liza Harper and Angela Crystal. Ovidie brings a woman's touch to this tale of sexual awakening that makes this title quite unlike much of the VMD fare you've seen to date.
I hope you enjoy it, and I look forward to your comments. Thanks!
Liza Harper is still in the business ? Are u sure it's not Liza Crawford ? Wow, I liked Harper so much, she was so thin & naturally beautiful, she was not the stereotyped inflatable blonde (and I always feel patriotic when Euro girls make it in the U.S as Liza did some years ago yeahyeahyeah). I'll be curious, I have yet to see an Ovidie video because she's not physically my type, but eveytime I see her on talk-shows in France, she sounds extremely articulate & ambitious. As a director, I'd be curious, but I'll have to rent first, & unfortunately my local rental store doesn't carry much Marc Dorcel & I admit I'm always wary of French prods (awful guys, cheesy period costumes, raw lighting).
It's Liza Harper, in an excellent performance, so I think you'll really enjoy this production. And Ovidie's approach to directing eliminates many of the qualms you mentioned you had with most European productions.
Marc Dorcel @ Adult Empire
Posted - Nov 30 2002 : 3:57AM