By Melissa Antoinette Garza
You say video nasty, I say ooh-la-la! It’s kind of like the tomato/tomahto thing, but just a whole lot sexier.
EXPOSÉ (1976) or as it’s otherwise known as TRAUMA and HOUSE ON STRAW HILL begins with writer Paul Martin (Udo Kier) and his lover Suzanne (Fiona Richmond) having a passionate romp in bed. She gets on top and is rocking the night away, when he begins getting strange premonitions. He sees someone in his window, a typewriter typing on its own, body parts covered in blood and a manuscript with drops of the red liquid dripping onto it. The whole thing is seemingly just a nightmare as he puts his hands to his head and the scene shifts to daylight.
In the morning, he sips coffee and converses with his nice old maid Mrs. Astin (Patsy Smart). Suzanne checks in on Paul, who is a bit of a dick. Here we find out that he is staying at a rental property to finish a novel that he’s not feeling. Every page he writes is either completely trashed or written all over with black marker signifying much more discontent with his work than just side-notes and suggestions for future drafts. He’s stuck. He starts reciting dialogue in effort to generate some sort of creativity. Instead, he’s in the midst of a psychological breakdown as he experiences horrifying visions of both himself and others in various violent states.
Split from Suzanne, Paul needs an assistant. He hires Linda (Linda Hayden) who he thinks he recognizes, but can’t place where. When some ruffians start making advances toward her, Paul gets sexy and kicks their ass. You have to give it up to Udo Kier. Whether he is putting makeup on in BLOOD FOR DRACULA (1974) or beating the shit out of some punks, he sells it. He has the right mix of femininity and masculinity that makes him sultry and seductive in so many delightful ways.
Immediately, upon entering Paul gets to work writing. Linda’s presence eliminates his writer’s block and she takes to the job nicely. She is a quick study, types fast and makes coffee, but she does prove herself a nosy little minx. She wanders the house, looks thru his drawers and inspects her surroundings up to and including the locks on her door. When she finally unpacks in her own room, it is revealed that she carries a few pictures of men with her – one of which is Paul.
She takes out a different photo and begins touching herself while she looks at it. Hey, the girl had a long trip and there’s a thunderstorm raging outside. She needed a bit of a pick-me-up and right after climaxing, back to work she goes.
While she works the typewriter, Paul instructs her what to write. It’s awful. It’s really dreadful. It’s over-explained erotic drivel that only literary critics would get hard over. Part of the reason it is so bad is because the powers-that-be keep pushing Paul to write another novel. This is his second and he’s on a deadline now. He’s become disillusioned with the entire process after getting $500K from his first.
Linda decides to stroll around the property. She rests in a field, while Paul proves himself to be a nosy little minx, too. He goes thru her stuff and pays close attention to her panties and vibrator before diving in to her books. If he wasn’t so dashing, I would have had a problem with that!
Meanwhile, the thugs from before interrupt a fabulously sexy scene with Linda touching herself once again. Leave that beauty alone and let her rock herself home! Sadly, they rape her at gunpoint, but she gets a handle on the shotgun and Linda doesn’t play. She shoots those assholes.
When she arrives back at Paul’s, she tells no one. Instead, she gets back to work and tries to convince Mrs. Astin that she’s no longer needed. She claims Paul doesn’t want her around, but it’s all a lie. Very interesting. Later, Astin is murdered by an unseen assailant who slices her throat.
Paul gets drunk and apparently drugged. He begins making passes at Linda while rambling about why he must stay at the house on straw hill. As he’s passing out, nightmarish visions begin to haunt him again. Masterful mind-fuckery is at play, we just don’t know the source or motive –yet.
In bed, Linda has another glorious sex scene with herself while looking at the picture of the unknown man. Her pleasured moans are heard by a now alert Paul. Being a bit of a voyeur, he enters her room where she feigns being asleep and takes the opportunity to hide the photo.
When Paul notices his bedroom key is missing, he confronts Linda. It takes a backseat when he notices how nice her breasts look in a white buttoned down shirt. When she rejects his advances by removing his hand from her breast, he grows angry. Like a little boy, he throws a tantrum and calls Suzanne to come over. He then makes certain that he only refers to Linda as a secretary as if reminding her of the role she is there to serve. Oh if he wasn’t so sexy, I’d be furious! That said, the man knows where to put his hands and what to touch. He’s out for himself, but his passion is enough to send his lovers over the edge.
Upon Suz’s arrival, she strips down to black panties and is ready to play. It doesn’t take long for Linda to turn on the charm and seduce Suzanne. Paul walks in on Linda erotically caressing Suzanne’s breast. The visual pisses Paul off. He takes Suzanne in his room, slaps her, pushes up her dress and begins grinding against her. It drives them both wild with ecstasy. He tosses her on the bed and after putting on gloves, brings her head onto him. He insists that she’s there to be used by him and is there on his expense. He selfishly takes her but he’s so intense that Suz’s engine is more than a bit revved.
Paul stops after seeing Linda and chases after her leaving Suzanne sexually frustrated. Fear not, while Paul is running around Linda returns to Suz. The two share a marvelous love scene together, filled with lots of gold jewelry, light caressing and soft smooth skin that is all kinds of erotic beauty.
Poor Paul meanwhile crashes his car when someone seemingly messed with his brakes. He lives but the body count continues.
When he returns, Linda becomes insistent on the novel and finishes the book with little input from him. He throws words together, but she changes them. It is then that the truth is revealed and we see the reasons behind all that occurred before.
This is certainly one I recommend watching. It has a lot of sexy crazy scenes, a few great moments of gore, a terrific story and a reveal that is equal parts shocking and satisfying. It ties everything together wonderfully.
This is currently on YOUTUBE and otherwise only offered as an import DVD if you live in the states. Still, it’s worth a purchase as it’s a great flick.
Scared Stiff Rating: 7/10
