Softcore minus the sex, with a surplus of confusing plotting

What's more confusing: the plot of this movie, or the fact that someone thought it was a good idea to make a softcore flick with hardly any sex or nudity?

"Victim of Desire" is a mid-nineties softcore thriller made by legendary b-director Jim Wynorski, and starring the queen of soft porn herself, Shannon Tweed. It also features Penthouse Pet and fellow b-girl Julie Strain, and legendary exploitation actor/filmmaker Wings Hauser.

It also has a guy who kind of looks and sounds like a less charismatic Kevin Bacon playing the role Bacon would have played if they could have afforded him, ie. a cop. I think that's Marc Singer - known to cult movie fans from "Beastmaster".

I found it hard to follow the plot developments at the beginning of the movie. You get that Strain is, as always, typecast as the bad girl, as she always was in all those Andy Sidaris movies. Was that because she had dark hair?

According to Wikipedia, even Wynorski and his producer had trouble understanding the script, but they were told to film it anyway. "Victim of Desire" is a movie he is said to regret making.

Strain is apparently two timing an overweight, computer geek type guy, while scheming to get his money.

I guess that Tweed, being blonde, is the good guy. But the Kevin Bacon-lite character, apparently a cop, bugs her apartment while she undresses in a different room. Then he and a slovenly partner put her under what seems to be very obvious surveillance, and Tweed proudly undresses for his binoculars, looking right at him. Are we to surmise that she is aware of the bugs he planted, as well?

The movie seriously wanders when its main romantic entanglement begins. It becomes impossible to focus on.

For a supposed softcore flick, the movie actually doesn't have that much sex or nudity. It's tempting to say it has too much plot, but that doesn't feel right. The actors are like flies buzzing around a corpse that has already been picked clean. They probably had no more idea of what was going on in the movie than Wynorski did.

The erotic thriller subgenre features elements of sexual desire, romantic relationships, and sexual intrigue while incorporating elements of danger, or crime to create tension and suspense. The erotic thriller genre typically features adult themes and explicit sexual scenes. Viewers should make informed decisions based on their preferences and comfort levels.

The crime genre features criminal activities, investigations, law enforcement, crimes, and the pursuit of justice. Crime stories often revolve around the planning, execution, and consequences of criminal acts, as well as the efforts to solve and prevent such acts. They explore various aspects of criminal behavior, motives, and the moral dilemmas faced by both perpetrators and those seeking to uphold the law.

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The drama genre is a broad category that features stories portraying human experiences, emotions, conflicts, and relationships in a realistic and emotionally impactful way. Dramas delve into the complexities of human life, often exploring themes of love, loss, morality, societal issues, personal growth, with the aim to evoke an emotional response from the audience by presenting relatable and thought-provoking stories.

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The thriller genre features suspense, tension, and excitement. These stories are known for keeping audiences on the edge of their seats and delivering intense emotional experiences by revolving around high-stakes situations, dangerous conflicts, and the constant anticipation of unexpected events.

An SEC agent investigating $70M in missing funds and a murdered businessman gets involved with the man's wife.

Shannon Tweed, Marc Singer, and Julie Strain in Victim of Desire (1995)

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Shannon Tweed, Marc Singer, and Wings Hauser in Victim of Desire (1995)

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Shannon Tweed, Marc Singer, Julie Strain, and Wings Hauser in Victim of Desire (1995)

Victim of Desire

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