Hussy — Hussy(Blu Ray)

With a title like Hussy- you may be expecting that this 1980’s British film, is either a cheesy soft-core venture, or latter-day sex comedy. But in reality what we have here is a drama, with romantic elements that later develops into a crime thriller. The film follows high-class prostitute Beaty(Helen Mirren) as she gets involved with shady American lighting technician Emory( John Shea), who works in the cabaret she peddles her wares. The film features fleeting nudity, some from Mirren- but the focus here is very much character study with later relatively tense thriller action. On Powerhouse here’s a new Blu Ray of this lesser-seen film from celebrated actress Mirren, with a new scanned print, and a good selection of extras.

Hussy appeared in 1980, and was largely filmed in & around the seedy clubs of London- the film was written, directed & produced by Matthew Chapman- who later moved to states writing scripts for 1990’s thrillers & action movies such as Consenting Adults & Colour Of Night. Hussy is well enough shot & produced for an early 1980’s British film,with particular mention for the well-scoped cabaret acts.
 
The film begins with Beaty( Mirren) returning to work in the cabaret club after some absence. All the hookers sit in a backroom waiting to be called to clients in the club, and on this first night back she is never called- so just before she leave for the night she chats with lighting tech Emory (Shea) who seems very keen on her, but she puts him off by saying She doesn’t go with club workers. The next day she’s working, she's told she has a client-goes out into the club finding it’s Emory- initial trying to pull away, but forced to sit down by the club madam. At the end of the night, she goes home with Emory- who seems decidedly lost & lonely, and slow-but- surely a friendship, then a love affair develops. The first three quarters of the film runs as character study/ ups & downs of the pairs relationship.In the latter part of the film, when Beaty’s boorish & unbalanced ex-boyfriend Alex (Paul Angelis) appears at Emory flat, and settles into live with pair- we move into British crime thriller territory - with shifty drug snorting Turks, get-away drivers, and dodge exchanges on the bleak British coast line.
 
Hussy was clearly mis-marketed at its time of release and has seemingly been so since it was released- with the title, it’s poster showing Mirren sat In revealing dress, and it’s tag line ‘The Lady Is Trump’. On the whole, it’s a rewarding if flawed film- the romantic action can become a little cloying & tacky, and the seedier/ grim side of Beaty's world is downplayed somewhat. The film really kicks into
higher gear, from it’s slightly wondering pace, is when cracks start to show in the pairs the relationship- and her Ex-boyfriend Alex turns up.The acting here is a little mixed- Mirren, is  as expected good & believable- Shear as the shady Emory, is a rather understated & a little bland for much of the film. Paul Angelis as her ex-boyfriend just out of prison is great- with his unbalanced persona, and sudden violent breaks. Other worthy mentions are Emory crooked, drug snorting & gay Turk friend Max (Murray Salem). So all in all Hussy is an interesting film- that tries to mixes a few types of film genres, to well-mixed results.
 
The new print here looks nice- with the well & moody choreographed cabaret acts been a highlight of this new scan, with the nice balance of glittering light, shade & slightly tarnished showiness. Moving onto the extras- and first up we get thirty-six minutes worth of directors commentary- this sees Chapman talking over a selection of scenes, and it's interest as it finds discusses, among other things, how the film was based on his personal experience of working in a cabaret and the film its self was filmed in said club- so a lot of great memories/ insight into 1970’s seedy clubland. Next, we get a selection of four stand-alone on-camera interviews- longest of these runs at thirty-five minutes, and is with lead man Shear- the highlight of this is the amusing story about how he did one of his sex scenes.
The other interviews run between four & twenty minutes- one with producer Don Boyd, one with actress Jenny Runacre who played a smaller as a lesbian client,composer George Fenton, and an audio-only archive interview with Sam Peffer- who designed the films poster artwork. Lastly, we get U & X rated trailers of the film, and image gallery.
 
 
In finish, Hussy is another interesting & lessen know British production, uncovered & given new life by Powerhouse. If you enter into this expecting something saucy & flesh bound, you’ll be disappointed. But if you go into this expect a worthy enough, if slight unbalanced/uneven blend of drama, romance, and British crime thriller- you won’t feel let down.