Customer Reviews

Autumn Born [VHS]

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The only reason this film exist at all is that Dorothy Stratten star in this movie. Autumn Born has all the finesse of a 70's porn film, but without the sex scenes. Although, I did like the story, An uncle who have his niece kidnapped to brainwash her into signing her fortunes over to him. It is a interesting story, but not fully realized by the writer and by the director of this movie.

In Autumn Born, you get to see plenty of Dorothy Stratten than any other films that she was in. You get to hear her speak with her slight Canadian accent(she does have a very lovely voice) more than any other films she was in. You get to heard her say "eh" couple of times at the start of the film (I love it!). You get to see Dorothy in varies states of undress either by others or by herself enough times to make your average heterosexual male drool like a mad dog. You get to see that there was a time when Playboy Magazine actually photographs woman whose beauty was not surgically enhanced. You will see Dorothy get beaten up, pushed around, and shouted at many, many times. Still, what I like about this movie is that you get to see the budding of her acting talent. Now I have seen more than my fair shares of bad acting in low budget movies, but Dorothy's acting although rough around the edges, still have more room to grow, that is, if she was to allow to develop her skill. It is really a shame that all we get to see of Dorothy Stratten as an actress is in low rent movies like this one.

Suppose this is a must-have if one is an avid Stratten fan. I'll agree she demonstrates some potential that might have translated into her becoming a decent actress had she lived. Not an Oscar-caliber actress, but a DECENT actress. Outside of that, I really didn't find this flick all that interesting. Then again, I'm really not into bondage/women-in-chains/sex-slave type films. This type of movie, along with the Playboy stuff, are indicative of the kinds of entertainment Stratten was hoping to leave behind as her career moved forward, and the abuse she portrays in this movie is all the more disconcerting considering the types of real-life relationships she had and the way she died.

This isn't a great movie by any means, but is very worthwhile for fans of Dorothy Stratton. People who aren't should probably not bother with this movie.

By the way, just to correct an error in a review below by someone who claims, obviously falsely, to be a video fan - Dorothy Stratton did NOT play a cabbie in "They All Laughed". That was Patti Hansen, who was also a past Playboy Playmate. You'd think a video fan would get that right...

Director Lloyd A. Simandl has a flair for films involving gorgeous young females being enslaved by older, more dominant women. The late Dorothy Stratten plays Tara Dawson, a young girl who is kidnapped and placed in a girls' reformatory run by Monica Freeman, an older lesbian woman played by Jocelyn Fournier. Tara is treated rather brutally, at least at first. But later there's a very erotic scene where Monica bathes her and then takes her to bed. Dorothy wasn't a great actress, but she certainly had a beautiful body! In that sense this film was certainly worth seeing!

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Dorothy Stratten had that mysterious "something" that draws you into her presence. Before her staring role in "Galaxina" and her wonderful portrayal of the cabbie in "They All Laughed" with Audrey Hepburn and Ben Gazzara, she starred in this kinky, thought-provoking Independent Film; Autumn Born.

Oh, did I forget to mention she was Playboy's Playmate of the Year and the film "Star 70" is about her life and tragic death.

"Autumn Born" captures her sensuality and beauty better than any other project including her centerfolds and the Playboy video; Playboy: Playmates - Early Years which I also recommend.

Enjoy the bondage theme (I did) and the nudity (I did) but also the developing relationship of the main characters. It is not a masterpiece of filmwork but an intelligent and original creation worth watching on several levels.

Of course, if you never get past Dorthy's beauty as she is bound to submission, you have spent your money we!!

-0:0 Your smart, put on my "Brooks Brothers" everyday professional, yet wonderfully demented - - Video Voyeur