While Borowczyk's earlier films had strong elements of eroticism, it was with Immoral Tales that he broke from art house mainstream and into what many would call soft-core pornography. From the outset, it is difficult to ascertain whether or not Boro's attempted jab at bourgeois values is successful or not, or whether in a way, his soft-focused, luminous depictions of sex and love are in themselves now somewhat tame and refined. Though, there is still plenty here that pushes the boundaries of good taste, and can still be considered quite shocking. One story involves a threesome in the papal court between the pope, his sister, and a cardinal, while the first story involves a teenage girl performing fellatio upon her older cousin. The third story about Elizabeth Bathory features a gaggle of naked girls showering together. This is very easily one of the sexiest movies ever made, but it is not without its share of discomforting and gut-wrenching scenes. Bodily fluids are everywhere, Boro lingers on close-ups of genitalia palpitating, a girl shoves a pearl necklace into her vagina. Maybe I am just not mature enough to fully appreciate this, or maybe Boro tried too hard to be shocking. Some have compared this to Pasolini, but it lacks the naturalism and joyousness of Pasolini's erotica. There is also a feeling that Boro tried way too hard here to make this seem far more profound and serious than it is. It lacks the dark humor of his earlier works, and on a technical level, is rather unpolished and sophomoric. The multilayered soundscapes of his earlier films are gone, and while there are moments of visual bravura, it is not the same. Still, this an entertaining, and engaging work, and it succeeds on a purely sensual level.
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