China Girl (1974) User Reviews

Haven Makes This a Must Watch

[Michael_Elliott · 30 January 2018]

China Girl (1975)

*** (out of 4)

When an international crime group need some information on a secret formula that they're needing, the group will stop at nothing to get what they want. Does this include murder? Of course not! They use sexual torture to get people to speak.

CHINA GIRL is another rather unique porn film from the era that is often referred to the Golden Age of Porn. It's really hard to not agree with that as there were so many clever and unique porn films from this period. This film, for example, doesn't have its first sex scene for more than the first reel of the picture. The film really builds up its story before getting onto the sex.

Of course, people went to these movies for sex and this film certainly delivers some very erotic scenes. The highlight is pretty much anytime that Annette Haven is on the screen as she certainly has a powerful presence and she also gets to do some great scenes. This includes taking on a group of ladies as well as a later scene where she takes on three men. All of the sex scenes are quite erotic and they're also filmed extremely well.

The "story" here certainly isn't ground-breaking or anything but it's pretty fun and especially how the sexual torture works. CHINA GIRL isn't a masterpiece but it's certainly one of the best of its kind.

Uneven mix

[grybop · 2/10 · 12 April 2015]

An action movie meets porn? Or a plot-driven adult film? China Girl is a little bit of both and neither at the same time. Let me explain.

The story is simple. Two scientists are abducted and tortured by a high-profile crime gang, who are after some substance that supposedly allows you to control people's minds. The gimmick is that the tortures are sexual - and this is where the porn comes in.

While it's admittedly interesting to see actual characters that you begin to care for get naked and engage in sexual acts, the sex scenes themselves are too badly shot to excite and too long to maintain interest. The plot, on the other hand, suffers from being little more than an excuse for those sex scenes - and even if we accept the credibility of someone using sex as a method for torture, the victims don't really look like they suffer from it.

So, while trying to be a bit of everything, this film ends up being nothing worthy of note and even fans of James Hong or Annette Haven might be disappointed. The music is surprisingly good though, especially during the imaginative animation that accompanies the opening credits.

An excellent, plot-driven, highly erotic film. Recommended!

[nasakcuf-3 · 9/10 · 20 July 1999]

Let me first begin by saying that this film may not be for everyone. People expecting wall to wall sex will probably get bored with the film early on: The first sex scene doesn't happen until nearly thirty minutes into the movie, and the overall movie has about 4 sex scenes. But what scenes they are! And the plot is executed so well that it could stand by itself and still make for an entertaining movie.

The plot centers around an Asian crime syndicate known as Dragon, which is hired to steal the formula to a chemical substance that enables total memory recall. As the movie progresses, you learn that most of the scientists associated with the R&D of this compound have been abducted and interrogated by Dragon; unfortunately for the syndicate, they were all associated with coming up with uses for the substance and have no knowledge as to its structure.

Enter Drs. Olinski(played by a lucky bastard I've never seen before) and Hartgrave (played by the illustrious Annette Haven), the two principal researchers on this drug.

The US government, concerned by all the kidnappings, assigns two security agents to guard the good doctors. Nevertheless, Dragon manages to kidnap both: First Olinski, then Hartgrave.

The lady in charge of the local chapter of Dragon, a certain Madam Wu (Pamela Yen), believes that pleasure can be just as effective as pain in extracting information from people. The scene where this theory is first put to the test (on the male Dr. Olinski) is one of the hottest, most erotic scenes I have ever seen in an adult movie. Rather than try to paint a verbal picture that probably wouldn't do the scene justice, suffice it to say that it involves a drug that won't let you climax, a bed, and three women [four if you count the exotic dancer :) ]

Similar treatment awaits Dr. Hartgrave (Annette Haven), but with a decidedly lesbian twist. I'm not a fan of this type of sex, but I couldn't help but smile at the image of Ms. Haven surrounded by four nubile females. I suspect fans of this genre will find an erotic charge to be had here.

The other two scenes are between Annette Haven and her government "protector" (don't know his identity) and between Madam Wu and Haven. The former came across as "tender" somehow, although I don't think that was the intent; the latter came across as lesbian and that WAS the intent (but alas, not something I tend to enjoy).

Overall, I like this movie. A lot. There are no cum-oriented themes in this movie, so fans of raunch will probably find this film too tame. And people that hate plots in their adult films will also not like this movie and will spend most of their time holding the FF button down. But if you find that a good plot does indeed add a little something to an adult film, then I think you'll find that you can't go wrong with "China Girl".

Gotta love Annette Haven

[Woodyanders · 8/10 · 22 May 2017]

A nefarious organization run by the ruthless Madame Woo (fetching Pamela Yen) and the even more merciless Y.C. Chan (veteran character actor James Hong in fine slimy form) plot to acquire the formula for a mind control serum. The organization abduct biochemist Teresa Hardgrave (a solid and charming performance by the stunning Annette Haven) in order to get part of the formula's recipe from her only to find out that Hardgrave is more than game for the various forms of carnal torture they have in mind for her.

Director Paul Aratow, working from a clever script by Edwin Brown, relates the enjoyable story at a steady pace, makes neat use of various San Francisco locations, and further spice things up with amusing touches of witty humor. The sex scenes are quite passionate and arousing, with the sequence in which Annette takes on and wears out three hunky guys rating as a definite scorching highlight. Tom Douglass lends sturdy support as dashing and handsome agent David Chase. Best of all, the delectable Mrs. Haven handles her sexual duties with tremendous uninhibited aplomb. Moreover, it also helps that such lovely ladies as Bonnie Holiday and Sharon Thorpe are on hand to participate in a steamy lesbian session with Annette. Red Dawson's crisp cinematography provides an attractive bright look. Hadley Caliman's funky-throbbing score hits the get-down groovy spot. Recommending viewing for both Annette Haven fans and Golden Age hardcore cinema aficionados in general.

Successive Slidings of Pleasure.

[morrison-dylan-fan · 8/10 · 29 June 2020]

For the final viewing for the best cinema of 1974,I decided to look back to the golden age of the skin flick. Intrigued by comments in the reviews, I got set to encounter the Dragon syndicate.

View on the film:

Holding back for 30 minutes before thrusting to a steamy set-piece, director Paul Aratow & cinematographer Red Dawson display a keen eye in emphasising the build up to a sensual Neo-Noir atmosphere, coldly opening the title with a mob boss doing business in the chilly outdoors.

Flipping over to pleasure, rather than torture as a method to get info out of the scientists, Aratow holds back from overly graphic close-ups, instead washing everyone over with Hadley Caliman's smoky Jazz score cast across close-ups capturing everyone being on the edge of pleasure.

Wisely deciding to play out the Dragon crime syndicate plans to make Dr. Olinsky and microbiologist Dr. Teresa Hardgrave give them details to the formula seriously, the screenplay by Edwin Brown releases pleasure not only from the steamy antics, but also tension from the Neo-Noir kidnapping, with Brown placing the power in the palms of the quick-witted Hardgrave, and the clinical Madame Woo determined to slide out Hardgrave and dim Dr. Olinsky's secrets.

Getting hands on with the project by directing her own set-piece sequence with three guys,fit Annette Haven gives a wonderful performance as Hardgrave, who Haven has sizzle with a casual sensuality, whilst also a awareness from Hardgrave of a desire from all for her to leak info. In her lone credit,Pamela Yen gives a terrific performance as Woo, thanks to Yen bringing a seductive edge to Woo's precise plan to get Hardgrave and Dr. Olinsky to leak the info with pleasure.