Leonard Kirtman was never, in this reviewer's opinion, that great of an adult filmmaker.  His efforts range from mediocre to pedestrian at best.  In this Peekarama release from Vinegar Syndrome, there are two films by Leonard Kirtman, The Seduction of Cindy and Tara Tara Tara, or Tara Tara Tara Tara as the box cover and the film print have varying amounts of Tara's on them.

The two films on the release, which were shot back to back and mostly share the same cast, are neither Leonard Kirtman's worst films nor Leonard Kirtman's best films (not that his best movies are that great anyway).  Viewers who are fans of Leonard Kirtman's work will probably find great joy in this Peekarama release.  The rest of us will shrug our shoulders and look toward the next release.

Seduction of Cindy (2.5/5)

The Seduction of Cindy is a feature hardcore adult film from director Leonard Kirtman using his adult film pseudonym Leon Gucci.  The Seduction of Cindy uses a minimal plot construct to present a series of sex scenes.  While yes, sex scenes are the point of an adult film, a real plot is always welcome too especially when the film is billed as a feature film.  For The Seduction of Cindy, Jennifer (Veronica Hart) tells her friend (Ron Jeremy) about how Michael (Jerome Carter) is upset because his wife Cindy (Seka), a film editor, has become frigid in bed.  Michael has set up an elaborate scheme to loosen Cindy up that culminates with a swinger's orgy.

The Seduction of Cindy is, quite frankly, an okay adult film.  There isn't anything overly great or anything excessively horrible about the film.  The film stars an excellent cast; however, the cast is wasted in this humdrum film.

The sex scenes are a collection of gynecological close-ups that most of Leonard Kirtman's contemporaries had abandoned come this period and the standard midrange shots that look like what Leonard Kirtman's counterparts were cranking out in the early 1970s when Leonard Kirtman started making films and had abandoned for more artful shooting techniques by the 1980s.  The film feels cookie cutter like, with Leonard Kirtman following a formula from start to finish (one that will feel very similar when viewers watch Tara Tara Tara).

Leonard Kirtman has padded the film by including segments of sex scenes from 1974's Cheri (with Susie Carlson, Henry Ferris, John Holmes, Rick Cassidy, and Cindy Wilson) and Shaun Costello's 1976 film She's No Angel (with Beth Anna, Alexandria Cass, Shaun Costello, David Christopher, Leo Lovemore, and Sharon Mitchell).  How Leonard Kirtman uses them makes sense; however, he should have utilized new footage for the material instead of recycling other director's footage.

Don't let the great cast fool you.  Yes, in almost any director's hands, this cast would produce a winning film.  But Leonard Kirtman isn't any director.  Leonard Kirtman, in this reviewer's opinion, never tried to make anything more than just a dirty movie in his life, and that is all The Seduction of Cindy ends up being; just another dirty movie.

Audio/Video (5/5)

Vinegar Syndrome has done a beautiful job with their DVD release of The Seduction of Cindy.  The Seduction of Cindy was shot on film and Vinegar Syndrome has used a 2K scan of the 35mm negative for the release.  The Seduction of Cindy is presented in the anamorphic widescreen aspect ratio of 1.78:1 in 480p.  The film looks excellent with grain in the image and beautiful vibrant colors.

The audio for The Seduction of Cindy is an English Dolby Digital 1.0 monaural track.  There weren't any defects in the sound noted at all during the film.  The dialog in the movie is clear and easy to understand at all times.

Extras (1/5)

The only extra that Vinegar Syndrome has included for The Seduction of Cindy is the theatrical trailer.

Tara, Tara, Tara(2.5/5)

Tara Tara Tara, or Tara Tara Tara Tara depending on whether you go by the box cover or by the title card title, is an adult hardcore feature film by writer and director Leonard Kirtman using his adult film pseudonym Leon Gucci.  Despite what the title may lead the viewer to believe, Tara Tara Tara is not all about Tara (Seka).

Tara is concerned about her father Fred (Zebedy Colt) and his fianceé Angie's (Veronica Hart) age difference.  Her concerns grow exponentially when she finds out that Angie is also messing around with photographer Hal (Jamie Gillis).

There isn't much to the plot.  The plot exists to allow the film to flow from one sex scene to another, which isn't bad if you are only looking for the sex scenes in an adult film.  However, if you like adult films for their story as well as the sex scenes, this kind of movie will be disappointing to you.

The cast in the film is top notch; however, the film is not top notch.  The sex scenes are disappointing despite that caliber of the performers.  The issue with the sex scenes isn't the cast or their sexual performances (Although Leonard Kirtman does step in at one point when Zebedy Colt has some performance issues.); the problem lies with Leonard Kirtman's insistence to hold onto primitive old school adult film techniques that most of his counterparts had already moved on from.

Leonard Kirtman has a penchant for gynecological close-ups for the sex scenes combined with midrange shots.  This kind of sexual photography may have been acceptable for Deep Throat but come the 1980s most directors had moved on to more artfully done sexual photography.

For Leonard Kirtman, adult films were like a color by number painting.  No real creativity went into making the film, and the entire purpose was just to show the dirty parts as graphically as possible.  Tara Tara Tara is just as pedestrian as Leonard Kirtman's other efforts.  Fans of his work will like it; however, most other viewers will want to pass.

Audio/Video (5/5)

Vinegar Syndrome's DVD presentation of Tara Tara Tara is gorgeous.  Tara Tara Tara was shot on film and Vinegar Syndrome has used a 2K scan of the 35mm negative for this release.  Tara Tara Tara is presented in the anamorphic widescreen aspect ratio of 1.78:1 in 480p.  The image quality is impeccable for Tara Tara Tara with grain and beautiful vibrant colors.

Tara Tara Tara is presented with a Dolby Digital 1.0 monaural audio track.  The audio didn't offer any defects that this reviewer could discern.  The dialog in the film is clear and easy to understand at all times.

Extras (1/5)

The only extra that Vinegar Syndrome has included for Tara Tara Tara is the theatrical trailer.

Overall

Leonard Kirtman's films were, well, Leonard Kirtman's films.  He was more technically competent than filmmakers, such as Bob Kirk, were, but he will never be considered one of the better adult filmmakers of the golden age.  His films, while functional, never strive to be anything more than standard adult fare for your typical adult theatergoer.  Both The Seduction of Cindy and Tara Tara Tara fall squarely into the functional but unimpressive category.  Vinegar Syndrome has done a beautiful job with their release, but unfortunately, nothing can be done to fix the two films themselves.