By: The Cinema of Desire Archives Date: October 2024
In the pantheon of European cinema, few names command as much respect, controversy, and artistic admiration as Marc Dorcel. Known as the "French Connection" of adult cinema, the studio has defined luxury erotica for nearly half a century. In 2019 (retrospectively celebrated through 2020-2021 releases), Dorcel reached a monumental milestone: 40 years of pushing boundaries.
To celebrate, the studio did not simply release a "greatest hits" compilation. Instead, they commissioned a series of high-budget, feature-length narratives designed to embody the very essence of the Dorcel brand. Leading this charge was the film simply titled Submission (Soumission). 40th Anniversary - Submission -Marc Dorcel- -20...
This article takes an exhaustive look at Submission (Catalog #: F23.20), dissecting its narrative weight, cinematic techniques, and why it stands as the definitive tribute to four decades of French adult cinema.
No article on Submission is complete without noting the elephant in the room: Stanley Kubrick. The orgy sequence in Submission (Chapter 12: "The Masked Ball") is a direct pastiche of Kubrick’s 1999 film. Dorcel acquired the rights to use custom-made Venetian masks designed by the same studio that worked on Eyes Wide Shut. By: The Cinema of Desire Archives Date: October
Dorcel stated in a 2020 interview:
"Kubrick showed the ritual. I wanted to show the release after the ritual. He ended his film with a couple saying 'Fuck.' I ended mine with a woman saying 'Thank you.' That is the difference between American fear and French acceptance." No article on Submission is complete without noting
The 40th anniversary also highlighted Dorcel's commitment to technological innovation. Submission was filmed with the latest 4K technology, utilizing high dynamic range (HDR) to capture the texture of latex, the gleam of leather, and the warmth of skin.
This technical prowess is part of the "Pornochic" brand—a term Dorcel trademarked. It suggests that adult cinema can be fashionable, that it can hold up against mainstream cinema in terms of production values. By investing heavily in the look of Submission, Dorcel made a statement: that in an era of disposable content, there is still a market for events. There is still an audience that wants to see their fantasies rendered in high definition, with a script and a score.
The film Submission (Director: Hervé Bodilis) follows a classic Dorcel archetype: the icy, successful woman. Without spoiling the nuanced narrative (a rarity in this genre), the story centers on a high-powered business consultant who arrives at a secluded manor to negotiate a merger with a mysterious, oligarch-like figure.
However, the "merger" is not financial—it is psychological. The film brilliantly deconstructs the 40-year history of Dorcel by using power reversal: