Good timing to see this thread rear its head cos I watched The Story of O yesterday. The one with Udo Kier. Not that it was amazingly erotic. As far as I can remember the book the film didn't really capture the feeling of it that well, burying its harsh directness under a soft focus lens - although come to think of it I found the book pretty boring so maybe that's no bad thing. The best thing about the film is sumptuousness of the sets, they really do feel as decadent as they need to be and the clothes and stuff are kinda cool - though not the tunics and tit-less dresses they wear in Roissy. The film is watchable enough and varied enough that it doesn't suffer from the repetition that spoiled the book but I wouldn't watch it with high hopes for arousal. Also, not sure about the overall message which seems to be that love and feminity can triumph through submission, a handy myth for a happily submissive sex but not one that was ever likely to hurry the advent of feminism.