If you’re not familiar with the film you are going to watch, but still press play and watch the opening credits to Babylon Pink, you would never imagine that what you’re going to see is porn. It’s an early morning in New York City and the day is about to begin for everyone. The streets are being swept; people are going to work; they’re walking their dogs. The music is subdued yet kind of appropriate for an optimistic dawn in the city. But then, right before you get to the two-minute mark, you’ll quickly realize what the pink in the title referred to.

After directing several sexploitation films in the previous decade (under his real name, Ronald Sullivan), Babylon Pink was Henri Pachard’s first incursion into hardcore porn, but you can tell right away this isn’t his first directorial endeavor. The pacing of the movie feels just right. There’s not much of a story, just a collage of the sexual fantasies of different women across the city through a whole day. They keep doing their everyday activities while daydreaming about sex. And honestly, you don’t need anything else.

The acting is mostly not bad, either. I’ve seen a couple of these actors try and fail in other films and, trust me… they got some good direction in this one.

The movie works as an ensemble piece, and though that sounds odd and it would seem that most porn movies are, it’s not really the case. Most of the adult films from the 70s had a lead or two; there was a specific person we were following. Sure, you get to see other people having sex, but porn tends to be focused on a leading character and his/her point of view. That is certainly not the case in this well-balanced scene distribution.

The exterior shots of Manhattan are some of the best I’ve seen in an adult film. After a few of them, you just keep thinking, “Seriously, what was the budget?” Roberta Findlay deserves much of the credit for some excellent photography and editing.

Two scenes stand out for me. The first one is a raw, desperate and passionate encounter between The Housewife (the voluptuous Vanessa del Rio) and her dream lover. The second one is an awkward yet exciting bathroom sex scene with the always-reliable Georgina Spelvin.

The music is also a very solid plus, it doesn’t overpower the real background, while it also makes some of the fantasies look like psychedelic daydreams.

Overall, an enjoyable film with pretty good production value.