Much maligned in the US, "Some Call It Loving"is a film that's not going to be for everyone...or suite everyone's tastes. But that doesn't mean it should be ignored, because at its core lies a well- made, deliberately told film about loneliness, love and dark desire.

As with most of director James B. Harris's films, the pic is centered around a disillusioned loner who wants to change the status quo. In this case, a jazz musician who wants more from his relationships than the kinky game play that has become the norm in his mansion.

Although our "hero" is surrounded by comely women who want to throw themselves at him, he wants more. He wants love. Companionship. He think he's found it in a mysterious girl who he has awakened from a long sleep, but the girl may be more of a puzzle than he can handle.

This is a film more about style than story. And on that level, it succeeds well, with gorgeous cinematography and a haunting theme melody by the director's brother Bob Harris.

Overall, it's great that this lost little film has finally been given a significant release after spending 40 years in obscurity. For cinema lovers, it's worth checking out. For those who already admire in its renegade spirit and minimalist approach, enjoy the new release by Etiquette Pictures. It's everything we could have hoped for. Maybe one day Hollywood will wake up, and realize what a wonderful director James B. Harris is. We can only hope.

"Some Call it Loving" is hard to describe but I'll try. It's a bit like an art film (such as something by Bergman or Fellini) combined with a porno film with little porn...along with an LSD trip. The results are bizarre, unique and incredibly confusing. What does all this mean?!

The film begins with Robert (Zalman King...a Marjoe Gortner lookalike) seeing a strange carnival attraction. It seems that a pretty young woman has been sleeping for 8 years and audience members can pay to come up and kiss her...and try to awaken her. Soon you realize that the man who 'owns her' is more than willing to allow guys to pay to do far more...and he expects that is what Robert wants when he comes to see her later. However, he's obsessed with her in a strange, non-sexual way and he buys the girl from him! Soon, after bringing her home, she awakens and he is smitten by her and vice-versa...though for a lot of the film their relationship is non-sexual. Instead, Robert walks around almost as if in a catatonic state himself...watching all sorts of weirdos. Two weirdos are his 'girlfriends' though they are clearly lesbians and kinky ones at that. Another is his junkie friend (overplayed badly by Richard Pryor). None of these people or vignettes make ANY sense and after a while you start to realize that everything and the disconnectedness of it all is highly reminiscent of a dream- -as if it's not the girl who is asleep but the audience...or at least they are watching someone's dream. Surreal beyond belief and late in the film there are finally some nude scenes (but they are amazingly non- sexy). The entire concoction is nonsensical and bizarre...so much so that it has 'cult film' written all over it but it's also not something the average viewer would care about in the least. Additionally, its bizarro religious symbolism is bound to offend many, many viewers.

My advice is that if you want to watch porn, find a better and sexier film. If you want an art film, try "The Seventh Seal" or "8 1/2" as they are much more clever and artsy. Or, if you want a film that utterly confuses you, by all means try "Some Call it Loving"...but I wasn't a fan by the time the film ended.

SOME CALL IT LOVING is a weirdly arty, '70s-set updating of the Sleeping Beauty storyline, featuring 'erotic romance' proponent Zalman King in the main role. He plays a mildly creepy guy who gets hold of an ever-slumbering woman from a fairground (she's played by Tisa Farrow, of ZOMBIE FLESH EATERS fame) and engages in a kind of slow-burning romance with her. This is a stately and dialogue-focused film which, truth be told, simply isn't very interesting despite some thematic depth. Farrow sleepwalks through her role - apologies for the pun - and King creeped me out. Richard Pryor and Carol White also appear in support.