‘Marquis’ (NR)

Set on the eve of the French Revolution, "Marquis" is unbridled bestiality in wig and powder. Imagine Jim Henson's Muppets or the cast of "Animal Farm" whipped into a lewd frenzy by David Cronenberg and you'll have some idea about this French movie.

Based on the writings of the Marquis de Sade, this bawdy, one-of-a-kind production features human bodies in puppet-like animal heads, experiencing various throes of sexual, moral and political decadence in and around the famous Bastille prison.

Bert and Ernie would be traumatized for life.

The "story" is centered on the Marquis of the title, a dog-headed personality who -- in the sleazy context of this movie -- turns out to be the most moral of the bunch. Imprisoned apparently for defecating on a cross, he spends his days writing, evading his lascivious rodent-like jailer Ambert and, uh, talking to his sexual organ. The latter turns out to be a rather friendly, chatty being by the name of Colin.

The Marquis is surrounded by bipedal animals ranging from pigs to cows to camels. Justine, a bovine little number, was raped by the king. She has been imprisoned with the hope that the Marquis will further dishonor her, thus indemnifying the lusty monarch.

There's horse-headed Juliette, a mistress of the rooster-governor, who is working behind the scenes to free the prisoners. There's a pigheaded fellow called Pigonou, who's a pork trafficker and who will, if you insist, slice you a piece of hogmeat from his own leg.

As for the activities in this movie, readers of de Sade will need no further explanation. Just about every taboo gets its due here, from masturbation to fellatio to necrophilia. The thing that distinguishes "Marquis" from straight-out pornography is its wicked, satirical agenda. There is some kind of story and commentary going on, involving society's hypocrisies and, well, the French revolution.

It is intriguing to experience this alternate universe, a world of animalistic craziness created by director Henri Xhonneux and graphic (literally) artist Roland Topor. But there is no towering, transcendent quality to the movie. For the most part, despite that satire, it's a whimsical, one-dimensional titillation of the senses. But it does have its amusing elements. At the end, for instance, when the prison doors are opened, look for Colin to make a clean break.

MARQUIS (Unrated) -- In French with subtitles.