"Come Under My Spell" is a song by the British post-punk band, The Stranglers. Formed in 1974, The Stranglers have been a prominent force in the UK music scene, known for their eclectic blend of punk, new wave, and rock influences. The band's distinctive sound, characterized by their witty, often provocative lyrics and innovative instrumentation, has endeared them to fans worldwide.
"Come Under My Spell" (1981) is a synth-driven pop/rock single characteristic of the early 1980s new wave aesthetic. With a blend of atmospheric synth pads, punchy drum-machine rhythms, and a melodic vocal hook, the track encapsulates the decade’s fascination with electronic textures married to pop songwriting. The song’s title implies a theme of seduction, persuasion, or being entranced—common lyrical territory for pop songs that balance romantic yearning with playful menace.
The intersection of cult cinema and home video history often produces strange artifacts that linger in the memories of collectors and cinephiles. One such curiosity is the 1981 exclusive presentation of a film that serves as a bizarre time capsule of late 70s and early 80s exploitation cinema. Directed by the prolific and often eccentric Carlos Tobalina, the film has undergone various re-releases, but its 1981 presence remains a specific point of interest for those tracking the evolution of "Peekarama" and adult-oriented cult classics. The Plot: Hypnosis and Hilarity
: The plot follows college students in San Francisco who use a book on hypnotism to seduce women, culminating in a chaotic wedding reception sequence where they attempt to hypnotize the entire party. : Starring adult film legends like Sharon Kane Connie Peterson
One of the key factors contributing to the song's enduring appeal is its enigmatic lyrics, which weave a spell of mystery and intrigue. Ocasek's poetic words paint a picture of a mesmerizing encounter, where the lines between reality and fantasy blur. The song's chorus, with its haunting refrain of "Come under my spell," is an invitation to surrender to the allure of the unknown, making it a tantalizing prospect for listeners. come under my spell 1981 exclusive
Come Under My Spell serves as a fascinating time capsule. It stands as a testament to an era when independent adult filmmakers could create bizarre, narrative-driven features that prioritized low-brow humor and surreal premises just as much as their adult content.
The film relies heavily on a lighthearted, juvenile tone. It captures the residual essence of 1970s "Me Generation" attitudes despite rolling out in the early 1980s. Key Cast and Production Crew
: Handled by William Larson J. and Paul Ford, the film features plenty of real San Francisco backdrops, but frequently suffers from occasional out-of-focus shots and raw, unedited lighting setups.
Paired with Tobalina's Lady Dynamite ; includes scanned archival prints. Limited (Out of Print variants exist as collector items). Blu-ray.com Catalog Listings Standard 480i NTSC transfer, Dolby Digital Mono audio. Secondary marketplaces. "Come Under My Spell" is a song by
: One of the most glaringly unique elements of Come Under My Spell is its casting. Director Tobalina thrust his actual crew member, Fernando Fortes, into the lead role. Fortes, who was visibly not a professional actor, delivers an awkward, stumbling performance. While some contemporary reviewers note that this creates a painful level of secondary embarrassment, cult cinema fans argue it adds an unintended layer of authenticity to his character's desperate loser persona.
. It is noted for its "guerrilla filmmaking" style, featuring many silent location shoots in public areas The "Carrie" Riff
Come Under My Spell is set in the "hip and swinging" San Francisco of the 1970s and follows the hapless Fernando, a foreign exchange student portrayed by accidental actor Fernando Fortes. As the film opens, we learn that Fernando's romantic life is a complete disaster. He confesses to his American friend, Dave (played by Blair Harris), that since arriving in the United States, his only sexual experiences have been with barnyard animals, specifically "chickens and sheep". Taking pity on his desperate friend, Dave stumbles upon a solution in a seedy used bookshop: a manual on how to seduce women through the power of hypnotism.
“Come Under My Spell” is the phantom child of this era. "Come Under My Spell" (1981) is a synth-driven
Directed by (under the pseudonym Troy Benny), the film follows Fernando, a repressed foreign exchange student in San Francisco. Desperate for success with women, he and his friend Dave acquire a used book on hypnosis and attempt to use it to fulfill their sexual desires. Production & Cast
She never found out who made the record. But she often smiled, thinking: The best spells aren’t cast by others. They’re the ones you discover hiding in plain sound, waiting for you to finally listen.
While the film is often cited as a 1979 release, the window refers to its significant distribution push during the burgeoning home video market. This era saw a massive influx of independent and adult-leaning titles being packaged for the first time for a global audience. Come Under My Spell (1981) - VideoSpace