Change Your Image
aaron-71
Reviews
My Life for Zarah Leander (1986)
Was she the German Judy Garland?
This strange, interesting, but not terribly involving documentary traces the life of performer Zarah Leander and tries to examine why she has such a popular following along gay men. It is composed of film clips of the late Diva as will as interviews with people who worked with her, fans, an a female impersonator who badly imitates her in a cabaret nightly. I don't think this film was every released in this country but can only be seen in small film festivals in the U.S.
The Stepford Wives (1975)
"I could just die for that recipe!"
This line uttered by a malfunctioning, alcoholic, robot/wife turns this thriller into camp territory. The provocative and disturbing subject matter is turned into a host of tacky costumes, awkward dialogue, and terrible acting, particularly by Katherine Ross. Her discovering of her robot double about to kill her is pathetic. It seemed as if the director couldn't get a better cast (there is a Ruth Gordon look-a-like in the supporting role who was a popular actress at the time) with the exception of Paula Prentice who has the most fun role. A similar fate occurs with a movie on the similar topic, Handsmaid Tale, but this is much more fun, even if the directing and cinematography are often poor. It's one of my favorite bad movies.
Une flamme dans mon coeur (1987)
Fascinating, creepy story of sexual compulsion
I saw this virtually unreleased film in the U.S. at a film festival and was both moved and compelled by this strange story of a woman's disintegration into madness and sex addiction. There's never been a character study like this. Apparently, the director and the actress wrote the film based on their own passed relationship and the painful honesty that it dramatizes makes it difficult to watch at times. Audiences often dismissed it as just another French sex film, but it examines the often deep recesses of the human personality with unflinching realism.
Joe's So Mean to Josephine (1996)
Great relationship study
I can't think of a better written story about the problems, jealousies, insecurities that arise between couples in difficult, conflicting relationships that are based less on love than need. The dynamics between Joe and Josephine change halfway through and the pathetic behavior of Josephine suddenly changes as her career takes off the Joe's career criminal life takes a nose dive as he realizes that his life is going nowhere. The resolution is both maddening, dramatic and touching. The two lead performers are great.
Idioterne (1998)
Brilliant sociological/behavioural drama
This movie is a total one-of-a-kind. Although the pacing lags in the middle, the overall result left me both moved and compelled. The subject matter of adults behaving like children seemed offensive at first until the second half where I realised commentary the director was making which was anything but offensive. I commend him for doing so. It's a bold, brave, passionate, original film and has haunted me more than any other film I've seen recently. Unfortunately, the print is only shown in the U.S. in a censored "black box" version which will probably prevent it from being distributed in the U.S.
Dialogues with Madwomen (1994)
Haunting, harrowing documentary
The material for this film focuses not only the conditions for women in mental institutions, but the societal situations that drive them to near insanity because of the the mistreatment and manipulation from the male patriarchy. It's often not an easy film to watch. It successfully intercuts the fascinating and often moving interviews with interesting stock footage that visually makes its' points and is often accompanied by a haunting, melancholy score. Look for it on PBS. Tragically, I don't think it's on video.
Bad Timing (1980)
A Creepy, Riveting, Stunner!
This film will always have a soft spot in my heart because it introduced me to Tom Waits' music. His song Invitation to the Blues brilliantly opens this unsettling story of a snobby professor's "ravishing" of a free spirit. I don't know why this film has never been released on video. My viewpoints of the characters has changed over the years in this complex film. Art Garfunkel's obsession with Theresa Russell feels more unnerving with each viewing. It's probably the first and only sort-of mainstream film to represent near-necrophilia. Harvey Keitel's strange motivation for wanting a confession out of Art seems more complicated as the film progresses. Theresa is brilliant in the female lead.
Les lèvres rouges (1971)
Part masterpiece/part schlock
I first saw this movie when I was 12 and it had a huge impact on my early artistic endeavors as a young man. I've seen it periodically over the years and can see what intrigued me about it so much. It's part Ingmar Bergman film and part bad vampire movie. There are some beautifully filmed scenes along with some awful dialogue. The brilliant Delphine Seyrig is superbly creepy. The other performances are only mediocre. The music is appropriately over the top; sometimes sinister, sometimes goofy- seventies movie. The new director's cut contains more sex and nudity, probably to avoid getting an x-rating at the time of release. It's definitely worth checking out if you've never seen it.
Pimps Up, Ho's Down (1998)
Good idea, but not explored fully
Although I appreciated this unique idea to explore the pimp's perspective of the lifestyle rather than the prostitutes', the director fails to tell us anything explorative about his subjects. We see a lot of their externals but not enough about their background or psychology. Also, the subjects are incredibly hard to understand. Maybe the film need subtitles.