8 1/2 Women
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Movie Reviews of 8 1/2 Women
Movie Review: Well, it's a Greenway
Summary: 2 Stars
Peter Greenway's films bore and/or repulse most people. They are probably the not-so-secret favorites of the cultural elitists, the decadently bored bourgeoisie. I'm too plebeian and stupid to be the former and too poor and hungry to be the latter, that's why I don't like his films. Nonetheless, his works are provocative, which either reflects his screwed-up brain cells possibly under the influence of alcohol or drugs or both, or his ingenuity of making a name for himself and maybe even a fortune in the financial and carnal senses, too.
In this dark comedy about sexual excess and experimentation, at one point the question is popped:"Do most film directors make films to realize their sexual fantasies?" The sexist, female-excluding nature of this remark aside, even a fool knows what Greenway's answer is. It's as if he were showing his naked body on the silver screen -- projected through his actors -- and then asking the audience "Do you like it? Do you like *it*?" Snobbish? Perhaps. Deranged. Most likely. Stupidly patronizing? Definitely.
As you probably already know, the story is about a father and son's effort to turn the father's estate in or near Geneva into a harem. The most unsettling scene of the film is not about the women they "seduce" (or buy), but an earlier one in which the son gets intimate with his father. To an uninitated viewer of the utterly-sick-and-gross genre like myself, this was just plain stupid, proof that Greenway is an old pervert who's fascinated with sex with anybody, any animal (even pigs, as he so lovingly describes in the film), or anything.
I don't want to come off (no pun intended!) as desireful of attacking Greenway's superficial, sex-ladden artistry, although as I mentioned in the beginning, his films are repulsive to the general audience. Of course, like Robert Mapplethorpe, he shocks to gain fame, so he can make films to reflect his sick sexual fantasies, and, as the film drily observes in that same scene, to get women (or men? or pigs?) into his bed.
The sexual escapades of the father and son are rather boring, and the sad ending does evoke some sympathy. Somehow the ending reminded me of the Hong Kong erotic flick "Sex & Zen" (the original one with Amy Yip), with the same message that "oops, too much sex is actually bad for your health and relationships." It can't get more pretentious than this.
If you are a Greenway fan, you won't be disappointed. This is a black comedy and there are some very funny spots. But overall, it's a film about self indulgence, of self indulgence, and (despite the quake-destroyed ending), for self indulgence.
Movie Review: Bizarre sexual comedy
Summary: 2 Stars
[Note: Over 500 of my movie reviews are now available in my book "Cut to the Chaise Lounge or I Can't Believe I Swallowed the Remote!" Get it at Amazon.]
There's a kind of French farce/Marquis de Sade/Japanese porn feel to this self-indulgent romp from Brit auteur Peter Greenaway. It's kind of a "God, I'm bored and I've got so much money and what the heck let's turn the Geneva mansion into a bordello, a different woman in every room and Dad and I will have lots of fun and bond" thing. "I mean mom's gone now, Dad, and you never really got out and now it's time to live." So father and son go naked a lot with lots of babes who are also naked a lot.
Matthew Delamere (Storey) is the son and John Standing (Philip) is the father. It's a bit creepy seeing them sharing the same bed naked. In fact it's a bit creepy seeing John Standing naked, period. But that's part of the Greenaway intent. Let's shock the bourgeoisie. It's such fun to do stuff that will make them squirm.
They hissed at Cannes when this was shown (I understand; I wasn't there). It was first released in the Czech Republic, which says something, but I'm not sure what. It was banned in Malaysia--but that's pretty standard. The women are bizarre but, to be honest, intriguing. The story isn't much of a story. The rationale for suddenly taking on the life of the libertine is slight (Philip's wife dies) and a bit late in the coming. (And no pun intended.)
The story starts in Tokyo with Storey helping Simato, a pachinko addict played by Annie Shizuka Inoh, avoid financial trouble in exchange for sexual favors. But never mind. As I said, the story doesn't matter. What matters is the outrageousness of the events (mostly sexual) and the beautiful sets. That's it.
Most interesting thing in the film is Polly Walker who has both sex appeal and charisma. Most grotesque is that pig with its pinkish white skin so very human looking--and of course that was a sight joke and a comment upon humanity. But again, never mind.
By the way, the 8 1/2 in the title is because Fellini's famous film somehow inspired Storey and Philip toward their debauchery.