Eating Raoul
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Movie Reviews of Eating Raoul
Movie Review: Great movie, horrible DVD
Summary: 4 Stars
Talk about cult classics! Paul Bartel's darkly hilarious "Eating Raoul" was the first cult film I ever saw, way back in the early 1980s when the miracle that is cable television arrived at the house. I sat in openmouthed wonder as the movie unfolded, barely believing my eyes were seeing the twisted hijinks floating by onscreen. It's largely due to "Eating Raoul" that I became a Mary Woronov fan, and I also learned to appreciate as well as seek out any films made by Paul Bartel. He's an interesting guy, a man that looks like one of your balding uncles or an out of shape next-door neighbor, but he has a warped sense of humor that fits in well with 1970s low budget cinema. Audiences probably know Bartel, if they know him at all, for several films he made for Roger Corman in the 1970s: "Death Race 2000" and "Cannonball." These two films couldn't be more different in subject matter and tone than "Eating Raoul." The two Corman films deal with car races, crashes, and bloody violence. "Eating Raoul" is subtler, funnier, and much darker. Sadly, Paul Bartel passed away a few years ago from complications arising from liver cancer. His loss robbed us of a unique humor, as well as any hope that he and Woronov would reprise their roles in a sequel to this film.
"Eating Raoul" introduces us to two of the most boring individuals on the entire planet, Paul and Mary Bland. They dream of opening their very own restaurant, a dining establishment that will allow them to hobnob with society's elites. Heck, they consider themselves to be elites even though Paul has trouble holding down a job and Mary works as a nurse. After Paul loses his latest position as a clerk at a liquor store--a hilarious scene indeed--it seems as though the restaurant will never become a reality. They can't even get a bank loan since Mary brutally rebuffed the advances of loan officer Mr. Leach (Buck Henry). Then the two stumble upon an excellent way to make money. The apartment building the couple lives in is a place where residents continually throw wild parties that draw all sorts of immature people. One of them bursts into the Bland apartment and starts to make quite a fuss, so much so that Paul conks him on the head with a huge frying pan. The Blands feel horrible about the accidental killing until they find a huge wad of money in the guy's wallet. What if the couple lured strangers over to the apartment, killed them, and then robbed them of their money? That restaurant sure would become a reality much quicker, that's for sure.
But how will the Blands lure total strangers into their apartment without arousing suspicion? Well, it's rather easy when you live in Los Angeles. All you have to do is put an advertisement in a newspaper aimed at singles and the people beat down your door. Of course, the scheme requires Mary to dress up in some rather imaginative costumes and engage in highly charged dialogues with these clients, but all she has to do is keep the game going long enough for Paul to charge in and perform his magic with the frying pan. Mary and Paul get rid of all sorts of riffraff in this manner, including a hippie played by Ed Begley, Jr. The two even begin to believe they are doing society a favor by ridding it of such despicable human beings. Then a problem strolls in through the front door in the shape of a locksmith named Raoul (Robert Beltran). He quickly learns about the couple's seamy activities, but rather than turn them in he soon joins forces with them. Thanks to Raoul the Blands soon make a bit more money selling the clothing and the bodies of their victims. But Raoul has designs on Mary, and he also cheats the couple of their ill-gotten gains. At some point Paul and Mary must heal their relationship while simultaneously defending their treasure from the wily Raoul.
Paul Bartel and Mary Woronov provide "Eating Raoul" with its greatest strengths. Both of them play their characters so straight and on the level that it's hilarious to watch them take part in such extreme activities. "Square" is a word that doesn't do enough to describe these two; they wear matching pajamas to bed--single beds, that is. The film's funniest scenes occur near the end, when Paul and Mary attend a swank party hosted by a guy played by radio personality Don Steele. The double entendres fly fast and furious at this party until Paul and Mary can't stand it anymore. They dispatch the partygoers by tossing an electrical device into the hot tub, then sell off their cars and other valuables. As shocking as these scenes are, what is more shocking is seeing veteran character actress Edie McClurg turn up as an airhead engaged in a number of unusual peccadilloes. While I think parts of the film don't survive the test of time all that well, "Eating Raoul" is still such a darkly humorous film that the central themes easily overcome outdated clothing and set pieces. I wonder if there is a link between this film and the economic policies of recently elected Ronald Reagan?
The DVD version is horrible. While we get trailers for "Big Shot's Funeral," "Dark Crystal," and "Monty Python and the Holy Grail," there are no other extras. Worse, the transfer is one of the worst I have seen on DVD. It looks like a compression problem, or a problem with the aspect ratio, wasn't fixed during the transfer. Most of the film looks squashed, for lack of a better term, and it's a most annoying problem that takes away from the viewing experience. Fix the DVD, give us a special edition, and I'll pick up a copy soon. You should, too.
Movie Review: Tasty!
Summary: 4 Stars
Paul and Mary Bland are a quiet couple who stumble upon a plan to get rich quick: They place a dominatrix ad in the paper to lure rich perverts to their apartment and then bop them on the head - hard - and steal their money. A petty crook named Raoul discovers their scam and wants in: He'll take the bodies, sell them to a dog food factory, and split the profit with them. Everything is going fine until Raoul decides he wants more than the bodies - he wants Mary.
This famous cult classic was made in 1982 on a shoestring budget; the sound is tinny, the sets are cheap, and all the actors, while experienced, act like amateurs. Director/Writer/Star Paul Bartel satirizes murder and sexual perversion and does it all with straight faces and matter-of-fact dialogue; Paul and Mary express neither shock nor shame at their new business venture. As the plot snowballs from the first accidental killing to 20 in one night, it gets wacky fast.
"Raoul" is not for everyone, but if you like over-the-top black comedy that goes way beyond the boundaries of good taste, you'll enjoy it.
Movie Review: Deliciously Funny
Summary: 4 Stars
Paul Bartel's 1982 dark comedy about an average couple doing horrible and desperate things to stay financially afloat: their sinsiter enterprise made possible by a small-time thief named Raoul. A very original comedy with the right blend of taboo subjects and humorous wit.
Mary Bland (Mary Woronov) and her husband Paul(Paul Bartel)are tight on money and don't know what to do. The answer comes after an unfortunate accident in which they kill two swingers in their home. When a shady handyman named Raoul (Robert Beltran) comes in and tells them he can take care of the bodies, the couple finds itself at the threshold of a lucrative, albeit sinister, enterprise. How will long will they continue this shady business with Raoul?
A clever dark comedy with a good blend of taboo subjects and satirical humor. One of the funniest of the less-known comedy films from the early 80s.
Movie Review: Love the movie, but could have been a better DVD.
Summary: 4 Stars
I have waited long for the release of Eating Raoul for years to come to DVD. Now that its here, I have forgotten what a great and funny film it actually is. However, I wasn't expecting much as far as the DVD transfer is concerned (since I first saw it on a deteriorated VHS tape I rented and I would have liked anything even slightly better)but like the other reviewers stated, I don't think the anamorphic transfer is correct. It seems to look better when you watch it streched to fit a full screen television. The company should have done a better job putting this onto DVD and I could have waited longer for better package, mabye with some spceial feature to go with it. Besides the disapointing DVD, the movie is a comedy satire classic and its really great.Movie Review: Weird Dark Comedy
Summary: 4 Stars
Mary Waranov is excellent in this fairly strange period piece that has one of the more bizarre plots of any movie I can recall. A very straitlaced couple are confronted constantly with "swingers " who party in the building where they live and stumble on a twisted scam to attract and make money on other people's perversions. A very weird one of a kind film that is entertaining in a sick way. Should have become a cult classic but has become a bit obscure over the years. I remember seeing this in the theater but after checking out the DVD I had really forgotten just how weird this one is. By the way the DVD I got is a good transfer. Based on the complaints below, it must be a new edition.