Directed by Alain Guiraudie and photographed beautifully by Claire Mathon, Stranger by the Lake has drawn comparisons to the thrillers of Alfred Hitchcock, and rightly so. The atmosphere is one of chilling tension and highly controlled camera work, with point-of-view shots being used to draw attention to the role of both the cruising space and the cinematic space.
For the most part, cruising spots are associated with casual, no-strings-attached sex. They offer a space where the everyday repression of sexuality is ignored; a place where individuals can explore their sexuality without fear of being attacked or shamed by the conservative hetero-normative members of society. Within mainstream cinema, cruising has been vastly underrepresented, with the leather bars of William Friedkin’s Cruising and the problematic space in Shame being two of the better known examples. With Stranger, Guiraudie goes against the darkened interiors of these films, by using picturesque exteriors that display nature and beauty.
For the most part, cruising spots are associated with casual, no-strings-attached sex. They offer a space where the everyday repression of sexuality is ignored; a place where individuals can explore their sexuality without fear of being attacked or shamed by the conservative hetero-normative members of society. Within mainstream cinema, cruising has been vastly underrepresented, with the leather bars of William Friedkin’s Cruising and the problematic space in Shame being two of the better known examples. With Stranger, Guiraudie goes against the darkened interiors of these films, by using picturesque exteriors that display nature and beauty.
- 2/11/2014
- by Griffin Bell
- SoundOnSight
Stranger by the Lake (2013) Film Review from the 2014 Sundance Film Festival, a movie directed by Alain Guiraudie, and starring Pierre Deladonchamps, Christophe Paou, Patrick d’Assumçao, Jérôme Chappatte, and Mathieu Vervisch. Having already played at the Cannes Film Festival last year, where its director, Alain Guiradie, was lauded with the Best Director [...]
Continue reading: Film Review: Stranger By The Lake / L’Inconnu Du Lac [Sundance 2014]...
Continue reading: Film Review: Stranger By The Lake / L’Inconnu Du Lac [Sundance 2014]...
- 1/21/2014
- by Drew Stelter
- Film-Book
Gay erotic thriller Stranger by the Lake wins Queer Palm at Cannes Film Festival (photo: Pierre de Ladonchamps, Christophe Paou in Stranger by the Lake) Writer-director Alain Guiraudie’s Stranger by the Lake / L’inconnu du lac has won the 2013 Queer Palm handed out to Cannes Film Festival movies featuring gay, lesbian, bi, tri, multi, transgender, etc. characters. Stranger by the Lake was screened in the Un Certain Regard sidebar. Set near an idyllic lake where hot-and-heavy gay cruising takes place during the summer season, Guiraudie’s sexually charged thriller revolves around Franck (Pierre de Ladonchamps), a young man who falls in lust with brawny suspected murderer Michel (Christophe Paou). Strand Releasing will handle the distribution of Stranger by the Lake in North America. Stranger by the Lake: Mixing explicit sex with explicit love As quoted by Agence France Presse, Alain Guiraudie explained the (purportedly) graphic sex scenes in Stranger...
- 5/26/2013
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Strand Releasing has picked up N. American distribution rights to Alain Guiraudie’s Stranger by the Lake (L'inconnu du lac)) erotic thriller which premiered at Cannes, reports Variety. The story which is set against a cruising spot for men tells of Pierre de Ladonchamps' Franck character who falls for Michel (played by Christophe Paou), a man who may be a killer, but he lives out his passing regardless. Also in the cast of the film scripted and helmed bu Guiraudie are Patrick d'Assumçao, Jérôme Chappatt, Mathieu Vervisch and Gilbert Traina.
- 5/22/2013
- Upcoming-Movies.com
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.