Firstly, it's worth pointing out that this film is a somewhat rare example of me completely disagreeing with conventional star ratings. I notice that this was ranked ** by the MPAA, and I found myself disagreeing more and more as I watched. This movie isn't some dull, barely plausible piece of work; on the contrary, it's a masterpiece. The acting was riveting, the plot sublime. It was a full-cycle tragedy, intense in its creepiness, its high-strung emotion, and the perverse way in which it ultimately made so much sense to the demented, severely compromised victim and her sympathetic audience. The beauty of this work probably lies way in which nothing obscene or gory is ever shown; like a good novel, the worst bits are left to the reaches of your own imagination, and the story is poetically executed about them, without any crude excesses.
I think the cultural impact of this film is vast. Presented with a world of ecstasy, no human would ever want to return to their own world; the illicit and often tragic hedonism of society is often ignored as well. Tendencies like sadism and masochism, not to mention other addictive patterns, are ridiculed in culture, yet quite common and pervasive in their milder forms.
Anyone approaching this as a piece of softcore porn will find themselves feeling conflicted instead. This is a piece of art; by its very definition, it evades pornography. The intimacy of this film is compelling. Approach it with an open mind...it implores that you accept its convoluted approach. The real horror of this film will exist in your understanding, not your dismissal and revulsion.
I think the cultural impact of this film is vast. Presented with a world of ecstasy, no human would ever want to return to their own world; the illicit and often tragic hedonism of society is often ignored as well. Tendencies like sadism and masochism, not to mention other addictive patterns, are ridiculed in culture, yet quite common and pervasive in their milder forms.
Anyone approaching this as a piece of softcore porn will find themselves feeling conflicted instead. This is a piece of art; by its very definition, it evades pornography. The intimacy of this film is compelling. Approach it with an open mind...it implores that you accept its convoluted approach. The real horror of this film will exist in your understanding, not your dismissal and revulsion.