******Warning! Contains spoilers!!!***** Naked Flame is a Canadian film production before the days of decent NFB funding and Atom Egoyan. That means it's not that good. Watch it for a laugh - especially for one of the most bizzare foot chases in film history: Drunken Dukabor chasing scantily-clad woman (to who he was formerly betrothed) towards a frozen river, along the rivers edge, back up the ravine and then onto the snow (Riveting! see "Sarcasm"). Of more humourous note is the father who's daughter has just been offed by afforementioned drunken Dukabor, being told to go back to his car where we are to assume he will drive home to his flaming shambles of a cabin. It's all Zany... and grainy (I mean it's actually shot on some of the most grainy and discolored film stock I've ever seen). The one saving grace would be watching the surprisingly professional performance of Mort Van Ostrand. Cudos to him.
3 Reviews
Points for being different, though for not much else
dbborroughs29 January 2009
Warning: Spoilers
In the wilds of Canada about the goings on in a small town near a mine. Its a tale of two groups living uneasily and the poor dumb kids who want to marry and the Dukabor troublemaker who has a hold over the boys father and much of the town. Its a messy affair that really doesn't make a great deal of sense. Its not a unwatchable film, its just different enough from the typical dramas you run across to make it worth a shot, unfortunately it isn't good enough that you'll be thrilled when you get to the end of its 80 odd minutes. Given the choice I'd take a pass, but if you get roped into viewing it you could do worse. (Though the music in this film is completely and utterly wrong)
Strange blend of drama and nudie-cutie exploitation
jivers012 September 2011
The other reviews overlook the obvious -- and I'm not just talking about the gratuitous nudity. This micro-budget film (incredibly cheap looking, even by Canadian standards) tries to have it both ways and fails miserably. Half the time it tries to be an earnest culture clash drama but the script is boring and gutless.
The Doukhobors, an Amish-like isolationist ethnic Russian Christian sect, clashed with Canadian authorities in 1900s British Columbia over land seizures by the government, compulsory education, etc. They protested against Canadian policy and materialism with acts of mass nudity and arson.
So, based on true events, this film tries to jazz up a limp story with many silly protest scenes and ritual bonfires where (mostly attractive) women get naked and sing songs ("The Naked Flame", get it?). And everyone is so dead-pan serious, it makes you want to laugh. It just doesn't work. Worth seeing only for the novelty of vintage nudity (in grainy color), and that's about all.
The Doukhobors, an Amish-like isolationist ethnic Russian Christian sect, clashed with Canadian authorities in 1900s British Columbia over land seizures by the government, compulsory education, etc. They protested against Canadian policy and materialism with acts of mass nudity and arson.
So, based on true events, this film tries to jazz up a limp story with many silly protest scenes and ritual bonfires where (mostly attractive) women get naked and sing songs ("The Naked Flame", get it?). And everyone is so dead-pan serious, it makes you want to laugh. It just doesn't work. Worth seeing only for the novelty of vintage nudity (in grainy color), and that's about all.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
