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I agree with others who went into this picture FAMILIAR with SADE that this was very tame by comparison to his writings. I read parts of "120 days of Sodom" and found poorly written perversion on perversion...In fact it was just plain gross. Not the erotic, 'naughty' scribblings that the higher powers found so disturbing in the opening of this film, but really disturbing, graphic depictions of brutality that should'nt, and cannot be taken lightly.

"Quills" shows a rather sunny side to the Marquis, indeed the first half of the film feels more like a 'comedy'...the second falls into high melodrama that bordered close to camp. You only get a small taste of what the Marquis is truly capable of with one scene showing an interesting version of 'the chainmessage game'.Other than that segment, he seems to be just a perverted libertine with a passion for dirty words. Taken on it's own, it was'nt a bad movie...but Oscar contender? Is the Academy that desperate? The story is simplistic...(Towards the end of his life, the Marquis lives lavishly in an insane asylum, his writing is snuck out by a chambermaid, upon its publishing catches the eye of those in command, a 'inquisitor' is sent to silence the marquis...)There is'nt much depth there...(and yes, there is more to the story, but no, I'm not going to rewrite others same synopsis) What the film lacks in dramatic power it makes up for in witty, biting diologue early in the picture, an outstanding performance by Mr. Rush as the Marquis; nods to the suberb technical qualities including cinematography and costumes, and of course, Kate Winslet's boobs. The film, while wonderful to look at, was like eating an eggo straight from the toaster...hot, tasty...but lacking substance. Another point, how the heck did this film pass with an "R"? While tame to my standards I found the crowds reactions to the sex and bawdy talk to be quite humorous...It's funny to think of those familiar with Kate Winslet in "Titanic" gasping with shock at phrases like 'roseybuds' and 'longstaves', then giggling nervously like children in sex ed. There was more sex, and considerably more violence in it than your average picture... 'NC-17'...hmm, that whole ratings thing urks me. On this note, which brings home the whole or part of what the film relishes in, is the glory of truth...in the good and evil that is everpresent in all... The film was'nt dark enough...it was far too 'enjoyable' and light given that it centers on the MARQUIS DE SADE, who is known as being one of the most depraved minds put to print. Overall, an ok job of bringing the Marquis to 'MAINSTREAM'cinema, ...but the only nuts that the picture dares to exhibit are those that live in the sanitarium with him.



Check out "Paris, France" or "Henry Fool" to experience underrated films with cajones and true staying power!

This waste of film is a totally hack piece of junk with glossy special effects and boobs...

That's it! Hard to believe that Paul Verhoeven has made a film worst than 'Showgirls' and smears our faces in two hours of it... What could've been an interesting film turns into a two hour game of hide and seek with the occasional boob shot for good measure...not even worth a $1 , 10 day rental at VIDEOLAND!!! OH MY GAWD!!!THIS MOVIE WAS HORRID!!! TWO HOURS OF POOR ACTING, A LAME STORY AND BOOBS!!!BOOBS!!!AND MORE BOOBS!!!

AVOID THIS OVERBUDGETED POO BARN AT ALL COSTS!!!

I liked 'Ghost Dog', It had the feel of a movie that had been edited on a kitchen table...a true 'indie' film from begining to end...great cinematography, a cool story, and acting fairly tongue in cheek.(But slow...so very slow...)

A liesurly paced film with lots of haunting shots of urban squallar...at the center of it, is the haunting prescence of Ghostdog, a young black man lost in the ideas of the ancient text of the samurai. Truly he is a minority, lost in the deep thoughts of his beliefs while the world seems to be caving in around him. He is a hired hit man for a set of geriatric gangsters who seem to be living in there former glory. These fellows are far from GODFATHER menacing,frankley, they're sad. (All the posturing and escentuated accents are done for laughs)

For some reason, Ghostdog gets on their badsides. And before you can say 'GET 'EM VINNEY' they put a hit on the hit man.Which leads the shadowy quasi-samarai guy to seek them out before they find him. Of coarse to help soften the tone set by Ghostdog's brooding melancholy, you have moments of trippy humour that you can only find in films like this.(Like an old Italian mobster rapping with FlavaFlav, or Ghostdog's relationship with a kindhearted hatian vendor who only speaks french...)

On the one side, this movie was great; I felt personally that the pacing could've been worked on, and I would've enjoyed even a hint more of why Ghostdog evolved into the mass of self thought he had become. A lot of unanswered questions, and really slow pacing had me shifting uncomfortably in my seat.

The resolution was fairly weak, but the very end where 'a passing of knowledge' occurs was very cool, and hopeful... The acting was uneven, but the moments that occur within the darkness and light of this film make up for most of it's flaws. Just make sure you watch it with a pot of good java handy...

7 out of 10