Neurosis asesina

Both an unsettling horror film, and a very dark comedy, this is my favorite Paul Bartel film.

Avoiding the sometimes too overt self-congratulatory humor of "Eating Raoul", this story of a "nice" young girl who comes to stay at her aunt"s creepy hotel, only to be surrounded by all sorts of disturbingly depraved types frequently leaves you both laughing and cringing (in a good way) at the same time.

Only the less than stellar (in fact sometimes near porn film level) acting keeps this from being a classic of disquieting, semi-surreal cinema.

But there are scenes and images that stick with me, and Bartel creates a lot of atmosphere with his use of music, compositions, and light.

This bizarre and entertaining cult film was Paul Bartel's first feature, and it's probably his most interesting film. Good use of seedy LA locations and an effective score by Hugo Friedhofer create a genuinely creepy atmosphere. Well cast and acted. Lucille Benson, who could easily be Norman Bates' mother,is a standout as Aunt Martha.

"Too nosy for her own good", runaway Cheryl Stratton investigates the various characters and rooms in her aunt's hotel, while a resident photographer spies on her; ultimately, with her knowledge and participation. Like so many films, Private Parts owes a debt to Psycho. Though the film becomes somewhat silly with the arrival of the 2 policemen near the end, it is original and compelling, and Bartel displays admirable restraint throughout. The film ends with a good last shot:Cheryl checked-in a girl, and checks-out a vicariously experienced woman.

When the film opened in New York, at the now defunct First Avenue Screening Room, The New York Times' reviewed it favorably. Happily, it has finally been released on DVD with the trailer. Definitely worth checking out. "Follow Cheryl as she leads you through the darkest corridors of your mind", you'll be glad you did.

Paul Bartel's vision of perversity in a seedy L.A. hotel has more entertainment value than most of today's re-hashed, redundant, repulsive, wannabe exploitation flicks. The acting alone is uncommonly good for this type, with Ann Ruymen as the not so innocent Cheryl, and Lucille Benson as the proprietor of the unforgettable King Edward Hotel, absolute standouts. The quirky residents are both believable and intriguing. Murder, fetishism, voyeurism, what more could you ask for from this wonderful mixture of bizarre characters? Great photography, great character development, great script, great dark comedy. Highly recommended. - MERK

A teenaged girl out to discover womanhood early takes refuge from home and friends in her aunt's dilapidated, poverty row hotel. The hotel houses a bizarre assortment of characters including a photographer wearing nothing but black leather and never saying much, a drunk who leaves bottles out in the hallway, a reverend who has tons of homo-erotic art and photographs pasted on his walls, a handicapped woman constantly crying for her Alice to return, and, of course, Aunt Martha, the proprietor. Aunt Martha is a heavy-set woman who preaches about the way things used to be and how her hotel is a place for respectable people not tramps and the like. Lucille Benson plays Martha and does an incredible job with what is really a difficult role. Martha is a complex character of old-fashioned values being fused with strong sexual repression. She is in many ways a man trapped in a woman's body. Think about that when you finish the film. Benson has a grand presence on screen and such a distinctive voice. The rest of the acting is generally good as well. Stanley Livingston(Chip from My Three Sons) has a small role. Director Paul Bartel does a fine job capturing the perverse nature of the inhabitants of the hotel. Each seems to have some seedy perversion. The hotel sets the mood perfectly as it is grand in stature and just as filthy in reality. Bartel uses genuine horror and some really dark humour together. In one scene a boy's head is lopped off quickly. A rat is pushed down a garbage disposal. Bartel also uses some nifty lines like when an elderly woman cries for her Alice, someone says, "Alice doesn't live here anymore." A weird, quirky film whose atmosphere, direction, and a real creepy performance by Lucille Benson carry it beyond the ordinary and into the area of cult classic.

A great film, but don't expect Paul Bartel's comedy that you've seen in Lust in the Dust and Eating Raoul. While the humor is there it isn't has strong. If you go into this film not knowing what you're about to get (which few do), then you will love it.

A film that is by far ahead of it's time, it brings on issues not dealt with until Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, and The Crying Game. This was Paul Bartel's second film to direct, and you wouldn't know that by watching it.

A classic that is way ahead of it's time. On a scale of 1 to 10, Private Parts gets a 10!