Traitement de choc

When the executive of the fashion industry Hélène Masson (Annie Girardot) is dumped by her lover, she has a midlife crisis and her friend Gérôme Savignat (Robert Hirsch) advises her to spend vacation in the isolated rejuvenation clinic owned by Dr. Devilers (Alain Delon) and his partner Dr. Berbard (Michel Duchaussoy). Hélène is welcomed by the happy clients and befriends the Portuguese employee João, who is an illegal immigrant, practicing her knowledge in Portuguese language with him.

After the first injection of a formula based on animal blood, Hélène feels very well. But soon Gérôme can not afford to pay the treatment and commits suicide. Then João disappears and Dr. Devilers does not allow her to check-out the clinic. Hélène is suspicious that something is wrong and she goes further in her investigation of the clinic and finds the secret of the rejuvenation formula of Dr. Devilers.

"Traitement de Choc" is an unbelievable story of a doctor that uses illegal immigrants as an important component of his formula of rejuvenation. The story is of the same year of "Soylent Green" and both uses human blood and flesh with different purposes. The director Alain Jessua uses a bold but also silly scene of frontal nudity of the actors and actresses that does not add any value to the movie. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Tratamento Diabólico" ("Devilish Treatment")

The curse of French cinema: as it is (heavily) subsidized, people with really original ideas get to shoot them while they are either not necessary talented directors, or not being challenged enough for the ideas to blossom into a great feature.

Shock Treatment is a perfect example. The premise, the synopsis are exciting aplenty, but we only get a pedestrian rendition of it. Basically, apart from the view of Belle-Ile, you would almost be better off reading the summary of the movie instead of sitting through this piece of monotonous movie-making.

Very good horror thriller, very atmospheric since the beginning, with a good social political background. Weird situations and bizarre blasé rich people make spectator feel uncomfortable. Nice action and story, disturbing. Appropriate end.

The biggest shock was watching the interview with the director, Jessua, on the special features disc. Anyone less like a movie personality would be hard to imagine. More like your friendly neighbourhood greengrocer. How did this guy ever stray into the cinematic world ? If this flick became a success it was because it presented two stars, in roles which did not type-cast them. There is also an extended, reasonably unshocking, nudist scene of numerous extras at the seaside. Including the stars, Delon and Girardot. Hilarious. Weird is not the word. Plot and direction are beyond eccentric. Positively peculiar. Sort of haphazard. Murder, immigrant exploitation, police and other corruption are the message. Same as what used to be that of the News of the World, of distant British memory. Shock enjoyed for phony moral reasons.

Unbelievable story and an AWFUL music. But I give it 4 points because Alain Delon's face makes it possible to watch this ridiculous film