L'escarpin rouge

Directed by the same guy who brought you such soft-core classics as 9 1/2 Weeks and Wild Orchid, this steamy pilot was made for late night cable TV. Starring X-Files main man David Duchovny. A husband [David Duchovny] sorting through his recently deceased wife's belongings [played by Brigitte Bakeo] comes across a red diary. Devastated he finds that his wife was not the devoted woman who claimed that she wanted a meaningful and lasting relationship. ...She longed for the perfect opportunity for having a secret affair with a total stranger. The perfect body ...on the perfect man [played by Billy Wirth]. Torn between her two lovers, and trapped by a burning secret, she decides that the only way out is suicide. Leaving her husband wondering, just how many others out there are going through the same problems. At the end of the film, he decides to put an add in the paper, which is how Zalman King ties together the various vignettes in the TV series.

I viewed this movie for the first time on DVD last weekend. I have watched it many times on VHS. I liked Billy Wirth's humorous comments about his role in the extras on the DVD. This movie was the basis for Zalman King's long-running series on Showtime called "Red Shoe Diaries", where David Duchovny reads letters sent to him from women who share their sexual experiences with him. This is a great movie for women to watch, more than men, because of the two hunky leads: David Duchovny and Billy Wirth. They both look gorgeous in this movie! I can understand Brigitte Bako's dilemma over who to pick as her main man in this flick because they both have something to offer. Why Mr. Duchovny has never discussed this movie or the series as part of his credits I will never understand. It may not be Shakespeare, but it is nothing to be ashamed of. On the serious side, it gives one something to think about in regards to relationships and how unstable some people are. Very entertaining, thought-provoking, and sexy. Great soundtrack too.

I had to watch this movie right after watching a newer movie that explores similar themes, however, with a May / December relationship where the woman is much older that her lover - I will leave it at that without naming names LOL That movie was so awful! So, I decided to explore how these types of movies were once made & better - enter director Zalman King. I enjoyed this movie for the most part. In fact, I enjoy these types of movies that came out during a specific timeframe of the late 80s-early 90s. It's erotica & meant for women mainly. Most women with some life experience will understand its appeal & I admit, it's not for everyone. It's slow but sensual & filled with a lot of desire & foreplay. Many current movies with erotic themes try to replicate aspects of King's style, down to certain scenes (I will not name titles, will leave it to your imagination); however, these fail miserably. I find those movies often cold or crass even. There is a warmth in these movies that is simply not captured in modern similar films. The dialogue is uncomplicated but there are plenty of visuals and use of specific colours to emphasize character development, all the while becoming a part of the storytelling. If you enjoy a more sensual & steamy twist to romance, you may enjoy this, just ensure you are focused & not multitasking & you just might feel the appeal.

Although this movie tries to tug at the heart strings, it fails to provide either likeable characters or believable motivations for their actions.

Music, script, and acting are on the level of the average porn movie. Regrettably, the average porn movie provides more incentive to watch than Red Shoes does. Don't waste your time with this one.

My friend Chris rented this movie expecting something along the lines of the terribly formulatic romantic/erotic ShowTime series from Zalman King. I was very surprised with this movie. A pre-X-Flies David Duchovony stars as a man still mourning over the death of his beautiful fiancee (Brigit Bako, of Strange Days). He then finds her diary which reveals a steamy relationship between her and a shoe salesman (Billy Wirth). The story is well-written and -acted, except for the stiff Duchovony.

This movie deserves a wider audience, because I think people will like and identify with it. Three Stars out of Four.