La grande bouffe

The two other Marco Ferreri films I've seen, Dillinger Is Dead and Bye Bye Monkey, I found utterly boring, I must admit. I was a little wary of La grande bouffe, though I had always wanted to see it. I've always been drawn to stories where a group of people (or more usually a couple) lock themselves up together and slowly kill themselves, or screw each others brains out. In this film, four men (Marcello Mastroianni, Michel Piccoli, Philippe Noiret and Ugo Tognazzi, all playing characters who use the actors' real first names) come together in a palatial estate to screw prostitutes and eat themselves to death. No real reason is given. The prostitutes don't make it very long. The constant feasting disgusts them, and they leave. The only woman who does stay is a Reubenesque teacher named Andrea (Andrea Ferreol), who is intrigued by both the food and sex (unlike the other women, the idea of food and sex together turns her on). This movie is a tad too slow. At it's best, though, it's fascinating and hilariously gross. Food seems quite unappetizing after about a half hour of this. I loved the performances. Definitely of interest.

'La Grande Bouffe' (aka 'Blow-Out') is an extraordinary movie, the kind of movie you just can't imagine getting made these days. While shot through with black humour it is very sad and depressing, and for me just as bleak as say, 'Leaving Las Vegas'. Instead of alcohol these dissatisfied men decide to kill themselves using food. Marcello Mastroianni is the best known of the four stars but Michel Piccoli (Belle De Jour), Ugo Tognazzi and and Philippe Noiret are equally impressive. The acting from all four is first rate and really makes the premise believable. Director Marco Ferreri went on to make the Bukowski adaptation 'Tales Of Ordinary Madness' another uncompromising, f*cked up and beautiful movie. I highly recommend both films which are difficult viewing, but worth the effort.

If you want to see what freedom of artistry and wild imagination is all about, don't miss this movie. It's a one of a kind and leaves you wondering - why don't they make movies like these anymore? OK, so it's grosse, and anarchic, and discomforting. But it's also a brilliant tragicomic story about four middle-aged friends who lock themselves away in a country house and feast literally to death. Plus there's this unbeatable quartet of actors - Mastroianni, Piccoli, Noiret and Tognazzi - playing roles with their own Christian names, which says a lot about artistic honesty. A pity there are no more Marco Ferreris around. 9/10

Four affluent middle-aged men (Marcello Mastroianni, Michel Piccoli, Philippe Noiret & Ugo Tognazzi) close themselves off in a château for a weekend of stuffing themselves with gourmet food. They are joined by three prostitutes and a school teacher. It gradually becomes clear that this is a suicide pact ... the four intend to eat themselves to death. I love this film. It's somewhere between Bunuel and "Salo" ... or a version of "Salo" that is not hijacked as an indictment of fascism and is perhaps closer to De Sade. What starts as a fairly sensual enjoyment of food and sex gradually transforms into a grim and tawdry march to death. The film doesn't blink, but it also isn't really condemning men for their bloody minded self-hating lust for pleasure. It's both satire and celebration in an odd way.

The aircraft pilot Marcello, the chef Ugo, the TV choreographer Michel and the judge Phillipe decide to terminate their lives with a great pleasure, eating and having sex with three prostitutes and one school teacher invited to participate in their orgy.

I watched this unforgettable film in the 70's and I was very disturbed with this impressive metaphoric movie. In Brazil, it remained unreleased on video until a couple of months ago, when fortunately it was 'rescued' and released on DVD by the Brazilian distributor 'Versátil', specialized in masterpieces such as Fellini, Rosselini and Visconti. Now I have just had the chance to watch again this weird and daring movie about the decay of the society of consumption, empty and compulsive, searching for "sex and food" (material goods) much more than they need. The main characters use their Christian names. This movie is also a great black humor comedy. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "A Comilança" ("The Binge")