Nudi in paradiso

It's really too bad that people think of "A Night In Heaven" as 'the male stripper movie,' because it's really not that at all. Yes the wife has an affair with her student, who happens to be a stripper, but this accounts for maybe 10 minutes of screen time. At it's center is a believable study of a marriage on the rocks, after a husband loses his job, and begins to completely alienate his wife. Lesley Ann Warren is good in her role as Faye, the wife who begins to feel insecure, and undesirable after her husband shuts her out. When she finds herself attracting the attention of one of her young, handsome students (Chris Atkins) she resists as best she can, but soon an affair ensues, that might possibly have some serious consequences.

The interesting thing about the movie is how the husband and wife interact. They have such different views of what is really happening. "A Night In Heaven" doesn't dissolve into a smutty exploitation film, nor does it deteriorate into some 'revenge flick' at the end. The husband is actually perceptive enough to see that his wife's affair was perhaps, his fault. Directed by the man behind the original "Rocky," some qualities of that film are evident here, as well as some themes. It's physical, and passionate, and it has a kind of urban grittiness about it. An odd, obscure film from the 80's, worth seeing for some quality drama and good performances...and yes, some very sexy scenes too..

A Night In Heaven rates right up there as one of the trashiest films ever made. But Christopher Atkins is so goldarn sexy in this I have to say that this film is a guilty pleasure of mine.

The Blue Lagoon Boy with no curls any longer plays a trailer park kid who is the main attraction at a male strip club named Heaven located in Titusville near Cape Canaveral. He's also going to community college where Professor Lesley Anne Warren flunks him in her Speech class. At the same time Warren is not getting any attention from husband Robert Logan and she's frustrated.

On a girl's night out, she takes one look at Atkins and Atkins sees the look Warren is giving him and the results are inevitable. I think you can figure where this is going, it doesn't take a genius. But the climax I will say rates high in the ludicrous cinema department.

Interestingly enough while Christopher Atkins won the Razzie Award for worst actor, A Night In Heaven wasn't nominated for Worst Picture. It was probably unfair to Chris since all he was asked to do was look sexy and be seductive. He succeeded admirably on both counts. I suppose the Razzies are as inscrutable as the Oscars.

But if your taste runs to trashy movies, don't let this one get by.

It just cracks me right up when people mention "A Night in Heaven" and the word "plot" in the same sentence. Yeeping yimminy, take a look at the box cover! All they ever promised us was Chris Atkins in his Xanadu disco-slut-wear, pulsating and gyrating and waving his goodies at the camera. A male nudie flick. That's what they promised us, and that's what we got!

Mr. Blue Lagoon prances about the entire movie wearing nothing more than a cheap self-tanner and dental floss. The direction is nothing more than an endless string of tight close-up shots of Mr. Atkins' generously lathered nether-regions. Pure smut. That's what they promised us, and that's what we got!

Word of caution: This flick is where that "Obsession" song came from ("I will have you, yes I will have you..wah wah wah...") It's not the Animotion version either, it's, gasp ...even worse. It sounds like it was recorded at one of those amusement park "You be a Star!" karaoke-style "recording studios". Shudder.

But that's irrelevant. As is the acting, the cinematography, the editing, the lighting and most of all Lesley Ann Warren. "A Night in Heaven" is all about an oiled-down Atkins, a few clutzy dance moves, and a skimpy boy-toy thong. That's what they promised us, and that's what we got.

Yay them!

Christopher Atkins! Lesley Ann Warren!! Eighties top-ten hits! For goodness sakes, the guy who played Tony HOSTED Dance Fever!! I remember that I had a crush on him.

This movie is so totally steeped in Eighties pop-culture. From the first scene where Whitney shuts down the computer (get a load of that thing?) to the hot pants worn by Atkins. The Eighties (especially the early Eighties) was a time when the lines blurred between being gay and straight. Ahh those heady pre-AIDS days...

At one point in the movie, Ricky (Atkins)responds to his sister complaining about his sleeping around, "I'm 21 years old, I'm right where I'm supposed to be..." And the fashions, man, the FASHIONS. The Peter Pan collars worn by Warren. The red dress complete with puffy sleeves when she goes to the strip club for the first time. The big hair! Pick ANY item worn by Tony... All Eighties, all the time!! And finally - the hottest sex scene that is STILL hot by today's standards!! The Big Easy comes close.... close, but not quite.

It's not a great movie. I don't think it's even a mediocre movie. But I DO think it's an IMPORTANT movie. One day our children will watch this movie and think... "what where they THINKING?!??!"

With a direction from John G. Avildsen ("Rocky") and a screenplay by Joan Tewkesbury ("Thieves Like Us", "Nashville"), one might expect more from this turgid drama about a married community-college teacher who discovers to her embarrassment that a male stripper she sees one night in a dance-club is actually one of her students. Lesley Ann Warren does what she can with a nearly unplayable role, but even her personal style can't dress up this flick with much class. The poorly-produced and edited film has become something of a cult item--mainly due to Christopher Atkins' nude shots--but the script and surrounding melodrama are inept and unfulfilling. * from ****