Flashing Lights

My review was written in June 1985 after watching the movie on VCL-Media Home Entertainment video cassette.

"Monique" is an extremely odd melodrama, filmed in New York City in 1979 by a mainly French crew under the title "Flashing Lights", subsequently renamed "New York After Dark" and unreleased theatrically. Pic is now available on home video as "Monique", not to be confused with the 1970 British sex pic of that name.

Despite opening and end titles insisting this is a true story reported in a 1974 French psychology journal, pic unfolds as an unconvincing exploitation tale with absurd plot hooks. Monique (Florence Giorgetti) is a 35-year-old French art book publisher in Manhattan, who suddenly marries a young artist Richard Lewis (John Ferris), who specializes in oversize drawings of babies. Natch, Monique wants a chlld but can't seem to have one and is visiting a nasty shrink Dr. Mandel (Barry Woloski) to resolve this and other problems. Her biggest hangup, insecurity, stems from recurring nightmares about a childhood incident involving her mom (since deceased).

Film takes a strange twist when it turns out that husband Richard is cheating on Monique with his prior male lover Rboert (Todd Isaacson) and is still a part of Gotham's gay scene, all without informing his wife. Absurd coincidence has the shrink finding out from Monique's dad that the childhood trauma was her witnessing her mom's discovery that daddy was having an affair with another man.

Final reels go way over the top as Monique becomes deranged and hunts for hubby in Manhattan gay bars, leaving a trail of dead bodies. Filmed around the same time as William Friedkin's "Cruising", pic briefly offers an even stranger glimpse of this N. Y. night world, with Monique dancing on the disco floor with dozens of heavy leather guys, prior to her stabbing them.

Case history format is very awkward, with frequent inserts of psychoanalysis sessions featuring a most abrasive, obnoxious shrink. Giorgetti, who earlier made a strong impression as Isabelle Huppert's sympathetic roommate in "The Lacemaker", is empathetic in the tortured title role, but is hampered a bit by the requirement of English-language dialog. Supporting cast is weak and under-directed by French helmer Jacques Scandelari. A disco music score by Jacques Morali has become dated.

This is alleged to be based on a true story. It's about a young French-Canadian woman named Monique, who is haunted by witnessing her mother's death by shooting as a small child, and that the trauma continues to haunt and damage her. One day, she meets a man who seems to be everything she has hoped for and they marry. But the marriage begins to fail and he stays out late at night, leaving her lonely and wondering what he's doing. When she investigates, she discovers he has a secret life, and the discovery causes her to descend into psychosis. The low budget shows, although Florence Giorgetti gives a compelling performance in the lead role, and the supporting cast is passable. The film sometimes is interesting, especially with the hidden theme of history repeating itself for the tormented Monique. If the story is true, one wonders how she is doing now, years after the events took place.

A French broad living in New York hitches up with a moustached 'erotic artist' (Try saying that with a straight face) to have a baby. Only problem is, she has a face like a slapped a**e and the dude is a complete moron. A trauma in her past leads her to behave oddly in confined spaces, and it all ends in tragedy for Ms Paranio and her walking sperm donor. She confides in a quack occasionally, who also has facial hair in exactly the same pattern. Are we sensing a fetish here?

In this load of old cobblers you have the dubious pleasure of hearing one of the worst songs EVER sung in a nightclub just before our lead has one of her funny turns. Complete with all the usual ninnies dressed up like it was pantomime season dancing around while the camera goes nutso. I mention this because it is the only thing that stands out in a morass of boring conversations and time wasting montages. Forget the sight of the young lady running from a dark stranger on the front of the VHS too.. she is NEVER in danger, and spends most of the film navel-gazing while us at home feel like shaking the neurotic bint until she does something halfway interesting.

Apparently according to the ending credits it is 'based on a true story'. Usually with that kind of statement they elaborate a bit on the details, change some of the events around to make it more exciting to a mainstream audience. In this case, I believe they filmed it EXACTLY as it happened, even down the countless scenes where she sits around in bed or stares into nothing. WHY did we need to have it turned into a movie? There is nothing here whatsoever that warrants it being given a budget and turned into a motion picture. It's hideous.

But if you liked this Mr Film Producer and you happen to be reading, you're going to love this script I've been working on. IT'S BASED ON TRUE EVENTS ALSO. My deal is ten million dollars and 60% of the worldwide gross. Here's a little taste: I was waiting is the bus queue the other day and an old man who was standing behind me dropped his watch. I noticed it was a Rolex and I said to him "Ooh, I've got one of them at home" and he responded by.. Oops, don't want to give too much away. PM if interested, I'm in most evenings if I'm not at the health club. Ciao!! 1/10

this is a downbeat but intersting 80s american movie with a great performance by the leading lady.It has themes of loneliness,homophobia and anxiety.You will not feel better about life after seeing but you will not forget it either.