Butterfly

Pia Zadora was not the worst actress of 1981. Nor was she even close to giving a bad performance. This unknown actress in her mid 20's was able to dazzle the audience with her sexy charm. Let alone, act opposite both Stacey Keach and Orson Welles. That alone is a spectacular in itself. For those haters who shun this movie, I agree. It's a weird movie with weird characters. Still, its better than half the crap Hollywood is making today. This fact along with the fact that people are still viewing this movie, gives a strong defense that Pia did a good job and that this movie is worth the watch.

Butterfly (1982)

** (out of 4)

Based on the James M. Cain novel, this film centers on the young Kady Tyler (Pia Zadora) who returns home to live with her father Jess (Stacy Keach) and soon she begins to seduce him. Yeah, you read that right. Zadora made history with this film as she won the Razzie Worst Actress award while at the same time winning the Golden Globe New Star of the Year award. You can read about the controversy behind the Globes win elsewhere but to say this film is normal would be a very big lie. BUTTERFLY isn't nearly as bad or as trashy as its reputation would have you believe. It's not a soft-core porn flick if that's what you're expecting but more of a romantic mystery that probably shouldn't have been made. Those coming to the film to see how horrid Zadora is are also going to be disappointed because I really didn't find her as bad as the film's reputation. It seems she just became a punchline after winning the Golden Globe and while she's certainly not great or even good here, there's no doubt that she's taken way too much heat for the performance. I thought she played that dirty teenager well enough for a film like this. What she lacks is certainly made up by Keach who is actually very good here. I thought he did a very good job at showing the conflict that his male/father character had over the sexual advances of his daughter. Another person who's "bad performance" reputation is somewhat of a lie is that of Orson Welles who plays a judge. I really didn't find him to be bad here and in fact I thought he was quite good and that his performance certainly had a wink to the viewer to it. The film falls flat on a few levels including the running time, which just goes on way too long. The screenplay itself just doesn't have enough interesting moments to help keep the thing entertaining from start to finish. Another problem is that director Matt Cimber just doesn't add enough spark or energy to the picture. BUTTERFLY will probably always been known as a disaster but I think its reputation is quite unfair. It's not a good movie but there are certainly much worse out there.

Is this film ever going to get a DVD release? Even a cheap, quick release? A film this bad deserves to see the light of day, so aspiring film students can watch this and learn what not to do. Like, say, the creepy "Oh, I'll wash my daughter's back while she's taking a bath" scene. I haven't been able to find this movie at any used VHS store; it's time to put this legendarily bad film to DVD. If for no other reason then to see Welles in the sunset of his career and Ed McMahon actually acting, instead of being Johnny's sidekick or giving people massive checks for Publisher's Clearinghouse. And Pia Zadora, Thespian. Come on Criterion Collection, your public duty to unearth this wretched gem for a whole new generation to explore awaits you!

This is sort of a classic in the sultry, steamy sensuality arena, as it was defined early in the 1980s. Pia, like Laura Dern and others did later, appears in alluringly sheer hot weather clothes that will keep most red-blooded males captivated! These are all the more captivating when set in the early part of this century.

Pia Zadora is the perfect sexy nymph. Ennio Morricone provides a score that rings a bell because it almost sounds like a"spaghetti western". Stacy Keach as the lusting daddy is fine, and Orson Wells comes across as a curiosity. The problem lies with the script. At first things take their time, introducing characters at a leisurely rate. There is a slow buildup but little idea where the movie is going. Then suddenly the pace quickens, and logic begins to fly out the window. In the end there are unresolved issues dangling uncomfortably, a ridiculous legal unwinding, and the viewer is left holding a very large bag of questions. Nudity does not a movie make, and "Butterfly", despite the titillating bathtub scene, is rather unsatisfying. - MERK