Preaching to the Perverted

Having caught this supposedly controversial film for the first time since about 1998 I was shocked. I was not shocked at the second rate fetish imagery and its laughable portrayal on the bdsm scene in London but just how dated this film is. Maybe it is that when it first came out the Spanner Case was still on everyone's lips, the police really were busting fetish clubs and we were all still shaking from the back to basics campaign of the Major government. It's amazing how things can change. Today watching Preaching to the Perverted is a bit like watching a 70s sex comedy where showing bottoms was considered risque. Infact the only thing missing is Leslie Phillips and his smug laugh. With the film failing to remain valid in contemporary England just about the only cause of interest in it has gone. As I've already mentioned it's a totally unrealistic image of the fetish scene, from the laughable BDSM scenes to the relationship between the pervs in the film.

Just to show how out of touch the writers were when the drew up the script they have the stupid idea of an American domme in this country when the reality is that Brittania rules the fetish scene of America thanks to the likes of Skin Two and Demask, not the other way around. To have the major pervy character in it being American is just completely divorced from reality and if she was American how come shes wearing all that latex when leather is far more 'in' there? Patriotic bitching aside the script is horrible and the acting is even worse. The supposed center of the script is the issue of censorship and the rights of the individual but sadly that's all lost in a mix of 70s style jokes and double entendres. Jokes are few and far between and each character is as well sculpted as a lump of lard. Being a 'comedy' films like this live or die on their script. If like Shaun of the Dead it's good and the actors cope with it then the film can weather the ages but if not it quickly falls over. There are some fine actors in the supporting roles who are completely wasted, we all know Keith Allen is funny, Ricky Tomlinson even better, Roger Lloyd Pack can be wonderfully dead pan, and Tom Bell is a great actor but you're left feeling dead at their performances. The two leads are particularly bad. Gwen Turner is a talented actress as well as screen writer but here she might as well be reading from a board off camera. I know shes playing a mistress but her complete failure to ever emote effectively ruins her part, maybe thats the fault of the director but either way she doesn't convey the depth her part needs.

Christien Anholt (son of 1999s Tony you trivia fans) is even worse. So made of paper does he seem that you wonder whether he was recycled from his father's rubbish bin. It's not surprising that his careers has sunk without a trace since. I'm sure his agent can still hear his drowning cries. The dated feel I've mentioned is compounded by the soundtrack of mid 90s techno, whilst some people may smile at the memory of all that pill popping it just sounds rubbish these days and really bleepy, one step up from 2 Unlimited. Even the production design which some have mentioned is just gimmicky, a pink prop in every scene being something people shout about just shows how little there is to shout about. I'm struggling to find anything to recommend about this film, okay, it does have a few funny moments but they are few in far between. I can't even recommend this film for those of you who are vanilla to get an idea of the fetish scene because it's just so laughably bad. The end result is like pouring massage oil on latex and leaving it for three months to fester - flaky, white mouldy crap.

In Germany there was much fuss about this film, as we´ve heard much about it, but it was hard to obtain at first. Finally, someone managed, and meanwhile I´ve seen the film in its English original and in a translated version. I loved it at first sight! Tanya makes a dream of a domina, and Peter´s so sweet... I presume, you enjoy it more when you´re a member of the fetish/sm-community, but the gags - I mean jokes ;) - should be intelligible by everyone, I think. Of course you need a strong sense of humour, and you shouldn´t feel offended by people who feel good kneeling in a cage, being beaten and stuff like this. It´s in no way a true insight of the fetish-scene - it´s too much dreams coming true ;) - but it´s fun for the kinks and open-minded vanillas, too. And that´s more to say of than of any other film I know. Kaya

Urban's ability to structure objective perspectives around emotionally and socially sensitive contexts takes us to the S&M club scene of London. Cleverly using black humour to disguise the join between the perspective and the context, it takes the completion of the movie to realise that the only view its interwoven statements have left us with is to question our own need to have an opinion. The verbal scaffolding doesn't allow us to avoid the process as it sympathetically leads us into a world of fantasy to affirm how it mirrors the social dynamics of hum drum reality - but with a lot more honesty and safety controls. Tanya is strong. Gosh, with so many people depending on her, it's enough to force a girl to dominate. Her alluring detachment is the only way to keep the world ticking for everybody who needs to be told what to do. The staid enable the illicit; and how will people feel good about themselves without being able to judge others? Well, it's a lonely job but somebody's got to do it – although you have to wonder who's controlling who (soundfamiliar?). And what do you do when the fantasy becomes the reality?

The stylish, dated cinematography really suits the necessary pace of this cult movie, but a remake could be extremely interesting. Jo Parker

Very, very seldom does a film come along and make me want to watch it over and over. This is one such case. Sure it has some corny story elements. For example, the ending was a little corny... a little too happy and perfect. And yes, the government would never send somebody to infiltrate subversive groups like this. But the entire film is laced with tongue in cheek satire so let's just sit back and enjoy the story can't we? From a very visual person such as myself, the costumes, makeup and set design are outstanding! True, most of the scenes are probably a little over the top compared to the real BDSM scene, but once again, this is film is not meant to be taken literally. Even the music is wonderfully chosen to reflect each scene. These technical and creative merits alone deserve an A+. Yes, Guinevere Turner is exceptionally beautiful and sexy in this film, but Sue Johnston deserves a WOW for flat out courage for shaving her head and still looking this gorgeous. This film has deservedly won a place on my list of top 10 films of all time. From a visual standpoint it's easily in the top 5, right next to The Cell, Moulin Rouge, and Bram Stoker's Dracula.

Gorgeously shot. There's a lot more going on here than just the SBDSM. The performances are solid and the story is funny and even a little touching. Big recommend.