EllaMalias
Joined Jul 2005
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Reviews9
EllaMalias's rating
I have seen, and sometimes liked, a fair number of bad movies. "Blood Freak," for instance, is a bad movie and not worth seeing. I say that so the reader will know I am capable of some discernment.
Having said that, this movie impressed me. The English dubbing was not nearly as bad as some Japanese movies my smart geek friends have tried to make me watch. Also, it seriously has an intriguing premise, with a feminist twist on the werewolf myth. The heroine fantasizes she is a werewolf as a coping mechanism, to compensate after having been raped. This suggests a sociological theory that any woman feels she must be a monster to protect herself from men. There is an implication that men are inherently violent, and that a safe or non-violent sex act/relationship may be possible. So, there are feminist implications even though the movie seems exploitative in many ways.
The nudity is indeed profuse, and there is also a stereotyped nymphomaniac character, among other clichés. Overall, I thought everything was in the right spirit (i.e. funny/campy rather than offensive/awkward.)
I was disturbed, though, at an on-screen gang rape that almost seemed intended to be erotic. Whatever the intent, it certainly was an upsetting scene, more so than the cheesy killing parts.
What I like most about this movie is that the supernatural aspects of the myth are not emphasized. It's more about the psychology of a woman with issues involving her sexuality...which she needs to work out by prowling around naked and tearing peoples' throats out! Yeah!
It's only too bad the werewolf woman's behavior involves so much neck-biting; this hints at vampire-confusion.
I thought the action moved along OK, considering the number of developments. And there were many plot developments, however thin. The ending seemed abrupt and was certainly corny, but I wasn't watching it for the moral!
Definitely recommended if camp is up your alley.
Having said that, this movie impressed me. The English dubbing was not nearly as bad as some Japanese movies my smart geek friends have tried to make me watch. Also, it seriously has an intriguing premise, with a feminist twist on the werewolf myth. The heroine fantasizes she is a werewolf as a coping mechanism, to compensate after having been raped. This suggests a sociological theory that any woman feels she must be a monster to protect herself from men. There is an implication that men are inherently violent, and that a safe or non-violent sex act/relationship may be possible. So, there are feminist implications even though the movie seems exploitative in many ways.
The nudity is indeed profuse, and there is also a stereotyped nymphomaniac character, among other clichés. Overall, I thought everything was in the right spirit (i.e. funny/campy rather than offensive/awkward.)
I was disturbed, though, at an on-screen gang rape that almost seemed intended to be erotic. Whatever the intent, it certainly was an upsetting scene, more so than the cheesy killing parts.
What I like most about this movie is that the supernatural aspects of the myth are not emphasized. It's more about the psychology of a woman with issues involving her sexuality...which she needs to work out by prowling around naked and tearing peoples' throats out! Yeah!
It's only too bad the werewolf woman's behavior involves so much neck-biting; this hints at vampire-confusion.
I thought the action moved along OK, considering the number of developments. And there were many plot developments, however thin. The ending seemed abrupt and was certainly corny, but I wasn't watching it for the moral!
Definitely recommended if camp is up your alley.
A lot has been said about this movie in other reviews here; perhaps too much.
All I want to add/suggest is that it is possible to love the movie, without feeling the need to analyze it so much or "solve" it. I feel that it is neither "random" and "pointless," nor is it a "puzzle" to "solve." Everything is related and there are certainly themes. I also don't necessarily think one story-line is "real" and the other is a "dream." (They're both "movies.") Personally, I think of this as a movie about symbolism and storytelling. It speaks to me about art and performances and how artificial they are, yet how they can transform our world. Also, it has a wonderful, haunting paranoid sensibility, and a lovely surreal style. Lots of style, mmm-hmm.
I can sympathize with people finding this movie pretentious. But it's also very beautiful and I think it can be enjoyed pretty much at face value.
All I want to add/suggest is that it is possible to love the movie, without feeling the need to analyze it so much or "solve" it. I feel that it is neither "random" and "pointless," nor is it a "puzzle" to "solve." Everything is related and there are certainly themes. I also don't necessarily think one story-line is "real" and the other is a "dream." (They're both "movies.") Personally, I think of this as a movie about symbolism and storytelling. It speaks to me about art and performances and how artificial they are, yet how they can transform our world. Also, it has a wonderful, haunting paranoid sensibility, and a lovely surreal style. Lots of style, mmm-hmm.
I can sympathize with people finding this movie pretentious. But it's also very beautiful and I think it can be enjoyed pretty much at face value.