**** me. (Baise-Moi (DVD))

Member Name: peel.rebekah

Product:	Baise-Moi (DVD)
Date:	10/08/01 (417 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Hmmn.

Disadvantages: Errrm.

Err, ok, so the title of this film is 'Rape Me', is it? That seems to be the semi sanitised version of the title that your dear British selves (and Americans to boot, which is probably nearer to the point) are getting. You know, I can kinda understand the large world of distribution houses having a few moral or money orientated problems with the true title...so this is the way it is: This film is called Rape Me...and all of those of you who have a knowledge of naughty school hood French will know the truth.

*The Film.

Nadine turns occasional tricks and spends her time winding up her flat mate: A monotonous life of prostitution and domination that really doesn't seem to be going anywhere. On the other side of the tracks a young Arab girl is trying hard to identify herself against the backdrop of drugs, violence, gang rapes and sexist older brothers: Manu is a product of her environment; harsh and vulgar words spill from her mouth, and her angry thoughts are fueled even further when she and her junkie friend become the victims of a gang rape.

Two acts of spontaneous violence by both the females, leads them to meet somewhere in the middle: Manu shoots her brother when he implies she is a whore for being raped, and Nadine assaults (maybe kills) her flat mate, when she bad mouths Nadine's best friend - a rather laid back and ethereal character. Nadine rushes to be with this best friend; only moments after their discussions, Nadine is witness to his frenzied murder...She packs her bags and heads out of town.

Manu and Nadine nigh on collide at the train station; Manu is quick to identify a use for Nadine, maneuvers her into the driving seat (Manu has a car (her dead brother's at a guess) but doesn't know how to drive), and commands her to take her to the sea: This younger woman takes the mental mastery from the off, and so Nadine drives Manu to the waters edge in search of something. When they arrive, Manu realise
s that that something doesn't seem to be there; and so she turns to Nadine and takes solace in her arms.

The two women now take that last shuffle into moral less killing (previously there violence has contained some meaning): The two trail a likely looking female victim as she withdraws money from the cash machine - they grab her; they regard her straight in the eye; they kill her in cold blood; they empty her account of cash with wide grins on their faces. The final step has been taken; now the mindless killing and the gratuitous baising really starts.

And so, united in their grievances and collective in their viscous venom for society, these ladies journey into towns and out of bedrooms. Those who seek to take advantage of these ladies are quick to learn their lesson; and even those that are innocent succumb to the same female foul play.

And the fetid murderings continue to the end.

*The Acting.

I assume that you're a nice, well bred, world cinematically wise, art house audience, that usually likes to indulge in the sexy bits ala Manga; and on that assumption, then I guess that maybe you don't spend to much of your time watching mainstream French pornography (oh yeh, except via Eurotrash, that is), and so you may have managed to miss a major selling/advertising/hype point about Baise Moi: The two female roles are real life, dirty whoring porn stars of the first degree.

Hmmn. Yes. Real life porn stars ACTING in an art house real life parody about sex, rape and murder. Hmmn, yes indeed.

Stating this, one then feels it somewhat necessary to justify the acting skills of Karen Bach (Nadine) and Raffaela Anderson (Manu) - but there really is no need - these women are absolutely wonderful within their own skins (if you see what I mean) and so fulfill the needs of the film to the hilt...whether they fulfill the needs of the audience is another matter.

What I mean is this: They are vehicle
s for the film as much as the film is a vehicle for their continued notoriety and fame: The film's sincerity and authority is held within their earthy performances (one noticeable scene - when they take two strangers into the bedroom and perform several 'professional' acts - takes on a distinct flavour when one knows that the girls do this 'for real' (and I'm not saying it's not for real in the film, but maybe you get what I mean) the rest of the time - also, think again about that terrifyingly credible rape scene with this little bit of hindsight), and the social comment is made loud and clear with the porn stars names pasted clearly across the movie posters...I feel a large turn of irony coming on strong.

I'm being unfair: Bach and Anderson act their...socks off, in this gritty and rotten apple of a road movie...they really do, and if you didn't know what they REALLY did, then there are no more than the obvious (how many actresses usually shave their way into a film?) clues to the day job.

I have to mention this, because I doubt the sensitive art house ears will get to hear of it otherwise: Raffaela also used and abused this film to shoot herself into the limelight with a book about her work within the genre, and a very shocking story. She claims, and it seems to be verified, that she lost her virginity on a porn film - in fact, she chose this - she chose to pop her cherry on the slightly gilded screen for you all to view. Hmmn. Make of that what you will.

And just to add: Some of you sweet viewers may well be led to believe that all French males are indeed incredibly well hung - unfortunately untrue, and yes, you've guessed it, most of the men involved in the making of Baise Moi are also involved in the pornography industry.

*The Direction

Virginie Despentes and Coralie Trinh Thi; two women I know very little about. Baise Moi seems to be Despentes baby, as she wrote the novel, i
n 1995, on which the film is based. This film is her first venture, so I ain't got much to compare it too, sorry.

There is a tight and slight line I feel exists with this type of work, whether it be painting, installation, text or film: There is a point of sublimity, and a void of attention seeking, shock value drivel that yawns open beneath. Do you know what I mean?

There are moments in celluloid that are just shining with violence and foul mouths, yet they seem to ascend you to the heady heights of what film can be - this is, unfortunately, not one of those films.

It misses the point so drastically it's unnerving.

It could have been...but something seems to have gone so incredibly wrong somewhere down the line, and we end up with Thelma and Louise showing us their *****, that's just how original and ground breaking this film is. Thhhpt.

It's just so...nothing, so dull and so untogether. I expected so much more from the film, and was left frighteningly cold (but not as cold as if it had actually had any effect on me). The camera work is, as one would expect, distraught and reality stricken - just not in a convincing way. The only unison between the film quality, the camera work, the acting and the storyline, is that nobody seems to give a damn - there is absolutely no coherence. Don't get me wrong, I would love to sing the praises of this film as a social eye opener with a truely valid comment to offer, but I just find it so ugly and rude. Even a little humour would have saved it (perhaps) but here the only scene worth laughing about is so deeply eurgh, that you just can't (oh, but I'm sure there are some of you that will, just wait and see).

Nope; this directorial team need to think again, I'm really not impressed with this unattractive first born who swears way too much.

*Conclusion.

You know, I don't hate this film horridly till my nose falls of, I just
detest it for not being what it could be, and riding its way into the headlines with the filth and the hype that it did. It's not a BAD film, honest; I suppose it is simply a pointed response at the soft core Americanisation of revengeful women in celluloid. Heavy sigh.

You may like it (that is if you don't mind nasty killing bits, flesh, blood and awfully bad language), just don't expect to find the truth here.

Enjoy, if you will.

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