Before I start off with anything on Baise Moi, I must make a voluntary disclosure. I have seen Takashi Miike's Ichi the killer (a crisper and shorter review here), and though for a while I found it difficult to see the film, I was inexplicably entranced by it, and today consider it one of the best films I have seen (my so called top 10 is a very dynamic list). The audacity is amazing, as is the ease of the process of filming in essence very difficult emotions to capture on screen. A few years earlier, and the comic manga that Ichi the killer was based on would have been put forward by Alfred Hitchcock as "Stories they wouldn't let me do on TV". Despite the clinical removal of all visible violence from the film (except for a few memorable slashes), the suggestion of extreme and mostly unprovoked violence makes the viewer shudder in scared anticipation. I have seen it, and adore it. I am not too fond of the slasher or gore genre in horror cinema, though for sheer entertainment, I sometimes might indulge in say, the Hostel movies. I still hate Audition (by the same Takashi Miike).
The disclosure is necessary to classify myself as a person who adores horror and yet is not too impressed with the gore genre as a shocking tactic. Baise Moi, which is french for "Fuck Me" (However, it's translations in other languages have been closer to Rape Me, an easier title to print on covers than "Fuck Me" which wouldn't be allowed in many countries), shows enough signs of an ambitious director, for sure. I saw the film after carrying the dvd (bought in one of those Loot Lo sessions last year) for more than a year, despite the provocative promises on the cover. In a session yesterday, I saw it and should plead to being a little lenient on this one (though that could be because of me taking the opposite side, since most intellectuals I know do not like the flick).
First things first, from here,
Anyone who's constantly frustrated by the simulated sex scenes in mainstream movies (wondering why, as adults, we're not permitted to see more explicit sexual activity in R-rated and, frankly, NC-17 rated films) should check out the controversial French film "Baise-Moi" (or "Rape Me," to give the film one of its less literal/more printable translations). One look and it'll be obvious why. *That's* why they don't do it, you'll quickly come to realize.
"Baise-Moi" is unique in so much as it's a mainstream film peppered with hardcore (i.e., non-simulated) sex scenes and (hopefully) simulated scenes of extreme violence. The sex here is not only jarring in its explicitness but, if you'll pardon the expression, it sticks out like a sore thumb. It's not titillating (because it's too distracting, in an oddly anachronistic way), and it doesn't have much of a chance to be sexy, because the ultraviolence soon comes down like a ton of bricks.
The violence itself (aimed at both women and men, so don't go into this thinking it's some feminist anthem) is pretty nasty, so much so that you actually crave the sex scenes just to have something else to look at (until they arrive that is, orchestrated to a thumpa-thumpa rock beat, and then you're all distracted and non-titillated again). It's a circle ... and a very vicious one at that.
"Baise-Moi" is unique in so much as it's a mainstream film peppered with hardcore (i.e., non-simulated) sex scenes and (hopefully) simulated scenes of extreme violence. The sex here is not only jarring in its explicitness but, if you'll pardon the expression, it sticks out like a sore thumb. It's not titillating (because it's too distracting, in an oddly anachronistic way), and it doesn't have much of a chance to be sexy, because the ultraviolence soon comes down like a ton of bricks.
The violence itself (aimed at both women and men, so don't go into this thinking it's some feminist anthem) is pretty nasty, so much so that you actually crave the sex scenes just to have something else to look at (until they arrive that is, orchestrated to a thumpa-thumpa rock beat, and then you're all distracted and non-titillated again). It's a circle ... and a very vicious one at that.
Old Man Ebert saw the flick and was shaking his grave head on what kind of movies are they making these days?
''Baise Moi'' is (a) a violent and pornographic film from France about two women, one a rape victim, the other a prostitute, who prowl the countryside murdering men. Or ''Baise Moi'' is (b) an attempt to subvert sexism in the movies by turning the tables and allowing the women to do more or less what men have been doing for years--while making a direct connection between sex and guns, rather than the sublimated connection in most violent movies. I pose the question because I do not know the answer. Certainly most ordinary moviegoers will despise this movie--or would, if they went to see it, which is unlikely. It alternates between graphic, explicit sex scenes and murder scenes of brutal cruelty. You recoil from what's on the screen. Later, you ask what the filmmakers had in mind. They are French, and so we know some kind of ideology and rationalization must lurk beneath the blood and semen.
The film has been written and directed by Virginie Despentes, based on her novel; she enlisted Coralie Trinh Thi, a porno actress, as her co-director (whether to help with the visual strategy or because of her understanding of the mechanical requirements on onscreen sex, it is hard to say). The movie's central characters, Manu and Nadine, are played by Raffaella Anderson and Karen Bach, who act in hard-core films, and some of the men are also from the porno industry.
The film has been written and directed by Virginie Despentes, based on her novel; she enlisted Coralie Trinh Thi, a porno actress, as her co-director (whether to help with the visual strategy or because of her understanding of the mechanical requirements on onscreen sex, it is hard to say). The movie's central characters, Manu and Nadine, are played by Raffaella Anderson and Karen Bach, who act in hard-core films, and some of the men are also from the porno industry.
Old Man Roger up is clearly baulked loud by the flick, and didn't want to be identified as a baulker. I am more inclined to agree with this view however,
Using the fact that it was banned in its native France, Baise-Moi is a film that continually seeks to cash in on controversy. From the title—which literally translates to ‘F*ck Me’--through to the hardcore sex (with actual penetration in the majority of the scenes), brutal violence, and to the fact that our antiheroes are women, everything here seems designed to cause outrage.
Is it really outrageous though? Most critics would say yes, but I tend to disagree. While the film certainly tries to make itself into more than what it really is by adding some sort of half-assed feminist manifesto to the proceedings, once you get past that and view Baise-Moi as what it truly is—an exploitation flick with pornographic underpinnings—the film becomes much more entertaining. This is feminism from the Ms. 45 and I Spit on Your Grave school of thought—women empowered in the way that men would find interesting instead of any kind of real empowerment at all.
That’s intriguing, since the film was directed by two women—Virginie Despentes and Coralie Trinh Thi (who’s an adult film actress). One would assume that since women were at the helm that at least the feminist ideals would ring true—but they don’t. The main characters of Manu (Raffaela Anderson) and Nadine (Karen Bach) are little more than stylized versions of every man’s fantasy/nightmare—women who like to f*ck and are aggressive about it, but likely to kill you instead of cuddle afterwards.
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The film itself was shot on digital video, and it’s often grainy. The style is, as my colleague John Nesbit points out, reminiscent of the Dogme films—albeit not as good. I found that the grainy video and amateurish camera work was to the film’s advantage though. In many ways, Baise-Moi has a cinema verite feel to it. I was also often reminded of Man Bites Dog while watching it.
Is it really outrageous though? Most critics would say yes, but I tend to disagree. While the film certainly tries to make itself into more than what it really is by adding some sort of half-assed feminist manifesto to the proceedings, once you get past that and view Baise-Moi as what it truly is—an exploitation flick with pornographic underpinnings—the film becomes much more entertaining. This is feminism from the Ms. 45 and I Spit on Your Grave school of thought—women empowered in the way that men would find interesting instead of any kind of real empowerment at all.
That’s intriguing, since the film was directed by two women—Virginie Despentes and Coralie Trinh Thi (who’s an adult film actress). One would assume that since women were at the helm that at least the feminist ideals would ring true—but they don’t. The main characters of Manu (Raffaela Anderson) and Nadine (Karen Bach) are little more than stylized versions of every man’s fantasy/nightmare—women who like to f*ck and are aggressive about it, but likely to kill you instead of cuddle afterwards.
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The film itself was shot on digital video, and it’s often grainy. The style is, as my colleague John Nesbit points out, reminiscent of the Dogme films—albeit not as good. I found that the grainy video and amateurish camera work was to the film’s advantage though. In many ways, Baise-Moi has a cinema verite feel to it. I was also often reminded of Man Bites Dog while watching it.
The bulk of Baise-Moi’s energy is spent spinning a violent revenge fantasy with a stunningly unchecked id that shows us just how much those vague perceptions can manage to shock, revolt, offend, entertain, and enlighten.
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What is scary about these women isn’t that they kill or even that they kill without much provocation or even justification. They don’t pose a threat to men because they kill men. They’re scary because they have the same sense of self-entitlement that is not at all perceived as out of place in men. They feel no need to justify what they do, and why should they, if so many men have done the same to them? They become grotesquely empowered by calmly taking pleasure in their rebellion. That they occasionally kill women too is necessary since, like a man who rarely has to consider his sexual role, they’re not going to be bound by anything as simple as an ethos. Like Takashi Miike’s Audition, this is a horror story that shows men the inherent offense and condescension involved in thinking they know how a woman will react. This film is braver and better though because it doesn’t assume like Audition that there are still some of us who actually believe a woman “has her place”.
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What is scary about these women isn’t that they kill or even that they kill without much provocation or even justification. They don’t pose a threat to men because they kill men. They’re scary because they have the same sense of self-entitlement that is not at all perceived as out of place in men. They feel no need to justify what they do, and why should they, if so many men have done the same to them? They become grotesquely empowered by calmly taking pleasure in their rebellion. That they occasionally kill women too is necessary since, like a man who rarely has to consider his sexual role, they’re not going to be bound by anything as simple as an ethos. Like Takashi Miike’s Audition, this is a horror story that shows men the inherent offense and condescension involved in thinking they know how a woman will react. This film is braver and better though because it doesn’t assume like Audition that there are still some of us who actually believe a woman “has her place”.
They're like dominatrices who've unleashed their volcanic ids; codirector Virginie Despentes, adapting her novel, seems to have found a new primal scene in the moment when Manu regurgitates all over the nice guy she's fellating.
Few would mistake ''Baise-Moi'' for a good movie, yet it's not dismissible, either. It's a caterwauling punk anthem on film, a vengeful fantasia served up with digital rawness. The hellbent antiheroines are as horny as they are hateful, and it's that fatal split, rooted in biology as well as feminist anger, that makes the sensationalism stick.
Few would mistake ''Baise-Moi'' for a good movie, yet it's not dismissible, either. It's a caterwauling punk anthem on film, a vengeful fantasia served up with digital rawness. The hellbent antiheroines are as horny as they are hateful, and it's that fatal split, rooted in biology as well as feminist anger, that makes the sensationalism stick.
Culture Cartel makes critical points against the free economy where people like the director of this flick are allowed a camera to shoot with and enough marketing know how to market it,
Baise-moi, notorious for its graphic depiction of rape and for being banned in its native France, exciting exploitation fans because they realize how explicit French films can be. The term “Baise-moi” has been widely publicized in the U.S. as meaning “Rape me,” but the more accurate translation is “Fuck me.” The latter wouldn't play any U.S. film festivals, arthouses, or get classified as a foreign video/DVD. Distributors are aware that gaining a crossover audience is desirable for greater market share. I feel fortunate that I only had to invest 70 minutes and waste a Netflix rental; otherwise, I would have felt that I was the one who got raped and fucked.
For all its publicity about being a feminist statement against rape, Baise-moi essentially boils down to bloody nihilistic pornography that is neither provocative nor sexy—another Natural Born Killers with explicit sex and less artistry with the camera. Shot on videotape, somewhat in Dogme style, filmmakers Virginie Despentes and Coralie Trinh Thi (a porno actress) fail to develop any characters to care about although basic human instincts tell us that we should feel sorry for the two rape victims and for the various people who are subsequently gunned down senselessly.
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Attracting audiences with publicity about the shocking film that has appeared at film festivals but been banned by its progressive native country, the bloody film rapes and fucks us raw, but the uninitiated may last through the 70 minutes before realizing it. Consider yourself warned even though some of you are certain to now put Baise-moi on your “must see” list to see what all the talk is about. That's exactly what the filmmakers are counting on.
For all its publicity about being a feminist statement against rape, Baise-moi essentially boils down to bloody nihilistic pornography that is neither provocative nor sexy—another Natural Born Killers with explicit sex and less artistry with the camera. Shot on videotape, somewhat in Dogme style, filmmakers Virginie Despentes and Coralie Trinh Thi (a porno actress) fail to develop any characters to care about although basic human instincts tell us that we should feel sorry for the two rape victims and for the various people who are subsequently gunned down senselessly.
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Attracting audiences with publicity about the shocking film that has appeared at film festivals but been banned by its progressive native country, the bloody film rapes and fucks us raw, but the uninitiated may last through the 70 minutes before realizing it. Consider yourself warned even though some of you are certain to now put Baise-moi on your “must see” list to see what all the talk is about. That's exactly what the filmmakers are counting on.
Really, now that was some outpouring! I am however, surprised by not many people talking about the hard metal music that the film experimented with, right through hardcore action. Both Sex and Violence. The result is not as startling as hearing Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan saab during the killing scenes of Oliver Stone's Natural Born Killers (a film I didn't like much), or doesn't form the brilliant rhythmic timing that it brings to scenes like in Run Lola Run. It was fun though, and clearly seemed like something that the director had wanted to experiment with.
I am curious about how many people saw the end product(who were not in the porn industry) before it was unleashed on to the festival circuit. It would have been a fun and terribly entertaining premier show, however with the actors in the porn industry (all actors and co-director being part of it) watching the first show and give hoots of approval (I presume)I liked the flick enough. I certainly loved reading peoples' reactions to it!
Baise Moi has a 23% tomatometer rating on rottentomatoes.com. The rating goes lower when only top critic reviews are considered, only 6% (1 out of 18 giving a favourable review).
Posts
Apr 1, 6:52 am
@JeremyKeith, we are looking into problems with email preferences right now. Our apologies regarding this. We will fix it.
@DaveCross, you are right. We did send out some on day before.
@thomas r koll: Apologies if we annoyed you. It was meant as a silly prank, but we understand why you don’t like it.
Apr 1, 6:56 am
I said:
“You need to learn about timezones. Your email arrived at 12:05pm - so the joke is on you :-)”
Rashmi repied:
“@DaveCross, you are right. We did send out some on day before.”
Er, no. Sounds like you still don’t understand timezones. I received your mail after noon on April 1st as I’m in Europe. It’s traditional that April Fools jokes played after noon rebound onto the joker.
Dave…
Apr 1, 6:57 am
Guys, you aren’t YouTube. People put serious stuff on here… and they’re the type of people who are connected on Twitter to lots of professionals in their industry. Getting someone to look like a fool in front of their network and then be easily discovered in a big hashtag list of #peoplewhofellforourprank isn’t really cool.
It’s one thing if you made a bunch of silly presentations and took the risk on your own site and your own network, but trying to get us excited and then let down in front of our own networks: not cool at all.
Apr 1, 7:05 am
Wow. People…
Get a life. Relax. It’s one joke…
and it was played on NATIONAL JOKE DAY.
Quit being such a sissy because you are so vain you fell for the fact that your sucktastic presentation could even anywhere approach those numbers.
Go lay down. Get some rest. When you wake up… smile. Your brain will feel better.
Sean
Apr 1, 7:05 am
@DaveCross Ah, I did not know that. (but also have not had enough coffee. Its early here :-))
@Charlie I completely understand, this messes with people. And they put serious stuff on SlideShare. We will keep this in mind in the future.