Eating Raoul (1982)

A relatively boring Los Angeles couple discover a bizarre, if not murderous way to get funding for opening a restaurant.

Director:

Paul Bartel

Writers:

Paul Bartel, Richard Blackburn

Stars:

Paul Bartel, Mary Woronov, Robert Beltran

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Paul Bartel	...	Paul Bland
Mary Woronov	...	Mary Bland
Robert Beltran	...	Raoul Mendoza
Susan Saiger	...	Doris the Dominatrix / Nurse Sally Cummings
Lynn Hobart	...	Lady Customer
Richard Paul	...	Mr. Cray - Liquor Store Owner
Mark Woods	...	Hold-up Man
John Shearin	...	Mr. Baker - the Horny Patient
Darcy Pulliam	...	Nurse Sheila
Ben Haller	...	Dewey
Roberta Spero	...	Swinger
Vernon Demetrius	...	Swinger
Arlene Harris	...	Swinger
Buster Wilson	...	Swinger
Marta Fergusson	...	Swinger

Storyline

When a Paul enters his apartment to find Mary fighting off a swinger who has gotten into the wrong apartement (and thinks that Mary is just playing hard to get) he hits the man with a frying pan, killing him. Their dreams of running a small resturant seem to be in jeopardy until they decide to dispose of the body, keep the wallet, and to advertise for other sexually oriented visitors who are summarily killed, bagged, robbed and disposed of. This goes along quite well until one night a burglar named Raoul breaks in and cuts himself in for a piece of the action.

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Plot Keywords:

swinging | restaurant | wine | black comedy | sex | 

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Taglines:

Meet the Blands! They're square...They're in LOVE...AND they kill people.

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Genres:

Comedy | Horror

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 March 1982 (USA)

Also Known As:

Comiendose a Raúl

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$350,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bartel, Films Incorporated, Quartet

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min 83 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Working independently, Bartel scraped together financing from family and friends and shot the film in piecemeal fashion when he could afford it.

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Goofs

Mary is wearing one pair of shoes from when she leaves the apartment to go to the bank and a different pair when she arrives there.

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Quotes

Mary: At the store, can you buy a new frying pan? I'm a little squeamish about using the one we use to kill people.

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Crazy Credits

A Sister To The Director..... Wendy Bartel

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Connections

Referenced in Valley Girl (1983)

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Soundtracks

"Dominique's Blues"
(uncredited)
Written by Miki Antony and Tom Parker
Bruton Music Ltd

User Reviews

Possibly the sweetest black comedy ever made

"Eating Raoul" proves that more than anything, good writing is what matters the most to make a quality film. Obviously a labor of love, the strength of the writing in this film is what made it an enduring cult classic and a milestone in independent cinema. Paul Bartel takes such grim and morbid subjects and alters them into a great comedy. The humor never comes across as being cruel at any moments. What makes the film work so well is that the protagonists, the Blands, are such sweet and likable people (not to mention the fact their victims are so degenerate and unlikable). You never feel ashamed for laughing because of this.

As I said above, the screenplay is a gem, but the rest of the film is pretty good all around. Paul Bartel and Mary Woronov are great in their parts. This is the film that made them cult legends. The direction by Bartel is good, keeping everything at a quick pace (the man knows a thing or two about comedic timing). The editing is rather uneven, but it lends to the homemade charm the film possesses. Twenty-five years later, "Eating Raoul" is still one of the most enjoyable (not to mention likable) black comedies ever made. The only real complaint I have is that the ending is a bit too abrupt (Bartel doesn't come up with a satisfactory one and it seems rather tacked on). (8/10)