Scarlet Diva (2000)

Director:

Asia Argento

Writer:

Asia Argento (writer)

Release Date:

26 May 2000 (Italy)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A young Italian actress embarks on a self-destructive spree of sex, drugs and other excess while doing some soul searching to find the path for redemption.

Plot Keywords:

Actress | Abusive Relationship | Sex | Rock Star | Los Angeles California

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Asia Argento	...	Anna Battista
Jean Shepard	...	Kirk Vaines
Herbert Fritsch	...	Aaron Ulrich
Gianluca Arcopinto	...	Dr. Pascuccia
Joe Coleman	...	Mr. Paar
Francesca d'Aloja	...	Margherita
Vera Gemma	...	Veronica Lanza
Justinian Kfoury	...	J-Bird
Daria Nicolodi	...	Anna's Mother
Schooly-D	...	Hash-Man (as Schoolly D.)
Selen	...	Quelou
Alessandro Villari	...	Hamid
Leo Gullotta	...	Dr. Vessi
Paolo Bonacelli	...	Swiss Journalist
Vanessa Crane	...	Luke Ford

MPAA:

Rated R for strong sexuality, language and drug content.

Runtime:

91 min | Argentina:97 min (Mar del Plata Film Festival) | USA:90 min

Country:

Italy

Language:

English | Italian | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Germany:16 | Australia:R (2007) | Argentina:16 | France:-12 | Italy:VM14 | USA:Unrated | UK:18

Filming Locations:

Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands

Company:

Opera Film Produzione

Quotes:

Anna Battista: I'm sorry. It's the first time I've ever made love.
Kirk: Don't tell me you're a virgin.
Anna Battista: No. I'm a whore.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Indie (2008)

Impressive Feature-Length Directing Debut...

Asia Argento triple-hyphenates (director-writer-actress) her first full length drama. The film is considered to be semiautobiographical in nature but deals with the fictional Anna Batiste is the `loneliest girl in the world' who is the top actress in Italy and posed to be unleashed upon the stage of world cinema but takes herself down a path that leads get involved in many bad life altering situations. She is ultimately used up and spit out by sleazy Hollywood producers, rock stars, druggies, photographers and a sordid list of leeches that leave her alone, pregnant and running mad through the streets of Paris.

I'm very impressed with the energy that Argento injects into the film. She clearly borrows from some of the well-known directors she has worked with in the past (including her father Dario) but it all works in her favor. A rich color scheme is used throughout the film that sometimes gives an ethereal feel that is sometimes jarring . The script matches the direction, a little disjointed but it works for the characters spiral into agony. Her acting and the cast around her is very good, her believable portrait of the character throughout the peaks and valleys of her life.

Unfairly blasted by critics this film should be seen with an open mind. True I was already a fan of Asia Argento before I saw the film but you don't have to be in order to like or respect the film.