Anatomie de l'enfer (2004)

User Rating:

4.3/10   

Director:

Catherine Breillat

Writer:

Catherine Breillat (novel)

Release Date:

28 January 2004 (France)

Genre:

Drama | Adult

Plot:

A woman employs a gay man to spend four nights at her house to watch her when she's "unwatchable".

Plot Keywords:

Vagina Spreading | Pubic Hair | Vaginal Penetration | Doggystyle Sex | Tampon

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Amira Casar	...	The woman
Rocco Siffredi	...	The man
Alexandre Belin	...	Blow-job lover 1
Manuel Taglang	...	Blow-job lover 2
Jacques Monge	...	Man in bar
Claudio Carvalho	...	Boy with bird
Carolina Lopes	...	Little girl playing doctor
Diego Rodrigues	...	Little boy playing doctor
João Marques	...	Little boy playing doctor
Bruno Fernandes	...	Little boy playing doctor
Maria Edite Moreira	...	Pharmacist 1
Maria João Santos	...	Pharmacist 2
Pauline Hunt	...	Amira Casar's stand-in
Catherine Breillat	...	Narrator (voice)

Also Known As:

Anatomy of Hell (Australia) (International: English title) (festival title) (USA) (literal English title)

Runtime:

77 min | Canada:87 min (Toronto International Film Festival)

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Taiwan:R-18 | South Korea:Limited | Australia:R | Canada:R (Ontario) | Czech Republic:18 | Finland:K-15 | France:-16 | Italy:VM18 | New Zealand:R18 | UK:18 | USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

Ericeira, Portugal

Company:

CB Films

Trivia:

Director Catherine Breillat wrote 'the man' especially for Rocco Siffredi.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Indie Sex: Extremes (2007) (TV)

academic

Anatomy Of Hell, is one of those films where the vision of its creator is so specific, that all characters and situations exist purely to illustrate the auteur's theory. You may argue that this is true of any film, but in this case, if you're not either fascinated by the filmmakers perspective or find some truth in what they are saying, you will doubtlessly dismiss this film as an obscure, academic exercise given the lack of dimension beyond Catherine Breillat's singular focus.

It's focus, specifically is the attraction/revulsion men share for the nuances of the vagina. I would say 'and female sexuality in general', but that's not really case. Over the course of four consecutive evenings a man repulsed by all things vaginal, is paid to observe a series of vaginal revelations in great detail, by woman he meets in a nightclub. His gradual acceptance of her physical dimensions causes a new 'awakening' of intimacy, that he is unable to admit to or ignore.

Interesting, but I found Catherine Breillat's perspective for want of nuance, though both sexes are presented, but I found her vision more provocative than insightful. Her decision to portray the man, for all intents-and-purposes, as a homosexual who's preference was determined not by his attraction to men, but revulsion of women, dubious and needlessly self-persecuting.