Psychopathia Sexualis (2006)

Director:

Bret Wood

Writer:

Bret Wood (writer)

Release Date:

8 June 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Tales of Deviance and Forbidden Desire from the Case Studies of Krafft-Ebing

Plot:

Multi-narrative adaptation of Richard v. Krafft-Ebing's notorious medico-forensic study of sexual perversity. |

Plot Keywords:

Dominatrix

Cast

Kristi Casey	...	Blood Woman
David Weber	...	Blood Man
Zoë Cooper	...	Shepherdess
Patrick Parker	...	Emil Fourquet (as Patrick L. Parker)
David Sanders	...	Forquet's Assistant
Roger Foster	...	Farm Laborer
Jason Hodges	...	Guard
Steven Westdahl	...	Joseph Vacher
Victor Lambert	...	Guard
Adam K. Thompson	...	Journalist
J. Marcelo Banderas	...	Corpse / Loiterer (as Marcelo Banderas)
Ted Manson	...	Professor Krafft-Ebing
Daniel May	...	J.H.
Jane Bass	...	Mother
Anne Towns	...	Maid 1

MPAA:

Rated R for strong sexual content including aberrant and deviant behavior, graphic nudity, some violence and disturbing images.

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:R

Filming Locations:

Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Company:

Illustrated Films LLC

Trivia:

When submitted to the MPAA, the film was unofficially given an NC-17 rating. In order to obtain an R rating, the filmmakers had to remove a shot of urination in someone's mouth. Rather than re-cut the scene, the filmmakers removed the entire (two-minute) sequence, which also includes male frontal nudity.

Movie Connections:

Version of Sesso perverso, mondo violento (1980)

Unused Potential

Before seeing this movie, I was expecting a fictional drama based loosely on ideas from the book; instead, it's the book, interrupted with dramatic scenes illustrating the different "illnesses." That didn't bother me much, but it hindered my enjoyment of the film. One story or even two or three long stories with excerpts from the book interspersed through the movie would have been preferable, in my opinion. If you're going to base a movie on a psychology text, you've got to find a more interesting (and preferably accurate) text than this one. The film drags during parts where it's little more than a video encyclopedia of 19th century sexual psychology and would be utterly intolerable if it weren't sexual in nature (because "sex = interesting" for most of us, even me). Luckily, there are several stories with actual character development that pull us in.

But, disappointingly, Krafft-Ebing's theories of sexuality went unchallenged, for the most part. I was hoping it would use stories to show how the imperfections of his archaic view of psychology which is still held by many to this day.

So, in the end, what do you have? A detailed catalog of a few fetishes and orientations, with some mildly interesting stories showing the trials and tribulations of a few "sexual deviants" before they are cured. For most of the film, the film moves with the crawling speed (and mood) of a wake. And, as an obviously low budget film, the cinematography and acting are not exactly top tier. Although I *was* pleased with the music, costume and interior design.

I felt this film's subject was right up my alley, and I still feel it's a below average film. It deserves a 3/10; a 4/10 if I were feeling extremely generous. I can't imagine anyone enjoying this if they didn't already have an interest in sexual fetishism.