The Book of Revelation (2006)

Director:

Ana Kokkinos

Writers:

Rupert Thomson (novel)
Ana Kokkinos (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

7 September 2006 (Australia)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

A secret he would not share. An obsession he could not control. A mystery he dare not resolve.

Plot:

An erotic mystery about power and sex, the entanglement of victim and perpetrator, and a man's struggle to regain his lost self. |

Plot Keywords:

Non Statutory Female On Male Anal Rape | Kidnapper | Strap On Dildo | Anal Rape | Party

Awards:

1 win & 7 nominations

Cast

Tom Long	...	Daniel
Greta Scacchi	...	Isabel
Colin Friels	...	Olsen
Deborah Mailman	...	Julie
Zoe Coyle	...	Renate
Nadine Garner	...	Margot
Olivia Pigeot	...	Bernadette
Ana Maria Belo	...	Sally
Belinda McClory	...	Jeanette
Sibylla Budd	...	Deborah
Geneviève Picot	...	Barmaid
Nina Liu	...	Vivian
Brian Lipson	...	James
Damien Fotiou	...	Shopkeeper
Marty Fields	...	Charging Officer

Runtime:

Canada:119 min (Toronto International Film Festival)

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

New Zealand:R18 | Singapore:R21 | Australia:R | UK:18

Filming Locations:

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Company:

Film Finance

Trivia:

The postcard that Daniel sends to Isabel is of Max Dupain's 'Sunbaker' (1937), often regarded as an icon of the healthy Australian man lying in rest.

An unsuccessful Michael Haneke like movie

"The book of revelation" is one of those films that make you feel you had a great loss. It has a very interesting & original story, the right mood and some brilliant actors. However, one can not escape the feeling that something went completely wrong with the entire piece.

The film tells the bizarre story of Daniel, a dancer that's been kidnapped by 3 women and has been sexually abused by them for 12 days. well, I must say that for some men this is a dream rather than a nightmare... but on the serious side, I was quite disappointed by the kidnappers and the director, Ana Kokinnos. because as long as I remember, they were trying to make a thriller here, so where's the thrill?? the abusement scenes are not that terrible, but much more on the erotic side, what makes this film look as a cheap sexploitation based movie. Sexual provocacy was probably much more important for the director than a real delve into the humiliated man position thing. That goes for both male and female characters and scenes. I am not against nudity, but a film like that has got to have another dimension to it, except the sexual and kinky one, and this dimension lacks from the entire movie. plus, add the very expressionist lighting and photography, and the result is just another artsy fartsy film that has the appeal of a more serious one.

We don't really know anything about Daniel. when I think about the movie now, I dare to ask: was this all a dream? what about his relationship with one of the dancers from the group? they live together, but are they married? did he have a romantic or sexual relationship with his dancing coach, the beautiful and mature Isabelle? was he suffering a mental disorder prior to the kidnapping? we don't have answers to these questions in the film. you could say it's OK, and in a way it is OK, but not really...

But not everything is wrong here. actor Tom Long gives a monumental performance, both as a dancer and the tormented Daniel, who tries to reveal the identity of his lady kidnappers, and to restore his own mental life. and of course the wonderful Greta Scacchi, in a great supporting role.

To sum things up: if you're looking for a good thriller for your weekly DVD night, get something else. if you've already taken this film be prepared for some hot nudity, expressionist misery and mental torment scenes, fake provocacy and an unsuccessful attempt to create a Michael Haneke like thriller, where the hero is not the mystery itself, but the main character's way to deal with what happened to him. and believe me, there are better films than this one. for instance, "Cache", by the original Haneke himself, or "Swimming pool", by Francois Ozon.