Les anges exterminateurs (2006)

Director:

Jean-Claude Brisseau

Writer:

Jean-Claude Brisseau (writer)

Release Date:

13 September 2006 (Belgium)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy

Plot:

A filmmaker (van den Driessche) holds a series of boundary-pushing auditions for his project about female pleasure. |

Plot Keywords:

Filmmaker | Intimacy | Controversial | Female Genitalia | Threesome

Cast

Frédéric van den Driessche	...	François
Maroussia Dubreuil	...	Charlotte
Lise Bellynck	...	Julie
Marie Allan	...	Stéphanie
Sophie Bonnet	...	La femme de François
Raphaële Godin	...	Apparition 1 / Rebecca
Margaret Zenou	...	Apparition 2
Jeanne Cellard	...	La grand-mère
Virginie Legeay	...	Virginie
Estelle Galarme	...	Olivia
Marine Danaux	...	Agnès
Apolline Louis	...	Céline
François Négret	...	L'ami de Stéphane
Christophe Maillard	...	Le producteur
Françoise Bonnet	...	La voisine escalier

Also Known As:

Portraits nus (France) (working title)
The Exterminating Angels (USA) (new title)

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

France:-16 | USA:Not Rated | Singapore:(Banned) | Hong Kong:III | Portugal:M/16 | Germany:16 | Brazil:18 | Japan:R-18 | South Korea:18 | UK:18

Company:

TS Productions

Blurring the Line Between Porno and Art; Porno wins again

Since the legalization of hardcore pornography -- which I'll define narrowly here as filming genitals being manipulated to orgasm with the primary effect of sexually exciting the viewer -- there has been a constant tension between pornography and "legitimate" depiction of sexual conduct on camera, that is, actual sexual conduct graphically filmed, in order to make some greater philosophical or artistic point, so compelling that the message outweighs the sexual titillation.

(I realize I haven't done any better a job with these definitions than anyone else. Oh well.) Whether any film will bridge the two genres successfully, or whether it's even possible, I don't know. I do know that this one fails. It comes off as porno that has been dressed up with a tissue-thin veneer of pretense to psychological or social commentary, perhaps hoping that it can be shown in art-movie theaters. I'm not going to address the apologists for this waste of celluloid. The effect of this film is depression without elucidation, a result in which only some avant-garde critics seem to find any legitimate purpose.

It does manage to avoid some degree of cheesiness, but sacrifices any sort of joy or loopy humor. It's below pornography. It's the intellectualization of sexual predation. All it celebrates is the right of women to be stupid and self-destructive enough to masturbate and perform lesbian sexual acts on camera for money.