Eating Raoul (1982)

A relatively boring Los Angeles couple discovers a bizarre, if not murderous, way to get funding for opening a restaurant.

Director:

Paul Bartel

Writers:

Paul Bartel, Richard Blackburn

Stars:

Mary Woronov, Paul Bartel, Robert Beltran

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Paul Bartel	...	Paul Bland
Mary Woronov	...	Mary Bland
Robert Beltran	...	Raoul Mendoza
Susan Saiger	...	Doris the Dominatrix / Nurse Sally Cummings
Lynn Hobart	...	Lady Customer
Richard Paul	...	Mr. Cray - Liquor Store Owner
Mark Woods	...	Hold-up Man
John Shearin	...	Mr. Baker - the Horny Patient
Darcy Pulliam	...	Nurse Sheila
Ben Haller	...	Dewey
Roberta Spero	...	Swinger
Vernon Demetrius	...	Swinger
Arlene Harris	...	Swinger
Buster Wilson	...	Swinger
Marta Fergusson	...	Swinger

Storyline

When a Paul enters his apartment to find Mary fighting off a swinger who has gotten into the wrong apartement (and thinks that Mary is just playing hard to get) he hits the man with a frying pan, killing him. Their dreams of running a small resturant seem to be in jeopardy until they decide to dispose of the body, keep the wallet, and to advertise for other sexually oriented visitors who are summarily killed, bagged, robbed and disposed of. This goes along quite well until one night a burglar named Raoul breaks in and cuts himself in for a piece of the action.

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Plot Keywords:

female frontal nudity | sex party | red high heels | topless female nudity | bare breasts | 

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Taglines:

An outrageous comedy of sex and murder [Australia Theatrical]

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

24 March 1982 (USA)

Also Known As:

Eating Raoul

Filming Locations:

City of Hope National Medical Center, 1500 E. Duarte Road, Duarte, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$350,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bartel, Films Incorporated, Quartet

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min 83 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film was made and released about five years before another similarly titled cult movie called Eat the Rich (1987).

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Goofs

At approximately 1:15:10, when Paul throws the bug zapper, it hits the camera, causing the camera to shake up and down and go out of focus.

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Quotes

Paul: Why don't you go to bed, honey? I'll bag the Nazi and straighten up.

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Crazy Credits

There is a credit for "Guest Electrician"

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Connections

Referenced in Valentine (2001)

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Soundtracks

Boogie Takeover
(uncredited)
Music by Daryl Runswick
KPM Music Ltd

User Reviews

One of the Funniest Dark Comedies Ever Made

Eating Raoul is so eager to please and never overstays its welcome. Shot for what seems to be $3, it's amazing that the film turns out as nice and polished as it is. Paul Bartel and Mary Woronov play the aptly named Blands. They dream to, one day, start their own eatery, but it seems as if it's just not in the cards for them. After a mix up, they end up accidentally killing a man and, thinking he's a nobody, they take his wallet. At that moment, a brilliant business plan is born and the Blands pose as sexual deviants to lure people to their homes, kill them (with a frying pan) and steal their money. Things get complicated when a young man named Raoul discovers their secret and wants in on their scheme.

The basic concept of Eating Raoul is so damn goofy that it's amazing it works as well as it does, but Bartel and Woronov smartly play everything super straight and it works.

If you consider yourself a dark comedy fan and haven't seen this movie, you need to change that right now.