Kissed (1996)

Over the years, a child's romantic ideals about death blossom into necrophilia, the study of embalming and the most profound relationship of her life.

Director:

Lynne Stopkewich

Writers:

Angus Fraser (screenplay), Lynne Stopkewich (screenplay)

Stars:

Molly Parker, Peter Outerbridge, Jay Brazeau

7 wins & 10 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Molly Parker	...	Sandra Larson
Peter Outerbridge	...	Matt
Jay Brazeau	...	Mr. Wallis
Natasha Morley	...	Young Sandra
Jessie Winter Mudie	...	Carol
James Timmons	...	Jan
Joe Maffei	...	Biology Teacher
Robert Thurston	...	Detective
Annabel Kershaw	...	Mother Larson
Tim Dixon	...	Father Larson
Amber Warnat	...	Lisa Brown
Bill Finck	...	Minister
Janet Craig	...	Mourner
Edward Davey	...	Embalming Prof.
Hamish Wilson	...	Gurney Goner - Cadaver

Storyline

Sandra Larson has always been fascinated by the entire sensory experience surrounding death: its touch, smell and look. As a child, she would search out dead animals and perform ritualistic burials. As a young woman, Sandra gets a job at Wallis Funeral Home, first as a general assistant, then progressing to study to become an embalmer. At the funeral home, she begins to take her fascination with death to the next level by becoming a necrophiliac. But she also begins her first ever relationship with Matt, a medical student, with who she is totally open about her necrophilia. He finds this aspect of her compelling. He becomes all consumed with her as she is consumed with dead people. The questions become how far he will take this fascination with her to understand fully what is going through her emotional being, how far she will allow him to go, and how far can her feelings for him extend as a live being.

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Plot Keywords:

nudity | female nudity | female pubic hair | female full frontal nudity | breasts | 

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Taglines:

Love Knows No Bounds.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for aberrant sexuality and some language

Details

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 April 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

Besado

Filming Locations:

Maple Ridge Cemetery, Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$34,552, 13 April 1997, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$465,417, 18 May 1997

Company Credits

Production Co:

Boneyard Film Company Inc.,British Columbia Film,Canada Council Media Arts

Technical Specs

Runtime:

78 min 88 min (Ontario)

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The song in the final scene and at the beginning of the end credits is "Fumbling Towards Ecstasy" by Sarah McLachlan.

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Goofs

When she and Carol are dancing, Sandra raises her arms and her midriff shows. Later, when she removes her top, a camisole has appeared.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Sandra Larson: When you die, your life... flashes, and you disintegrate, radiating energy. When a thing turns into its opposite, when love becomes hate, there are always sparks. But when life turns into death, it's explosive. There are streaks of light, magical, and electrifying. Everyone senses something, some energy, some spirit, some sort of illumination, But I see it. I've seen bodies shining like stars. Some say there's no soul, no afterlife, that life and death is the straightest line on ...

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Crazy Credits

League of Champions: Mr. & Mrs. Hyman, Anonymous

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Alternate Versions

The Hong Kong VCD release sometimes found on eBay cuts some scenes down, and blocks out nudity with black boxes.

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Connections

Featured in Indie Sex: Extremes (2007)

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Soundtracks

Baby
Performed by Lava Hay
Written by Michele Gould & Suzanne Little
Published by Copyright Control

User Reviews

Beautiful, Morbid and Tasteful, if there were only more like it

I loved this movie. I get so damn sick of the horror films that portray the funeral service and industry as gruesome, gory and horrifying. I am in the funeral service as well as mortuary school. First of all, I don't believe this movie is about necrophilia beneath the surface. It is about this woman's relationship with death. Gore, blood, guts and other stuff come from fear. There is no respect in that in my opinion. That is for people who are afraid of their own mortality. We are all going to die. It is beautiful that the director and writer were able to explore their relationship with death. Death is intriguing and dark because it is unknown. I think this movie really looked at the main character's relationship with death, herself and her own mortality through her love for the dead. Only, it was presented in a literal fashion. It seemed as though the plot was a great manifestation of the theme, which may be our understanding of life, death and rebirth. Yes, sex is life and death is rebirth. And yes, I find the idea of having sex with the dead literally repulsive, working with the dead on a daily basis. I don't believe that was the message of the movie. One thing I learned in the funeral service is that it is life that we deal with day to day, not death. It is helping the living deal with loss. That is love. If only there were more cerebral, psychological and spiritual movies that touch this topic but unfortunately we are left with gore!! Anyone know of any other movies like this?