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:

triple f rated | one word title | nudity | female nudity | female pubic hair | 

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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

Sandra's hair is longer during the cemetery scene.

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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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Connections

Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Anaconda/Grosse Point Blank/Paradise Road/Keys to Tulsa/Kissed/Mabarosi (1997)

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Soundtracks

Baby's Gone For Good
Performed by Mark Findler, Michele Gould, Robin Pereira, Kevin Lucks, Doug Elliot, Pat Steward
Written by Mark Findler
Published by Brother Sweden Songs

User Reviews

Amazing, Graceful and Sad

Film lovers: Please don't pay too much attention to the Marco Devilboy review of this unusual film. I can understand someone not enjoying KISSED because it deals with a supremely unappetizing subject. But then it quietly, delicately opens up that subject (and the characters involved) and wraps the viewer in an embrace that becomes both irresistible and horrifying. The movie works. When I first saw it, it introduced me to a young actress I have since followed and never seen give a bad performance: Molly Parker. Peter Outerbridge is wonderful, too. Recalling this film now, several years after first watching it, such a rush of thoughts and feelings come back to me that I will probably have to see it once again. If you are willing to go somewhere you never imagined you would find yourself--and then deal with what you discover there--KISSED is not to missed.