If you really watch and listen to it. It's about making a perfumeIf you really watch and listen to it. It's about making a perfumeIf you really watch and listen to it. It's about making a perfume
- Awards
- 8 wins
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaOne of the few films produced in this style of filming and "action" sequencing. It uses a very abstract artistic views to something that has been done a million times before but gives a new spin to it.
- Quotes
[first lines]
Zazel: [phone rings, interrupting artist at work] Hello?
Rodrigo Olivetti: Hello, Zazel?
Zazel: Yes?
Rodrigo Olivetti: Hi. This is Rodrigo Olivetti at Nuance Fragrances.
Zazel: Hi. How are you?
Rodrigo Olivetti: Great. We're excited about your new project. We've decided to go with your proposal for a new perfume. The most sensually arousing fragrance ever.
Zazel: That's fantastic.
Rodrigo Olivetti: I think we should name it after you, Zazel.
Zazel: What would the sub-text be?
[inspired:]
Zazel: The Scent Of Love.
Rodrigo Olivetti: Absolutely. We'd like to release it this spring.
Zazel: Of course.
Rodrigo Olivetti: We can wire your advance today, as soon as the contracts are finalized.
Zazel: That's fantastic.
Rodrigo Olivetti: Good luck. I'll call you again.
Zazel: Okay, bye.
- Alternate versionsThe UK release was cut, the distributor were required to remove one scene of sexualised violence in accordance with BBFC policy in order to obtain an R18 classification. An uncut classification was not available.
The movie's biggest accomplishment is the way in which it approaches the most critical problem of porn movies - a 'meaning' thing. The total absence of any sense (even on some atmospheric level) which characterizes almost all productions of this genre renders almost immaterial any other 'developments'. The attempts to deal with this problem (some of them were pretty expensive) have one common mistake - they tend to ignore the objective parameters set by the genre (you have only 20 min between 'action' scenes, at most, to tell a 'story'; this 'story' should live through these scenes which last much longer etc.). As a result, in almost all those movies that undertook somewhat ponderous attempts to bring in some 'meaning' through introducing some 'plot', the latter exists separately from everything else. "Conquest" with Jenna Jameson is a good example - the plot does not affect the 'action' scenes in any way - in fact, most of them are worse than those from any average quality production. So what we have is just a silly waste of time and money.
Having, obviously, grasped the same idea - you can successfully handle this problem only by incorporating somehow a 'meaning' into an 'action' - "Zazel", on the contrary, finds a perfect solution. It offers a plot, chaste as it is, but which immaculately pulls this whole thing together. Without any dialog (the only thing that we can hear is a narration) it renders meaningful not only all the 'action' scenes, but each element of them: settings, costumes etc.
Apart from this accomplishment the movie has two indisputable assets: a marvelous soundtrack by Dino and Earl Ninn (it contributes into the general meaning with its every instrumental part as well as with occasional lyrics) and a piece of stunning perfection - the red beauty Anna Romeo. This graciously moving gray-eyed honey has three scenes in the movie (plus one as a body double) and is absolutely dazzling in all possible ways.
All those things compounded give us something that goes far beyond subjects that are commonly considered the pinnacles of the genre - normally gorgeously looking, but, in fact, pretty tedious and senseless Andrew Blake's average fumbling around, for instance. Something that even in strictly cinematic terms (considering the amount of resources used) is way above a good half of conventional Hollywood mainstream. It's the quintessence of the genre - an exquisite visual meditation on pure beauty of pure form. When you are watching it, at times, it feels like the world might make some sense.
- mtreveler
- Dec 29, 2007
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $237,000 (estimated)
- Runtime2 hours 5 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 4:3