Anatomy of Hell (2004)

A woman employs a gay man to spend four nights at her house to watch her when she's "unwatchable".

Director:

Catherine Breillat

Writer:

Catherine Breillat (based on the novel "Pornocratie")

Stars:

Amira Casar, Rocco Siffredi, Alexandre Belin

1 win.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Amira Casar	...	The Woman
Rocco Siffredi	...	The Man
Alexandre Belin	...	Blow-job lover 1
Manuel Taglang	...	Blow-job lover 2
Jacques Monge	...	Man in bar
Claudio Carvalho	...	Boy with the Bird
Carolina Lopes	...	Little Girl
Diego Rodrigues	...	Little boy playing doctor (as 'Diogo Rodriques')
Diogo Rodriques	...	Boy Playing Doctor
João Marques	...	Boy Playing Doctor
Bruno Fernandes	...	Little boy playing doctor
Maria Edite Moreira	...	Pharmacist 1
Maria João Santos	...	Pharmacist 2
Catherine Breillat	...	Narrator (voice)

Storyline

A man rescues a woman from a suicide attempt in a gay nightclub. Walking the streets together, she propositions him: She'll pay him to visit her at her isolated house for four consecutive nights. There he will silently watch her. He's reluctant, but agrees. As the four nights progress, they become more intimate with each other, and a mutual fascination/revulsion develops. By the end of the four-day "contract", these two total strangers will have had a profound impact on each other.

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Plot Keywords:

sex while asleep | copulation | female genitalia | female full frontal nudity | bare breasts | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Official Sites:

Distributor site Film site

Country:

France Portugal

Language:

French

Release Date:

28 January 2004 (France)

Also Known As:

Anatomy of Hell

Filming Locations:

Ericeira, Portugal

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$4,255, 26 September 2004

Gross USA:

$34,506

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$345,365

Company Credits

Production Co:

Flach Film, CB Films, Canal+

Technical Specs

Runtime:

77 min 87 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Director Catherine Breillat wrote 'the man' especially for Rocco Siffredi.

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Quotes

The woman: And which makes you more afraid of, death of stupid? Everything lies in to suggest and implore. Everything lies in the proposal, and your demand. This is so-called the disappointment for the first-time. Then it is nothing. Everything are all hypocritical. Just that superficial appearance.

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Connections

Referenced in Midnight Movies: From the Margin to the Mainstream (2005)

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Soundtracks

Timeless Bass
Written by D'Julz Single Studio
Produced by D'Julz Single Studio
(C) 20:20 vision records

User Reviews

artistic

This was the first movie I saw from writer/director Catherine Breillat. I liked it so much that I also saw Romance, and A real young Girl. I'm looking forward to Fat girl, and 36 Filette which I've heard good reviews on. The DVD for Anatomy of Hell has an interview with Catherine Breillat that I thought was very interesting and I highly recommend watching it right after the movie. Anatomy of Hell focuses on a women {Amira Casar} paying a homosexual man {Rocco Siffredi} to watch her in her home during her most private moments. It contains graphic sexual material but in a learning context. The woman's character seems to want to take the shame out of being a women by showing a man {who is disgusted by women} her most feminine self. By doing so they connect on a very raw level. I enjoyed the movie. If you like Catherine Breillat's particular form of artistry you may like some of her other movies as well.