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j-kilbourne
Reviews
Les valseuses (1974)
what about the stolen car?
Not sure if this counts as a spoiler or not, so beware:
Just a small but crucial thing to watch for, an intriguing possibility: the boys steal a green Citroen at one point, for a joy ride, and return it to the owner having done purposeful and vengeful hidden damage to the car, hoping that the owner will crash. Is it the very same car they steal much later from the picnicking family? We know the original owner sold it. They drive off at the end on a dangerous road, one which I understand has been closed to all but pedestrians for the last ten years. A whole new slant to the end of the film.
On another matter, this film could have been called "Scent of a Woman". I don't recall another film, certainly not American, that treats the scent of a woman in such a frank and open manner, much like the "nose" of a fine Bordeaux.
Mr. Wroe's Virgins (1993)
Defines the word sleeper.
This amazing British mini-series is a must see if you can find it. I am not sure if it ever appeared on American TV, which is a shame. Each performance is only more incredible than the last, and some, such as those of Kathy Burke and Kerry Fox, are towering. One's respect for those actresses leaps. The series grips the dark and grungy industrial world of the time, with its religious sects, with unsparing clarity, and equally unsparing full frontal female nudity, which is perhaps why it has not been seen on American TV. I recommend keeping a "favorite" search for it on eBay, and hoping you are lucky enough to find a copy. Technically, the DVD version looks more like a VHS. The soundtrack is in good stereo, and the music is appropriate and beautifully written. This is a sleeper gem that is worth searching for.