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La Bête (1975)
Director: Walerian Borowczyk
Movie review
From Time Out Film Guide
Once upon a time, in the 18th century, a beast lived in the woods of an aristocratic estate. And this beast, possessed of a giant phallus and an insatiable lust, set upon the beautiful young lady of the house. But the lady was of an even greater sexual appetite, and laid the beast to eternal rest. Two centuries later, the tale of the beast would return in the dreams of an American heiress contracted to carry the male descendant of the same crumbling aristocratic family... Borowczyk's all-out assault on social conventions and repressed desires, an outrageously ironic blend of French farce and surrealist poetry, can be seen as signposting both the peak of his sexual fables (Blanche, Immoral Tales) and his subsequent decline into ephemeral soft porn. Its shameless shuffling of equine couplings, pederastic priests and priapic black manservants earns it nul points for political correctness. But seen from its own amoral perspective, aided by Borowczyk's remarkable sense of framing and rhythm, La Bête is that rare achievement, a truly erotic film.Author: DT
Cast & crew
Director: Walerian Borowczyk
Producer: Anatole Dauman
Cast: Sirpa Lane, Lisbeth Hummel, Elisabeth Kahson, Pierre Benedetti, Marcel Dalio, Guy Tréjean full cast
Duration: 102 mins
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