Controversially banned for 25 years when it was first released in 1975 The Beast is an erotic reworking of the Beauty and The Beast tale, released in November 2001 in a full uncut and subtitled version of the French original.
My overall opinion: messy, and curious, and well strange, onto ... Read review
War brings out the beast in every man. Afghanistan 1981 and the Soviet Union is locked ... more
in a futile and bloody battle with the Mujahedeen guerillas. Separated from their patrol the crew of a Russian T-62 tank engages in a deadly game of cat and mous...
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The Beast is an erotic masterpiece from the most controversial exponent of the ... more
genre-Walerian Borowczyk. This sexual fantasia caused outrage when it was first screened in 1975 and was refused a certificate until 26 years later. A modern day version of ...
The series THE BEAST stars Patrick Swayze as a freethinking but always effective FBI ... more
officer who's training a new recruit in the ways of the Bureau. Razor sharp and brutally clever, he'd be at the top of his game if he weren't the constant subject of an Internal Affairs investigation. Features the first series of the show.
Afghanistan. 1981, and the Soviet Union is locked in a futile and bloody battle with the ... more
Mujahedeen guerrillas. Separated from their patrol, the crew of a Russian T-62 tank engages in a deadly game of cat and mouse with the local insurgents led by Taj. The tyrannical tank commander Daskal wreaks havoc on a peaceful Afghani village, pushing the moral boundaries of the tank driver Koverchenko to the limits. Sensing mutiny, the psychotic Daskal abandons the disenchanted tanker to die in the desert at the hand of rebels, only to find he's sealed his own fate.
First readers help beginner readers to enjoy their favourite fairy tales. Sharing the main ... more
story and the delightful pictures with your child will develop familiarity with the words and phrases. Your child will soon be ready to read the short, simple sentences on each right-hand page
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Production Year: 1992 - War - Director: Joseph Vilsmaier - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Dominique Horwitz, Sebastian Rudolph, Jochen Nickel, Thomas Kretschmann, Martin Benrath, Sylvester Groth, Dana Vavrova
Production Year: 1965 - War - Director: Anthony Mann - Original Language: English - Classification: Universal - Starring: Kirk Douglas, Richard Harris, Michael Redgrave, Roy Dotrice, Anton Diffring
Advantages: Some funny moments Disadvantages: I did feel a bit sick
...was first released in 1975 The Beast is an erotic reworking of the Beauty and The Beast tale, released in November 2001 in a full uncut and subtitled version of the French original.
My overall opinion: messy, and curious, and well strange, onto the review:
The film opens with a rather bizarre, extraordinary close-up and intimate scene of two horses having sex, in the courtyard of a very large chateau looked on and assisted ... ...the son of the brother of the Duke De Comte (forgive me if this is incorrect - but the familial relationships in the film weren't that clear)
In the chateau there are two rather bitchy old men, the Duke and his brother (Mathurin's father) who are trying to contact the Cardinal in Rome (who is the Duke's brother) to come and conduct a marriage ceremony between Mathurin and a young lady from England named Lucy.
Controversially banned for 25 years when it was first released in 1975 The Beast is an erotic reworking of the Beauty and The Beast tale, released in November 2001 in a full uncut and subtitled version of the French original.
My overall opinion: messy, and curious, and well strange, onto the review:
The film opens with a rather bizarre, extraordinary close-up and intimate scene of two horses having sex, in the courtyard of a very large chateau looked on and assisted by a number of men, one of whom is Mathurin, the son of the brother of the Duke De Comte (forgive me if this is incorrect - but the familial relationships in the film weren't that clear)
In the chateau there are two rather bitchy old men, the Duke and his brother (Mathurin's father) who are trying to contact the Cardinal in Rome (who is the Duke's brother) to come and conduct a marriage ceremony between Mathurin and a young lady from England named Lucy.
A local priest and two altarboys arrive to baptise Mathurin so that he can then be married to Lucy.
Whilst this is taking place we see Lucy and her aunt travelling towards the chateau, Lucy highly excited and excitable seems to be jumping out of the vehicle every few minutes to take photographs with her instamatic camera usually of the surrounding countryside on their way.
When the two ladies arrive at the chateau the horses are still copulating and Lucy again jumps out of the car and starts to take photographs, her aunt pulls her back into the car and orders the driver to turn the vehicle around and go to the front of the chateau.
The Duke and his brother seem to be having trouble contacting the Cardinal about the marriage ceremony because of some trouble with Mathurin and the news of his recent baptism is telegraphed to the Cardinal in the hope that that will ease the situation and encourage the Cardinal to come to the chateau to conduct the marriage ceremony, apparently he is needed to conduct the ceremony as part of Lucy's father's last will and testament, so that she can come into her inheritance.
The ladies arrive at the chatea and learn about the myth of The Beast that apparently attacked a distant female relative of the brothers.
Later after dinner Lucy retires to her room and after gazing at the photographs she took of the horses copulating, dreams about the said attack, and later makes an amazing discovery about her bridegroom to be.
The film is described as being about female sexuality whilst not being pornographic, saying that there is female nudity throughout the film, and depictions of female masturbation, but the majority of the eroticism of the film is of a bestial nature, namely the horses copulating and the beast attack dream sequence that arouses Lucy intently.
The beast sequence is both quite disturbing and funny at the same time, it is so obviously a guy in a beast costume, and not a particularly good costume at that, but there are extreme close-ups of what is supposed to be the beast's penis dripping constantly during the attack. This did make me feel a bit sick after a while.
The eroticism of the film really does hinge heavily on animals and beastial nature, nature itself seems to very much be central to the erotic episodes I felt, in one scene during the attack the victim sees a snail on her discarded shoe and is licking her lips suggestively, I found this quite distasteful although I'm not sure why!
Given that the film is now over thirty years old it did seem a little dated, the fashions seemed to be rather confused I thought, it was hard to determine whether it was supposed to be a period piece, in one scene the daughter of the Duke's brother is seen dressed quite contemporarily in jeans, whilst Lucy's nightgown looks decidedly more victorian or antiquated.
The actors are fairly believable, the two old men, the Duke and his brother both seem very much in character and are convincing in their mannerisms and attitudes. Lucy however simply seems to run around, either screaming, lusting laviciously or gazing wistfully at the rose that Mathurin gave to her.
The soundtrack was quite unmemorable apart from the awful nerve-grating Elizabethan tune that coincided with the beast attack dream sequence.
The mood of the film was at times quite comical, the interplay between the two brothers and their bitchiness, the Duke's 200 year old leaf collection, the boxes in the kitchen constantly being tripped up over, and the nonsensical drama of pretence over the Cardinal's impending arrival at the chateau.
The exploration of female sexuality within the film was also nonsense I thought, I found it pleasantly open in the manner it adopted towards female masturbation, treating it candidly as quite matter of fact, but the lustful Lucy's beast fixation was not at all erotic and I did in fact get up and walk off at one point thinking that I may actually throw-up because the amount of fluid was quite sickening.
Overall, I wouldn't recommend this film, it was overlong, a bit messy, very strange and not even decently erotic.
Extra features on the DVD include a short french film called The Tide, which again was overlong and not really worth bothering with, a filmography and a picture gallery.
I have found it on Amazon to be priced at £19.99 and probably not widely available to rent.
Advantages: Quite funny, direction and cinematography Disadvantages: Guaranteed to offend 99% of people
The Esperance's were a once noble and revered French family who owned a multitude of lands, recently however they have fallen on hard times. They live in a crumbling house and their future now depends on an arranged marriage between their goofy son Mathurin (Pierre Benedetti) and an English noblewoman, Lucy Broadhurst (Lisbeth Hummel). From the outset it is obvious that there is something not right with the family and especially with Mathurin. The ... ...he won't return their calls. The younger sister of the family, who is a bit of a hippy, is supposed to be babysitting but locks up the kids in the wardrobe so she can have sex with the black servant Ifany, but they keep being interrupted leaving the girl to finish herself of with the bed post. Also Mathurin, who has a dark secret, is more interested in watching his horses have sex. Lucy is left to wander the mansion herself and finds the diary of ...
filmbuff85 15.04.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Beast (DVD)
Advantages: excellent photography, intelligent writing, good action, thought-provoking Disadvantages: None
Made in 1988, The Beast is a war film set in 1981 during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, following the crew of a Soviet T-62 tank that gets seperated from its unit and ends up in a barren desert valley, pursued by a group of mujahadeen warriors who are out for revenge after the tank unit mercilessly slaughtered the inhabitants of their tiny village. Indeed, the film opens with the attack on the settlement, in which one prominent village leader ... ...the behest of its unhinged commander, Daskal. The film is part anti-war film, part psychological thriller, the focus being split between Taj- the new Khan after his father and brother were brutally murdered- and his men on the one hand as they pursue the tank in the hopes of destroying it with a lone RPG, David and Goliath style, and Commander Daskal and his crew, who obey his increasingly maniacal commands out of fear. Daskal's crew consists of ...
Burning_Darkness 12.10.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Beast (DVD)
...time finding its review on the net, but i assure you that this was a good movie beleive it, the act was good, the action was also good, i reccomend it!
The cast, the story, the action, all of it was very good, not many war movie have a strong storyline like this one, but... im sad having to know that not many of my friend known this movie, although some of them claim to be "war movie junk"... The movie told us about surviving tank crew that was ... ...along.
The captain of the tank was a cunning one, a real beast.. hence the title the beast. It was a strong performance from him, making us beleive that he's a real bad and real cunning.
After watching this movie.. i realized one thing, no one will take over afghanistan, not alexander the great, not soviet union, not even the great USA. The mujahideen wasnt afraid of death, they are desperate and got nothing to lose, thats what i call the most ...
aleet 26.12.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of The Beast (DVD)
Advantages: great action film Disadvantages: nothing really comes to mind
In Afghanistan in the 1981, the former Soviet Union were locked in battle, with Mujahedeen guerrillas.
While on patrol a Soviet Tiger T-62 after taking a wrong turn in mountaines terrain, becomes the main patrol and get lost,
Some towns folk after having most of there town destroyed and families killed by the Russians, seize upon this opportunity to try and capture the tank in the canyons and kill its occupants.
There then begins a cat and mouse ... ...win.
The Tank Commander, a tyrant named Daskal becomes hell bent on returning his tank and crew at all costs. He pushes the tank driver Koverchenko to the limits, so much so, Koverchenko keeps a record of everything the commander does, and threatens to report him on there return.
Daskal sees this as mutiny, and gets the crew, to tie Koverchenko to a rock, with a live grenade under his head, and leave him to die.
The Villagers, now join by the ...
dreamscancometrue 31.12.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of The Beast (DVD)
Advantages: The pivotal work of a unique artist Disadvantages: Not for everyone, quite slow in places
Anyone familiar with the works of Walerian Borowczyk will understand this film will have sex as it's main theme. What may not be expected is some of the absurd and lucid visuals the film has to offer. Accompanying the film's obvious central theme is a plot about a young woman who goes with her aunt to stay at the home of a man she is to be married to. Underlying all the cordiality and sophistication of the social gathering within the manor is a recurring ... ...encounters a beast out in the forest, a scene which really must be seen to be believed. Overall, this is arguably Borowczyk's finest work and does certainly deserve the reputation it has garnered over the years. Critics have argued over the validity and artistic integrity of Borowczyk's work so it's really up to the viewer to decide for themselves. This film deserves to be watched and you will be very impressed. ...
psymonb 18.04.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of The Beast (DVD)
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The Soviet Union is engaged in a battle with the Mujahedeen guerrillas in Afghanistan, 1981. A crew from a Russian T-62 tank becomes separated from their patrol and what ensues is a cat and mouse battle to the death...
Release details
DVD Region
DVD
Studio(s)
UCA; UNIVERSAL MUSIC OPERATIONS, NOUVEAUX PICTURES; METRODOME DISTRIBUTION
Dolby Digital Surround English French German Italian Spanish
DVD Description
The Soviet Union is engaged in a battle with the Mujahedeen guerrillas in Afghanistan, 1981. A crew from a Russian T-62 tank becomes separated from their patrol and what ensues is a cat and mouse battle to the death...
![Beast [DVD]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78504676.jpg)
