When Sam Arkoff was interviewed in the early 70s he gave this as an example of AIP’s biggest disaster. It’s a surprise when you consider the subject matter would seem a natural for AIP (this was part of the second cycle of Poe pictures) and there were some impressive names involved: the cast included Lilli Palmer, Santa Berger and John Huston, the script was by Richard Matheson), the director Cy Endfield. However the shoot proved highly troublesome. Endfield apparently rewrote the script (changing it from non-linear to linear) and flipped out, causing Roger Corman to step in to help finish the film.
Apparently Endfield’s direction was chaste but here are lots of bare boobs here, some female bums (no male bums); Arkoff says in his memoirs that Dullea was reluctant to do orgy scenes but he’s in there, licking nipples. Presumably Corman did all this.
Keir Dullea's performance is a major debit. The role of de Sade is a gift but Dullea lacks spark, artistry, madness, etc. He does have a look of bored aplomb of the aristocracy – kind of like a Nazi officer – but that doesn't work for someone like de Sade. As a result, for all the orgies and boobs on display, the film isn't very interesting. There are lots of trippy sequences, music that sounds a bit like 70s TV, some decent art design. A major opportunity missed.
No comments:
Post a Comment