Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		3.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		3.5

Lipstick Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf February 19, 2022

Release during the heyday of exploitation entertainment, 1976’s “Lipstick” attempted to bring something a little different to theaters. It’s a tale about a sexual assault and the psychological fallout from such a devastating experience, and the script by David Rayfiel strives to use such a heinous act of violation to inspire a sincere discussion of the legal system and the way it favors aggressors, putting the weight of responsibility on victims. This take is certainly most welcome, and the picture is mostly interested in courtroom events as a case of violence is torn to shreds by practiced legal minds. However, the production can’t help itself, and instead of following through on the cruelty of the legal system to best disturb viewers, “Lipstick” goes the B-movie route, offering a blunt sense of justice for a complex situation of shame and fear.

Chris (Margaux Hemingway) is a top fashion model who’s always on the go, keeping her sister, Kathy (Mariel Hemingway), close to help raise the 13-year-old girl. Kathy’s favorite teacher is Gordon (Chris Sarandon), an electronic music composer eager to share his work with the star, hoping to attract her attention and launch his career. Arriving at her condo for a meeting, Gordon is annoyed when Chris is distracted during their listening session, eventually deciding to sexually assault her while he purges his rage. Chris struggles to recover from the incident, joined by her boyfriend, Steve (Perry King), who urges her to press charges. Taking Gordon to court with help from prosecutor Carla (Anne Bancroft), Chris is put through hell on the stand, forced to defend her career and looks as she’s made to look as though she welcomed the violation.

Chris’s influence and omnipresence as a model is the foundation of “Lipstick,” with the young woman achieving power, money, and fame during her career. Gordon wants to use all of it to get his horrible music to a mass audience, and at first he seems like an easygoing guy, remaining friendly with Kathy, who has an innocent crush on him. The first act of the feature establishes his deceptive personality and developing resentment of Chris, refusing to be rejected by her as she prioritizes a phone call over his music sample, enraging him. The sexual assault sequence is tough to watch, made worse by Kathy, who pays a brief visit, unsure what she’s witnessing, but it gives “Lipstick” a level of realism director Lamont Johnson doesn’t want to discount, forcing viewing to examine the violence and understand the situation.

“Lipstick” switches over to a courtroom drama for the second act, with the case putting pressure on Chris, who risks losing her career over this accusation, but she doesn’t want to watch Gordon go free. A traditional legal contest ensues, with Kathy forced to take the stand, which torments her sister, who loses control of the narrative during the trial. “Lipstick” has some power in these moments, but Hemingway doesn’t have the thespian training to truly nail the part, keeping Chris stiff and awkward during sizable dramatic movements. The acting isn’t there, but the writing examines the inhumanity of such cases, with Gordon’s lawyer targeting Chris’s modeling position as an invitation for sexual assault.

Lipstick Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "Lipstick" is sourced from an older scan of the feature. Age is apparent, but doesn't destroy the viewing experience, which offers light detail with facial surfaces and fibrous costuming, especially with model outfits. Courtroom and household decoration is acceptable, as are city distances. Colors are adequate, enjoying a boost of primaries with fashion world hues, including red lipstick, and courtroom browns are appreciable. Skintones are natural. Delineation is satisfactory. Grain has a processed appearance. Source is in good condition.

Lipstick Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix supplies a simple but compelling sense of cinematic life to "Lipstick," offering defined dialogue exchanges, with handle a wide variety of performance capabilities. Scoring cues are clear, supplying orchestral and funkier support for suspense and dramatic moods. Gordon's electronic music delivers its intended volume and intensity.

Lipstick Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features film critic Justin Kerswell and film historian Amanda Reyes.

• "Lady Killer" (26:05, HD) is a video conference interview with actor Chris Sarandon, who was building career momentum in the mid-1970s with his role in "Dog Day Afternoon." Drawn to the message of "Lipstick," Sarandon agreed to play the part, working on the deep psychology of a violent character, making sense of motivations. The interviewee shares an anecdote about his interactions with producer Dino De Laurentiis (who offered him parts in "King Kong," "The White Buffalo," and "Orca"), and explores his time with Margaux Hemingway, who was much different than her character, and suffered greatly when she received nasty reviews for her acting. Sarandon also details Mariel Hemingway's natural screen presence, and recalls time with his co-stars, including Anne Bancroft. Memories of director Lamont Johnson are offered, the music of the film is assessed, and the ultimate critical response to "Lipstick" is highlighted.

• "A Girl from Idaho" (29:25, HD) is a video conference interview with actress Mariel Hemingway, who details Margaux Hemingway's journey to fame, initially hired as a PR rep for Evel Knievel before breaking into the modeling business, surprising her family. Becoming an industry sensation, "Lipstick" soon followed, and while Margaux had no acting experience, the production made her a leading actress, and she pushed for Mariel to join her, possibly as a source of comfort during a difficult time. Mariel recalls her happiness during the shoot, working well with co-stars and director Lamont Johnson, and she has an amusing anecdote concerning her time with producer Dino De Laurentiis. Most interesting is Mariel's assessment of her sister's mental health, as reviews praised the younger sibling's performance while savaging Margaux, sending her into B- movies while Mariel was offered quality material. The interviewee also shares her first viewing of "Lipstick," joining her father at a New York City grindhouse theater, where she witnessed the power of audience interaction.

• "A Two Picture Deal" (10:08, HD) is an interview with actor Perry King, who provides a sobering assessment of show business, identifying the toxic qualities of fame, using Margaux Hemingway as an example of this kind of downfall. Initially charmed by producer Dino De Laurentiis, King was ultimately unimpressed with his part in "Lipstick," identifying the "bankrupt" premise of the script. Co-stars are recalled, along with director Lamont Johnson, but King largely remains with memories of Margaux, discussing her unexpected voice and private pain when her sister collected great reviews for her performance.

• Photo Gallery (10:08) collects film stills, lobby card, poster and video release art, newspaper ads, press kit pages, and soundtrack releases.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:26, HD) is included.

Lipstick Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Lipstick" builds with legal entanglements and fiery emotions, but the production soon gives up on all of that, submitting a crude third act that hopes to give the feature some last-minute excitement from a revenge scenario that's barely developed. The climax doesn't fit the rest of "Lipstick," which goes from an attempt to expose injustice (complete with a climatic Clarence Darrow quote) to a gun-toting solution that's meant to play to a wide audience, giving them a decidedly cinematic resolution when the first half of the endeavor appears to be heading toward a realistic one.