6.1 | / 10 |
Users | 3.5 | |
Reviewer | 2.5 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Justine is a nubile young virgin cast out of a French orphanage and thrust into a depraved world of prostitution, predatory lesbians, a fugitive murderess, bondage, branding, and one supremely sadistic monk. It's a twisted tale of strange desires, perverse pleasures and the ultimate corruption of innocence as told by the Marquis de Sade.
Starring: Koo Stark, Martin Potter, Lydia Lisle, Katherine Kath, Hope JackmanErotic | 100% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.64:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.66:1
English: LPCM 2.0
None
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 3.0 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
The work of famed literary kinkster the Marquis de Sade has been endlessly adapted for the screen, from full-on XXX fare to decidedly more mainstream material, like 2000's Quills. Most of the film adaptations fall somewhere in between, titillating with disturbing, often rape-y erotica while also attempting some measure of respectability by playing up the more intellectual side of Sade's do-what-thou-wilt philosophy. The most infamous example, of course--and arguably the best cinematic take on Sade's work--is Pier Paolo Pasolini's Salò, which restaged the unfinished novel 120 Days of Sodom in fascist-era Italy. But perhaps the most widely adapted of Sade's books is Justine, a story of two sisters--one chaste, one self-consciously lascivious--who are forced to fend for themselves in a world ruled by base desires. Notorious Spanish director Jesús Franco--who has made no less than ten Sade-inspired films--told his version of the tale in 1969, and low-rent filmmakers Claude Pierson and Mac Ahlberg each had a go at the story in 1972 and '75, respectively. So, no, the world probably didn't need yet another version in 1977 by way of Chris Bogen, whose mostly forgettable Justine (a.k.a. Cruel Passions) would be his first and last film. It does have two things going for it, though: 1.) It stars gorgeous one-time it-girl Koo Stark, whose personal relationships eventually overwhelmed her nascent film career, and 2.) it was the first film credit for famed British cinematographer Roger Deakins, now known best for shooting most of the Coen brothers' movies.
Justine...
For all it's narrative failings, Justine was at least capably and sometimes even beautifully shot by a straight-out-of-film-school Roger Deakins, who has gone on to work on much bigger and better projects, from The Shawshank Redemption to No Country for Old Men. Unfortunately, I doubt anyone is going to invest the money and time needed to give Justine a frame-by-frame restoration. The print used here, which is branded with the film's alternate title, Cruel Passion, is beset with the white and black specks, small scratches, and occasional brightness flickering of an oft-projected 35mm movie that's seen better days. Still, while they haven't done much restoration work, Kino and Redemption Films have at least presented the as-is print faithfully in high definition, with no apparent noise reduction or edge enhancement or other digital alterations. The 1080p/AVC-encoded transfer has a natural-looking grain structure, and while the picture is far from what anyone might call sharp, the film certainly benefits from its newfound resolution. Color also shows some age-related fluctuations, but in general the image is satisfyingly dense, with good contrast, black levels that don't crush much shadow detail, and hues that are strong without appearing oversaturated. Basically, the film looks much as you'd expect a film of this sort to look.
Ditto for the disc's Linear PCM 2.0 track, which does what it can with an original audio mix that probably wasn't too stunning to begin with. There are some light crackles, some slightly muffled voices, and the odd mild hiss here and there, but nothing that doesn't fall under the "it is what it is and there's not much that can be done about it" category. For the most part--aside from some brashness in the high end--this is a listenable-enough track. The dialogue may not have been recorded with the utmost fidelity, but it's always easy enough to understand, sitting fairly high in the mix. Effects are minimal, but the film does make occasional use of classical music cues, like Vivaldi's "Spring," and these sound fine. My only complaint--and this is a frequent one with Kino/Redemption titles--is that there are no subtitle options for those who might need or want them.
Justine has moments of wild-eyed insanity and is home to some still-shocking Sadean philosophy--summed up in Juliette's observation that "the wicked will flourish and the good must flounder"--but it just doesn't work as a cohesive whole. The pacing is off, the plotting is too episodic, and the characters--especially Justine--feel underwritten. Still, the film has its lightly sleazy softcore charms if you're looking for 1970s-style nudity and nunsploitation. I judge not. Kino's Blu-ray release is a solid improvement over previous home video releases, but don't expect spectacular picture quality- -the film looks like the '70s low-budget erotic drama that it is. Recommended only for sadists, cinematic and otherwise.
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