Anatomy Of Hellby Anonymous

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June 08, 2006: Having seen this movie tonight I must say I was quite shocked at the contents in Catherine Breillats "Anatomy of Hell". I personally thought it shines a light on the darker side of life focusing on the relationship between heterosexual women, "Amira Casar" and a homosexual man” Rocco Siffredi." The film did make me wonder if things like this actually go on in real life. Some parts in this film I personally thought should have been cut. There’s one specific part in this film which made me sick and unfortunately I was drinking cranberry juice unaware of what I was to see next. Some will see this film as an excuse to show tits and willies in an art house film. Others will see this film as beautiful poetry between two distinct characters - we know not their pasts, but we find that they both must discover something about themselves - since they willingly enter into a contract. This may be, on one hand, discovery about one's sexuality, and on the other, discovery of explaining one's sexuality. I am sure many others will see this simply as a pretentious effort at describing feminism. This is an argument of culture, and my view is that human culture is primarily male dominated (the few remaining matriarchal societies are being eradicated by logging :( and so many people will be offended by the content of the film. If you do choose to watch it, watch it as a combination of a documentary and poetry. If you watch this film to the end and are captured then I believe that you have experienced one or more of the aspects shown. If you are not captured, and are possibly reviled, then you are bound by our culture, and conceptions of what moving imagery should be. This is, undeniably, not a bad thing. This is, ultimately, a film of counter-culture. Catherine Breillats films are an acquired taste beware to be shocked this film.

This review was written about the DVD edition.