THE BEAST
- Release Date: 15th September 2015
- Format: Dual Format DVD & Blu-ray
- Starring: Sirpa Lane, Lisbeth Hummel, Elisabeth Kaza
- Directed By: Walerian Borowczyk
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Walerian Borowczyk’s most notorious and controversial film wildly re-works the classic Beauty and the Beast story into a very adult fairy tale, a parody of pornographic tropes and an assault on notions of ‘good taste’.
Bestial dreams interrupt the venal plans of a French aristocrat attempting to save a crumbling mansion by marrying off his deformed son, Mathurin, to a horny American heiress, Lucy. Yet Mathurin seems more interested in his horses than in his bride-to-be, and when Lucy finds out about the story of his 18th-century ancestor Romilda (Sirpa Lane) copulating with the titular beast it sparks to life one of the most outrageous dream sequences in cinema history.
A huge hit in France that was extensively censored and banned elsewhere, The Beast broke new ground in sexual explicitness and remains a truly startling experience even today.
Bestial dreams interrupt the venal plans of a French aristocrat attempting to save a crumbling mansion by marrying off his deformed son, Mathurin, to a horny American heiress, Lucy. Yet Mathurin seems more interested in his horses than in his bride-to-be, and when Lucy finds out about the story of his 18th-century ancestor Romilda (Sirpa Lane) copulating with the titular beast it sparks to life one of the most outrageous dream sequences in cinema history.
A huge hit in France that was extensively censored and banned elsewhere, The Beast broke new ground in sexual explicitness and remains a truly startling experience even today.
Reviews
"The most outrageous erotic fantasy ever committed to film."- BFI
"An erotic black farce hellbent on trampling every pretence of good taste."
- Kinoteka
"In a perfect(ly cracked) world, this would belong in the Collector's Series, but it's just so out-there I can only confidently call it Highly Recommended. You lucky ones who straddle that weird line, you need to get this awesome Blu-ray."
- DVD Talk
Contents
New high definition digital transfer of the uncut 98-minute version
Uncompressed Mono 1.0 PCM Audio
Optional English subtitles
Introduction by film critic Peter Bradshaw
The Making of The Beast: camera operator Noël Véry provides a commentary on footage shot during the film’s production
Frenzy of Ecstasy, a new visual essay on the evolution of Borowczyk’s beast and the sequel that never was, Motherhood
The Profligate Door, a documentary about Borowczyk’s sound sculptures featuring curator Maurice Corbet
Boro Brunch, a reunion meal recorded in February 2014 reuniting members of Borowczyk’s crew
Commercials by Borowczyk: Holy Smoke (1963), The Museum (1964) and Tom Thumb (1966)
Gunpoint, a documentary short by Peter Graham produced and edited by Borowczyk
Behind Enemy Lines - The Making of Gunpoint
Theatrical trailer
Reversible sleeve featuring Borowczyk’s own original poster design
Uncompressed Mono 1.0 PCM Audio
Optional English subtitles
Introduction by film critic Peter Bradshaw
The Making of The Beast: camera operator Noël Véry provides a commentary on footage shot during the film’s production
Frenzy of Ecstasy, a new visual essay on the evolution of Borowczyk’s beast and the sequel that never was, Motherhood
The Profligate Door, a documentary about Borowczyk’s sound sculptures featuring curator Maurice Corbet
Boro Brunch, a reunion meal recorded in February 2014 reuniting members of Borowczyk’s crew
Commercials by Borowczyk: Holy Smoke (1963), The Museum (1964) and Tom Thumb (1966)
Gunpoint, a documentary short by Peter Graham produced and edited by Borowczyk
Behind Enemy Lines - The Making of Gunpoint
Theatrical trailer
Reversible sleeve featuring Borowczyk’s own original poster design
SRP: $39.95
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Details
- Region: A/1
- Rating: NR
- Cat No: AV020
- Duration: 98 minutes
- Language: French
- Subtitles: English
- Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1
- Audio: French Mono
- Color