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1975 - 98m.
France

Although this movie is a bit of a slog to sit through, it certainly has some memorable moments and has rightfully earned its place as one of those cult movies that is unlike anything else you have seen. That being said, it would been much better served had it been included in a truncated version as a part of Polish director Walerian Borowczyk's anthology film Immoral Tales as originally intended. Instead, it was expanded into a feature film that takes a long time to get going but certainly pays off by shocking (and likely disgusting) many viewers with an extended dream sequence sex scene between an aristocrat woman and a forest-dwelling monster that looks like a goofy sasquatch. There are many close-up shots of the monster's penis compete with semen seepage that will have many viewers reconsidering the alfredo sauce next time they go out for pasta. It is pretty surprising that this one is available on Netflix.

The movie opens with an extended scene of equine ecstasy (not sure what was up with Eurosleaze directors and horse cocks in the 70s) before we are introduced to the inhabitants of a villa who are awaiting the arrival of a bride-to-be named Lucy. She is to be married to a man named Mathurin by a Cardinal who is also en route. The first half of this flick consists of a lot of talking where there is some mild tension as one member of the household is opposed to the wedding but I was getting more of a farce vibe than a drama with intense family dynamics. We are introduced to a priest who is creeping on two young boys, a servant who jumps into bed with the redhead daughter of the house whenever he gets the chance, and Lucy (Lisbeth Hummel) who arrives with her aunt. Things start to get weird when Lucy goes to bed one night in a sexy nightie. She starts to masturbate with a rose and has a dream about a relative of Mathurin who found herself following a lamb into the forest and then was attacked and raped by the hairy title animal. This leads to a revelation in the household that kind of ties things together but honestly the plot is beside the point in this one. I'm sure there are some intellectuals out there who will be able to (or think they are able to) cast some light on the subtext but this was all about the shock value as far as I'm concerned.

Before you get up in arms about the depiction of bestiality in a movie, you must understand that this movie is completely ridiculous. The beast itself is looks something like a cheap wolf or bear suit that you would find in a discount costume section at Halloween so it is difficult to take seriously. The assault by the beast does not come across as very threatening and actress Sirpa Lane develops an enjoyment for the act faster than you can say "straw dogs". Honestly, this sequence is so goofy and there is so much fluid seeping everywhere that I found myself more amused than offended. That being said, this movie is loaded with full-frontal nudity (female, male, and beast) so if that makes you uncomfortable, I would advise you to stay away. The rose masturbation scene does not shy away from the close-ups and the beast's erect member as well as that of the horse in the opening is on full close-up display for extended time. Also, if you have a love for lambs, this is not a movie you will want to view.

You have to give Borowczyk credit for having the balls to put this out there but I find the comparisons from more high-brow critics that this was his take on the classic tale of Beauty and the Beast to be somewhat absurd. I'm not really sure what he was going for here but he certainly succeeds in the area of forbidden erotica and I can't think of any other movie like this. This really is a strange one and I think most fans of bizarre erotic cinema will want to experience this once. That being said, it is not something I will be going back to anytime soon and I don't have a desire to identify metaphors or political undercurrents and the beast and his unit kind of kills any sexiness that may be on display. If you are not used to bizarre European movies, you should proceed with caution because this will likely disgust the uninitiated but overall, it is not as offensive as it sounds (at least in my desensitized world). Sirpa Lane returned in the sort-of sequel The Beast in Space in 1980.

Arrow Films has put out a great edition of this film that includes an hour-long "making of" narrated by camera operator Noel Very featuring loads of behind-the-scenes footage. The blu-ray also contains a short film by Borowczyk and some other goodies. (Josh Pasnak, 11/26/15)

Directed By: Walerian Borowczyk.
Written By: Walerian Borowczyk.

Starring: Sirpa Lane, Lisbeth Hummel, Elisabeth Kaza, Pierre Benedetti.

aka: La Bete.