The Flesh (1991) User Reviews

A cannibal love

[Ulan_Dhor · 6/10 · 6 February 2010]

Marco Ferreri was one of the most original directors in Italian cinema history, his movies contend with relationship of the modern man and the society where he lives, this relationship is often described as to be alienating and claustrophobic, however they're greatly ironic movies, "easy" to watch.

Another theme so dear to Ferreri is the woman, and La Carne (The Flesh) is another movie with a freaky female figure as protagonist. The women of Marco Ferreri are not normal human beings, they're more a sort of superwomen, they're always portrayed as dangerous beings for the man and often the man is himself a victim in the hands of theirs, concerning this I remember first Ferreri's great movies: L'ape Regina (The Conjugal Bed), La Donna Scimmia (The Ape Woman) and later La Dernière Femme (The Last Woman). Even if the women of Ferreri seem to be "superhuman" and "above" the common man I think that his standpoint about the women shouldn't be intended as a woman's celebration or as a sort of tribute to women, quite another thing: on closer inspection Ferreri's outlook about women reveals a strongly misogynist conception, I think so because those female portrays are so grotesque and so devoid of humanity that you'd have difficulty to recognize a real woman in them, in short the women of Marco Ferreri are parodies, for instance in "I Love You" we witness to an event of objectification of women, there the woman is replaced by a talking key-chain, that's Ferreri on the summit of his misogyny I think.

La Carne is not one of his best movies, however it should be seen if for no other reason than Francesca Dellera, she's absolutely amazing, let me be clear, she CAN'T act but she's a sort of living "visual effect" talking about sensuality and sex appeal, she'd be able to arouse a sort of "cannibal attraction" both in men and women and it's just a cannibal love what Paolo (Sergio Castellitto) will feel about her.

A Dumb Film

[Brakathor · 1/10 · 20 August 2023]

I titled this review in this way because the description says "a beautiful film." To me, the word "beautiful" becomes obscene if used frivolously, and in this case, it deserves its just counterpart, in what I confess may be a subjective interpretation as well. I stumbled upon this film looking up the Gaspar Noe film "Carne," and I figured, it sounds silly, but why not give it a try? I haven't watched an Italian film in awhile, and I was in the mood for something different.

Suffice it to say, at this point in my life, I hate films like this, HATE them. Back in the day I used to bushwhack my way through giallo films, and Italian sex comedies on an almost daily basis, and I think this film is as good a place as any to completely neuter that curiosity. In that respect, I'm not even completely sure how to classify this film. Is it a comedy? Is it a romantic drama with cutesy elements? This aspect of Italian culture may be somewhat elusive to me,, but to me, films like this aren't funny, they're energy sucking. The female romantic lead says of the protagonist "You're like a vampire!" Well that's how I feel too.

I do hope Italian cinema has evolved from this, but in 1991, this feels like a fairly late entry into the typical Italian sex comedy premise of silly ridiculous sexual scenarios, and goofy men acting goofy during sex with knockout bombshell women who apparently have no better options in love and in life. This film is largely in that vein, with typical dumb giallo style gross-out scenes peppered all the way through for shock value, with the characters' actions being justified by typical Italian pseudo-intellectual drivel. To me, this is the boon of any 20th century Italian film that tends to be conceptual in nature. You see it even in films that are considered good, like Fellini Satyricon or Farinelli, where the characters cease being characters, and become vessels to express an idea, usually one that's not applicable to real life in any direct way.

It's very hard for me to find value in a film based around characters who I can't relate to, and don't feel real to me. Again, I'm just expressing one man's opinion. If you enjoy this type of thing, have at it, but personally I'd rather leave it in the dustbin of film history. For what it's worth, at the very least, in this era of film, the Italian actor would actually be bold enough to give the booby a squeeze and a lick during the numerous farcical lovemaking scenes, which is pretty much the one redeemable aspect there is here, and if you're' a casual unassuming viewer, the best you could hope for, so if you share the director's obvious fetish for frizzy-haired women, you could give this one a try, though personally, Francesca Dellera's implants ruin her for me.

Unsuccessful navel-gazing by Ferreri

[lor_ · 21 June 2023]

My review was written in May 1991 after a Cannes Film Festival (in competition) screening.

A mild scandal at this year's Cannes fest is Marco Ferreri's self-styled, indulgent exercise in absurdity, "La Carne". Meanderings over familiar Ferreri themes and fetishes is only fitfully amusing, with the Italian home audience its target.

Popular comic Sergio Castellitto plays a nightclub pianist/singer whose marriage has broken up. He's a hypochondriac attached to his dog, and is a loving dad on visiting days with his two kids.

Castellitto's life is turned around when he meets fleshy sexpot Francesca Dellera while performing in the club. After she talks to him of sex with her young guru from India he closes the club early and takes her to his beach house for some of that mad love so many filmmakers dote on in lieu of a storyline.

Film drifts into arbitrary dialog and incident at this point, with Dellera reversing the roles and making Castellitto her rigid sex object after touching the proper pressure points on his neck.

Between rambling philosophical discussions, empty symbolism of storks and sunsets, Ferreri finds time for the duo to eat while making love. There is only brief nudity of both, but Dellera strolls around in push-up bras that show off enough decolletage to please a local sex comedy audience.

Final twist of arbitrary murder and cannibalism is a guaranteed turn-off, lacking the force of Ferreri's memorable Gerard Depardieu self-castration finale in "The Last Woman".

Castellitto provides the requisite laughs with his goofy reactions to Dellera's off-the-wall behavior. She is a pale-skinned, kewpie doll beauty that becomes tiresome under constant camera fixation after the supporting cast is dispensed with. Concentration on the two stars is relieved only by interludes with a nursing mother on the beach, a lesbian who briefly joins the duo and a very funny visit from Castellitto's kids while he lies paralyzed on his back sporting an erection.

The director's intentional tastelessness has lost much of its shock value, so the off-screen death of Castellitto's dog from neglect is merely the pretext for a gag of Sergio literally in the doghouse when he tries out a new sexual position with Dellera.

Ennio Guarnieri's photography is mainly stark and functional, with the beach setting shot on sunny or overcast days at will. Other tech credits, including the direct sound recording, are pro.

WEIRD Romance

[techyboy-87459 · 1/10 · 3 September 2020]

Probably one of the WORST romances I've ever seen where this couple APPEARS to fall in love but - for no known reason -the man STABS her with a knife at the very end of the movie and puts her in the fridge! Talk about an UNWELCOME ANTICLIMAX!!! Up until this point, though, I thought the flick was actually good.

Some fairy tale from 18th century.

[alexferdman-98602 · 2/10 · 1 January 2019]

No, I didn't like flick at all. Producer steadily avoid reality of men's life. In reality men don't kill females because they love them as they happy not to jerk off all the time--this point completely missing. Yes, main chick looks pretty good though we see nothing but producer's sex knowledge is about zero.