Customer Reviews

Balcony [VHS]

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is an arty-entertainment film. If you like NIGHT OF THE HUNTER, THE WICKER MAN, POWELL & PRESSBURGER FILMS, DENNIS POTTER TV, THEATRICAL PERFORMANCES ON TV -- and anything else that is different with an arty dramatic drive, you'll love this unique piece. Probably the closest that the USA has come to getting a European piece of theatre right. I'm not into arty rubbish, but into entertainment. If you have nothing against a made for TV theatre piece that is very poetic, and at times surrealistic, then give this a try. It was shown on European TV several years ago, and I found it wonderful, and have longed for its release. The best performance I have seen from Peter Falk, and Leonard Nimoy was very virile and un-Vulkan. The women in the brothel are also INCREDIBLY sexy !!!!!

The Balcony is a brilliant play emulating similar satirical methods of the better known "Crucible." The Balcony is at times sexy, witty, violent, gauche, and shocking. The movie does not succeed in relating the power of the tale. Nonetheless, Jean Genet's superb screenplay is not completely lost on the mature viewer. Younger or less analytical viewers may have problems with the nuances of the play, yet the advantage of the movie is the ease with which it can be watched again for further comprehension. Overall, while the movie is certainly good, it does not do the play nor playwright justice.

The Balcony is not just an ordinary extension to your house ... in this film it is a place where mortal men go to live out their fantasies. It is a modern day dream castle, where men can escape from the hardships of the real world and act out lives of important people that they may never have the opportunity of becoming. I use the word men for a reason in this review, because the "Balcony" is a brothel. It is a place where men go to fulfill not just their sexual fantasies, but also their dreams. If one wants to become the Bishop; he can go to the "Balcony" and demand that women tell him their sins. If one wants to become the strongest General in the English army with a trusty steed by his side all that he needs to do is go to the "Balcony" and a woman will become his sidekick. There is even a place for men to become Justices of the Supreme Court; carrying out sentences to the women that they hire. Rooted with deep political and sexual undertones, this black comedy digs deep into your soul and your mind. Adapted by the play by Jean Genet, we watch as three men live out their fantasies as their troubled country is rocked right outside the doors by a gang of rebels.

With the revolution happening outside, the business has been tough, but the ladies seem to be surviving. Everyone is happy, until Peter Falk enters the scene. He plays the police chief who is trying to bring the rebels outside to justice. He is also the man who is dating the owner of the brothel played by Shelly Winters. He does not know how to bring the rebels to justice and keep the moral of the people and troops together when the Bishop, General, and Justice have all been murdered. Then he finds his answer in the least of places. He gets the women of the brothel to ask the three men to become stand-ins for the actual leaders of the country. After much persuasion, they say "yes" and begin their voyage outside into the "real world" wearing the masks of their fantasies. At first they succeed, but soon the power reaches even these imposters as they begin to change the rules in their positions. As relations begin to heat up again, a surprise twist shows us that role-play can happen in the most common places.

Director Joseph Strick takes on quite a daunting task with his film adaptation. The Balcony is very racy at times and definitely pushes the envelope, but it is the film's subtle humor that keeps it from becoming all too serious. The wild fantasies played out inside the Balcony are turned into something that can put an end to the violent revolution. While the film is mainly comedic, there are metaphors abound. The brothel itself becomes the main symbol of an unruly, but acceptable, community where morals and standards are nowhere to be found.

The violence outside its doors mirrors the activity in the brothel. It seemingly tells us that without standards anything can happen and be accepted. The brothel may even come out on top, as the madam says, "We don't allow death in here." I felt as I watched it that I was watching a film that had been made this year. The dark themes, the powerful images, and even the switching ending are all issues that Hollywood uses in everyday film today. It is not something that you see in 1963 (when this film was made). I applaud this film for taking chances, and while it isn't the greatest film out there, it should gain respect with the deeply rooted symbolism that it carries. I especially loved the ending. Look to see an interesting "side" of Nimoy and Falk. This film also explores the issue that we may carry the clothes of power, but without them ... without anything on our backs ... we are just the same as the next man or woman. We are all human.

I also enjoyed the idea of throwing standards to the wayside. That is the major theme of this film. Without standards, you have the violence that happened outside of the "Balcony" ... without standards you have people imagining worlds that do not exist, living lives that they have not earned, and not caring about consequences just people's reaction to themselves. This is obvious when the three unknowns head out onto the city to bring peace, God, and justice to the unknowing people. They do not care that they do not have the training for this power, all they care about being able to feel like they have the power if only for just one moment.

Overall, this film was a scary and interesting when you begin to think about it on a different level than just a comedy. This movie will rank as one of the oddest films I have ever watched in my film career, but one that will remain in my mind forever.

Grade: **** out of *****

On of the most memorable features of this film (besides the combo of Shelley Winters, Peter Falk and pre-spock Leonard Nimoy) is the sound track. The score is all Igor Stravinsky and features L'histoire de soldat and his octet for woodwinds.
I enjoyed this film immensely in 1963 when I was in my late teens and I enjoyed it again last year when I rented the tape.
Amusing and entertaining.

Producing Genet, whether for the stage or screen, is an arduous task. His elaborate characters, costumes, and scenes are enough to give any director more than a few bleeding ulcers. This film, however, effectively captures the spirit of "The Balcony." Not overly so, but enough to make for an enjoyable evening on a frigid winter night. Marked by capable acting and an unforgettable ending, "The Balcony" is worth the $18 price tag.

During a revolutionary war, the brothel is loaded with fetish customers.

Someone told me this film was so far out, that it is in.

I exhibited it when it was first run.

The transfer to DVD isn't the best from IMAGE, but a good movie,

is hard to find. This one is rather strange and Shelley Winters runs the brothel.

And Star Trek's Leonard Nimoy is also in it. A very young Nimoy.

We need a newer update and restoration on this collectible. It is really bad as it is now.

The vile Marquis was also a philosopher and proposed that the obstacle to true democracy was that some individuals are driven to lord it over others. His solution was freedom for sexual perversions. Let them take out their needs in brothels and private bedrooms instead of positions of power.

Genet develops this theme by showing individuals taking out their fantasies of power with girls in a brothel.

When the leaders of society disappear what is to happen? The customers in the brothel can easily fill in and no one will notice or does notice. Society is ultimately run simply by people with fantasies of power and sex anyway. The brothel becomes a metaphor for society in general.

The film takes its name from a wonderful performance in which Peter Falk gives an empty but passionate and arousing speech from the balcony, acting out his childish fantasies of power.

I am not sure if the ending of the film works well or not. This is all totally crazy on the surface and is all really about subtext communicated through metaphor, and so it may hang together more tightly on a second viewing. I give the film high marks however for even daring to appear, and for some truly memorable performances in my opinion.

Obviously it is not a film for everyone. And if it had been my film I would have done a few things differently. Also it might seem a bit dated, and maybe too "European" for some. But I think that a viewer that goes in with open eyes and some artistic tolerance could agree with me that it deserves very high praise.

Surrealist in intent, atmosphere and cinematography. Could be considered Dystopian as Orson Welle's 'The Trial', Soderbergh's 'Kafka'.

If you like David Lynch you will most assuredly enjoy this strange thought-provoking offering.

I am referring to the Image Entertainment August 1, 2000 release.

Though amazon.com states 1.33:1 (Academy Aspect ratio) - it appears, on my Sony 52" LCD, to be properly 16:9 Enhanced/Anamorphic (although it does start a little shifted to the right, it quickly corrects itself). IMDB does not list the original aspect ratio but most films after 1960 were filmed in 1.85:1 (in America) or wider and I'm assuming this one was too.

Keep an open mind and enjoy - hope this helps.

This movie has a great cast where each character overcomes to the other one. It doesn't create you that it is an orthodox film; on the contrary, you should be very attentive to the game of circus mirrors that supposes each scene.

This has got to be the most disgusting movie I've seen (ever). At least I got this at the library, I thank my lucky stars that I didn't buy this, or I'd be fuming. It is just weird and frankly no entertainment whatsoever. For anyone to give this a higher rating than one, I'd hate to see that person (and wouldn't want my kids around that person!) I want to give this movie a minus 5. SAVE your money! I have only seen the first half hour of this movie, 'cause that was enough of my time wasted on garbage.