Customer Reviews

Hunger: Soul for Sale

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This is not the vampire movie with David Bowie, Susan Sarandon and Catherine Deneuve, but rather a collection of 4 episodes from the 1997-1998 and 1999-2000 Showtime series "The Hunger".

Produced by Ridley Scott (of "Blade Runner" and "Alien" fame) and his brother Tony, and hosted by Terence Stamp in the 1st season and David Bowie in the 2nd, the series was always well-filmed and produced but somewhat hit-or-miss in its scrips and acting. Nudity is a staple.

This DVD includes the follwing episodes:

1) Bridal Suite - stars Sally Kirkland as an innkeeper who welcomes a honeymooning couple to a bridal suite with a sinister bedroom. Based on a story by Graham Masterson.

2) Red Light - One of the world most sought after models, Natasha, begins to feel that the cameras are somehow damaging her, stealing her soul. She runs to the only place she knows she can be safe - back to the arms of her ex lover, McCabe, the photographer who's career collapsed when she abandoned him years ago. Will he provide a safe haven she seeks, or will the tempation to take one last picture of Natasha prove too great?

3) The River of Night's Dreaming - a desperate female prison escapee stumbles into the midst of some extremely strange and kinky goings-on

4) The Secret Shih-Tan - Jason Lee stars as a gourmet chef who is paid big bucks to read and prepare a meal included in an ancient cookbook called "Shih-Tan". After opening the book, he knows how much trouble he's in... Directed by "Highlander"s Russell Mulcahy from a story by Graham Masterson.

This disk has four episodes from the Showtime series The Hunger. Each story is complete unto itself and is introduced by Terence Stamp.

In Bridal Suite, a newly wed couple finds a small inn in a snowstorm. They are given the bridal suite after the husband declares that his love is true. But after the consummation, the groom is nowhere to be found. The woman who runs the inn seems to be of little help until the truth is revealed.

In Red Light, a top model feels that she has to get away from the cameras. She feels that little pieces of her are disappearing with each picture. She takes refuge at the home of an ex-lover who cannot resist snapping a few pictures while she sleeps. When she finds out she rushes out only to be assaulted by the masses of the media where she finally meets her fate.

In The Fiver of Night's Dreams, a female prisoner escapes when being transported. After being dunked in a river she finds refuge at the house of a strange, and possibly sinister, religion.

Finally, in The Secret Shih-Tah, a young chef of unmatched skills is approached by a couple who have a secret cookbook of ultimate culinary arts. He is given the chance to read and study it so long as he prepares a meal for the couple. But the secrets within may be too much for the chef until he discovers the lengths his customer will go to.

Four interesting stories that stand alone but share some themes. As this is a Showtime series, there is plenty of nudity and sex so it may be unsuitable for some viewers.

I don't receive Showtime, so I was pleased to see this series come out on DVD. Being a hardcore fan of the original movie The Hunger with David Bowie and Catherine Denueve, I couldn't resist checking out this series. This DVD includes the following tales:

Bridal Suite: On a snowy day Peter and Jenny Garson find a quaint old inn on their wedding night. But the bridal suite has a quirk neither bride nor groom know about, but the twitchy innkeeper knows its secrets intimately.

Red Light: Natasha is a top model who walks off her job to reunite with an old boyfriend. She can't take the pressure anymore, and furthermore feels that the camera is now stealing her soul. Will her ex boyfriend prove her right?

The River of Night's Dreams: A confusing tale of a prison escapee who winds out at a weird house with two fanatically religious women. Probably the most interesting part of this tale is the girl-on-girl scenes.

The Secret Shih-Tah: This tale is based on a short story I've read but have forgotten the collection and author names. A young brilliant chef is challenged by a connoisseur to create a recipe for him from the book of Shih-Tah. But the recipes will never be forgotten, and will challenge any chef to the limits of what he's willing to prepare.

Because it's Showtime there is a decent smattering of cursing and nudity, so it's not to watch when the kiddies are around. It's not bad for a series but not great either. I do plan on watching more of the series.

Terrance Stamp introduces each episode with that flair that is uniquely his. Rent, don't buy. Enjoy!

I really liked this movie. If you are a fan of the sci-fi, horror genre, you'll like this one. This is four short stories with surprise endings like the disappearence of the groom on the wedding night. Quite a bit of nudity so, if that's not for you, be warned.