Customer Reviews

Pact With the Devil

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I liked Pact with the Devil because I agree with the above proclamation by Henry, the satanic business manager of fashion photographer Bae. Henry discovers Louis working as a gofer on one of Bae's shoots. Henry convinces Louis (who changes his name to Dorian) to become a model as a way of getting enough attention to achieve his goal of becoming a photographer himself. But when Bae warns Dorian about Henry ("He's been doing this forever") she means it.

Pact with the Devil is not a great movie, but it held my attention. It reminded me of a middling Hammer film from the sixties (that's not a disparagement) in its deliberate pacing and focus on the acting.

In a small twist, Pact with the Devil also shows the influence a great artist can have on the most powerful forces in the world. (It's the reason Louis changes his name to Dorian.)

Again quoting Henry: "Art is a sickness." That must be why Henry is drawn to artists.

But here we have a postmodern Dorian, different from those who came before in that he's more of a victim (aren't we all?). This Dorian still gives in to his desire for eternal youth, but here Henry is more tempter than just cynical observer. And in this version Dorian isn't solely responsible for many of the crimes that mar the face in the photograph he hides from the world.

(ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATION: If you were interested enough in this film to read this review, read Will Self's latest novel, Dorian: An Imitation. The surprises Self pulls off at the end of this familiar story are incredible. Even Henry might not believe them.)

Pact with the Devil begins with one Louis (Ethan Erickson in his first starring role) working as a go-fer for a blonde fashion photographer (Jennifer Nitsch). One of the other photographers, Henry Wooten (Malcom McDowell) takes an interest in Louis. Henry talks to Louis about his interests and it turns out that Louis is trying to become a professional photographer in his own right, but is going nowhere in his quest. Henry tells Louis that with his good looks, he ought to be "in front of the camera." In other words, Louis should endeavor to become a male model. Louis agrees to hire Henry as his business manager and as a result, Henry takes some photographs of Louis and shows them around to other photographers. Soon, Louis's career as a model is booming.

However, there are problems. Louis's girlfriend (Amy Sloan) gets jealous of his accomplishments and accuses him of "selling out." Also, Louis comes to realize that his new career will last only as long as his good, youthful looks do. Henry, however offers Louis a solution to his problem, which Louis comes to call a "pact with the devil." Louis changes his name to Dorian Gray. Henry takes a photograph of "Dorian" that is blown up to large size and framed. As long as this photo exists, Dorian will maintain his youthful good looks and enjoy perfect health while his framed photo ages. In other words, the image of Dorian ages the way that the human being formerly named Louis would have if he did not make his pact with the devil Henry Wooten. If the picture is destroyed, then Louis's looks will revert to what they were in the picture at the time of its destruction and Louis's health will be similarly impaired. Truly, Louis/Dorian's arrangement with his business manager Henry Wooten is a pact with the devil.

So, how does Pact with the Devil compare to previous movie versions of "The Picture of Dorian Gray"? Its not the best version, but its one of the better productions. While changing its focus to the fashion photography scene, it stays true to the basic plot of Wilde's novel. The cinematography is first rate and the acting is pretty strong too.

Ethan Erickson has a rare combination of strong acting talent coupled with tremendous good looks. He should go far in his acting career. Although Jennifer Nitch was great as a fashion photographer, she passed away in a freak accident in 2004. Malcom McDowell turns in a strong performance as the satanic Henry Wooten who literally exudes both suave debonair and malevolent evil.

Based on Oscar Wilde's classic "The Picture of Dorian Gray", this film "deals" with a common stage hand named 'Lewis' {Ethan Erickson} who makes a pact with The Devil in exchange for wealth and fame, and ultimately, to fund his passion for photography, which merely became an erstwhile segueway to his self-imposed damnation. Immediately, upon dabbing a mirror with his blood one stormy night, he begins experiencing an increase in the quality of life, as all his desires and indulgences are met. A rather mysterious man with the unlikely name of "Henry" {Michael Mc Dowell}, detects potential in him, thereby granting his favor by making him a super-model, to which he takes advantage of a marvellous lifestyle of carnal delights, and all he has to do is essentially "strike a pose", while remaining youthful and handsome forever, while his hidden portrait assumes old age - but wouldn't you know it, he eventually dissappears and becomes an ingrate. At one point, he becomes essentially a "kept man" in the manse of a European couple wherein he becomes the surrogate lover of a gorgeous brunette while her husband watches on - that relationship eventually leads to a lethal extreme. The prodigal eventually returns to the source of his fortune, and not being able to handle fortune and fame, eventually commits suicide and reverts to his so-called "true form", reminiscient of Nosferatu. So The Prince of Darkness goes back to the drawing board and seeks out another hopeful who may appreciate the gift so graciosly conferred.

What I primarily enjoyed about this film is that it did not rely heavily upon the typical exaggerrated aesthetics of the mythos, but kept the storyline subtle enough to lend an air of pseudo-believability in a contemporary world.

Poor Malcolm McDowell must have been really cash-poor when this offer came along. A tired, cheesy, poorly written, acted, directed, edited update of the Portrait of Dorian Gray. I actually had some hope for this at the begining as it tempted me with a campy begining that might have made it a fun companion piece with the Eyes of Laura Mars. - not to be unfortunately. Laughable in all the wrong ways.

PACT WITH THE DEVIL is another variation on the classic Oscar Wilde novel THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY. Director Allan Goldstein uses the music video format in some of the scenes, but manages to keep the pace interesting and enigmatic.
Ethan Erickson (Jawbreaker) plays Louis, a gofer for a photographer; he wants to become a photographer himself. Malcolm McDowell plays the mysterious Henry, the manager of the photographer who starts taking an interest in Louis--he wants him to become the model for a new line of cologne. Of course, Louis doesn't think he has it to be a model (hasn't he looked in the mirror lately---he's almost criminally good looking). But once Henry persuades Louis to give it a try, the bug bites and Louis is suddenly renamed Dorian, and becomes a super model. During this time, Henry familiarizes Dorian with the story of Dorian Gray, and how Dorian made a wish to remain forever young while his portrait ages. One night, Dorian makes that wish and lo and behold, it comes true.
Dorian descends into a level of decadency and vanity, and several people he loves suffer. This is the price he has to pay to maintain his eternal youth.
McDowell is devilishly good in his role, infusing Henry with suave debonair and malevolent evil. Erickson is surprisingly good in the boy toy role, his eternal youth becoming the curse instead of the blessing.
PACT WITH THE DEVIL sets no new standards in the Dorian Gray lineage, but it is entertaining and well done.

There is very little redeeming here, even with Malcolm McDowell in the lead role. The tranforming of Henry into a Mephistophelean madman dooms this straight-to-video piece to the B-movie bin.

The movie makers can't decide if this is to be a "Red Shoe Diaries" episode or something from "Tales of the Dark Side." The satanic undertones and climax are laughable at best. I'm not even sure this deserves an "R" rating -- certainly it didn't get it for the sex...

Yes, Ethan Erickson is HOT, but he won't be remembered for this piece of rot. Full of plot holes and predictable "twists," "Pact with the Devil" must have Oscar Wilde spinning in his grave. It's clear that those responsible for this tripe have very little understanding of Wilde, let alone the ability to translate his aesthetic philosophy to the 21st century.

There's very little character development to the point that it's hard to care who lives or dies. It's all about that climactic scene -- "0oooh! What will the picture look like by the end!"

Don't waste your time. Rent the 1976 BBC version with John Gielgud if you want to hear the tale Wilde meant to tell!

This movie is about a man named Louis, played by Ethan Erickson (The In Crowd, Tv's Buffy The Vampire Slayer), and he becomes a model, and his manager is the wilyeyed Henry, played by Malcolm McDowell. McDowell tells Louis about the story of Dorian Gray and how he made a pact with the devil. Louis or Dorian now writes in blood and he soon has eternal youth. This very interesting movie gets it fuel towards the middle but it can't help it. Very predictable. Malcolm McDowell (A Clockwork Orange, I:Spy) is wasted in my mind and why the hell is this movie introducing Ethan Erickson? He has been in a movie or two before this and a tv series..come on people get with it. Erickson is an ok actor and he does some ok acting in this. Unspeakably boring for a while, then it gets a shot of something and then it goes into a coma.