Customer Reviews

The Wild Side

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

Those of you hoping to track down the director's version of this film, don't get your hopes up with the "unrated" listing among the technical specifications. This is still the 95 minute R-rated rush-release, it just doesn't list it on the packaging. The director's cut (apparently available only in Region 2) runs 111 minutes.

How DISGUSTING that this film has been put out in its awful BUTCHERED version, the one Donald Cammell took his name off, just to capitalize on the recent big public Lesbian love-affair of Anne Heche and Ellen De Generais. This is the version that has been showing up on lists of the worst films ever made, BOMBS, etc., and needs to be thrown on the trash heap where it belongs. And if that weren't enough of a disgrace and insult to Cammell's artistic vision, the Full-Screen Only specification should clue you in to what kind of charlatans you're dealing with here. You should know for your own good that people are just trying to take your money and run when they offer only a full-screen version on a DVD!

Fortunately, through the efforts of some of Cammell's friends we now have the original version which should be put out on a good DVD as soon as possible. In fact, I just saw (at the American Cinemateque in Hollywood)a pristine print of that ORIGINAL DIRECTOR'S CUT, meticulously reconstructed by Frank Mazzolla, Cammell's editor, from detailed notes Cammell left right before he shot himself, and was COMPLETELY BLOWN AWAY by it (no pun intended). I haven't laughed so hard and been thoroughly fascinated at the same time for a long, long time. The great, very long, leisurely paced and quite erotic Lesbian scene between Anne Heche and Joan Chen is maybe the least of the original film's virtues. Cammell's vision seamlessly puts together amazing cinematography, hilarious farce, off-kilter dialogue that goes everywhere you don't expect it to, virtuoso editing, and above all, the semi-improvised performances of their careers from the three main leads (Anne Heche, Christopher Walken, Steven Bauer), into a near-masterpiece that only a talentless producer could've ever turned into a 'bomb,' a film, that in the final analysis, can hold its own against "Performance," and "White of the Eye" (the two mind-blowers that made Cammell a living legend, albeit one who couldn't find work!).

You might ask who's Steven Bauer? Steven Bauer is the guy who's mostly known for having played Al Pacino/Tony Montana's brother in De Palma's "Scarface." Now you know EXACTLY who he is, because he was so excellent in "Scarface" that people always wonder what happened to the guy! Well, he's done quite a lot of mediocre stuff just to keep working, but when given the chance, as here, under Cammell's direction, he's done truly exceptional work. The scene where Bauer has to 'bend over' to prove his loyalty to Christopher Walken and has his underwear torn off, with a non-chalant Anne Heche in the room amused by the goings-ons, is maybe one of the two or three most hilarious, daring, pulling-out-all-the-stops, semi-improvised virtuoso acting scenes in recent cinematic memory. This film will yet have its day!

The only edition available on DVD is apparently the R-rated one which does not contain the hot scene with Heche and Chen.

Overall, the story line and acting are not really that good. Hence the 3 star rating. BUT! , I give the lesbian romance 5 stars. Compared to other passionate love scenes in lesbian movies, such as in GIA, I haven't seen passion between two women portrayed as well as Anne Heche and Joan Chen did in The Wild Side. Their union was tastefully filmed and closely resembled lesbian sex. I am anxiously awaiting the 2000 release (The Wild Side-Director's Cut) which is reported to have a different love scene. All too often, lesbian love and sex is misrepresented by actresses who truly do not understand lesbian romance. It is a rare find when you can capture lesbian romance in its raw form. Other movies which do this effectively, regardless of the plot and acting, include, Bound, When Night is Falling, and Claire of the Moon, to name a few. If you rent or buy this film, I suggest you do it for the lesbian theme. I believe you'll find it quite stirring!

The provocative Anne Heche made a reputation in Hollywood due to her affairs with high profile comedians on her climb to the top. Few know that Heche was briefly Steve Martin's girlfiend before she was Ellen's, and despite her evident ability and attractiveness, a certain pall fell over her persona, as a real life heartbreaker (even before Ellen). She has hence been cast generally as a heavy, if not fem-lesbian, and even a twisted type.
All of which makes her heady performance in Wild Side the more exciting. As the reviews tell you, the film is uneven. Yet, it has moments of brilliance from all the players. Walken is wickedly funny in his absurd role, Bauer is often convincing, and Chen is her usual, magnificent self.
But Heche carries the film. The brief post-rape phone call scene on the kitchen counter is a high art, convincing
and sensitive, and she has rarely looked better than in the brocade (did I get the spelling?) kimono she wears in the following scenes.
But, it is the romance with Chen that is worth the price of the disc (although any cuts other than the director's should be universally outlawed on DVD, at least). Let's face it, these women are gorgeous, and even better together, au natural. As close as mainstream Hollywood has gotten (or may ever get) to XXX sex. But, the power of the justly celebrated scene arises from Heche's elegant portrayal of her character's seduction. The film will probably endure, despite its many flaws, as the most revealing testimony to her notable, if not major, talent. Sexy and worth watching.

IMHO, this movie contains one of the most priceless moments ever graced the silver screen: Anne Heche is sitting on Christopher Walken's lap, who is trying to demonstrate to her how to seduce a woman, says -- with the straightest face possible, of course -- to her: "Imagine, I've got eyelashes, right?" Then the two just stare at each other.

I just couldn't stop laughing. It was so precious I felt for sure if this moment had a physical shape, it must be warm, furry, and very pettable!

Seriously though, this feels very much like a Christopher Walken kinda movie. It's just so odd, so off-beat, so eccentric -- just so weird! It at first makes you believe it actually has a serious plot: banker-by-day/callgirl-by-night Alex (Anne Heche) gets herself tangled in a web with a money launderer Bruno (Walken), falls in love with his wife Virginia (Joan Chen), while trying to outwit an undercover cop who's also a rapist. But then everything just starts to get weird. I can't quite explain it: the plot is not discarded (this is not a porn movie), but later it just feels like the plot is constructed to build up these "moments" for the viewers to savor. Such as one I described above; or an extended sequence where Bruno tries to get justice for Alex (one of the most outrageous events I have ever seen in a movie); or the "enigmatic" ending (one of those things where you go "hmm, that must have meant something -- but damned if I know!"). This is certainly not everybody's cup of tea, but if you like Christopher Walken and his style of stuff, this is just perfect.

But of course, the star of this movie is actually the gorgeous Anne Heche. Looking at her must make every straight man sigh -- what a tragic loss for mankind! =) Also, the chemistry between her and Joan Chen is just magnificent: finally, somebody getting this lesbian seduction business right! To watch the scene of their first kiss is like witnessing magic -- you know they are acting, but it sure doesn't look like it. To watch their love scene, a fire extinguisher might be necessary -- your TV could catch fire because it's that hot. I'm absolutely not kidding.

The ending is weird. But fear not, it's a happy lesbian ending, with Anne Heche looking as handsome as can be in a white shirt and a hat, and Joan Chen happily chewing on an apple with Anne's arm around her. Now, how can you beat that?

Finally a movie where the lesbian character(s) have a happy ending! I am so sick of movies where the girl ends up dying tragically or in prison or trapped in a loveless relationship. I also agree with the previous reviewer who felt that the lesbian scenes were tastefully filmed and resembled real lesbian sex. I think Anne Heche may have had something to do with that. Being a lesbian herself she may have been given free reign by the director to direct the love scene with Joan Chen and get the job done right! After all they go to experts on World War II to film scenes about the World War II, they go to experts on Drug trafficing to do film scenes on drug trafficing! Why not go to a lesbian to film a lesbian love scene? Joan Chen and Anne Heche look very charming and very sexy together. I was glad that in the end, Anne Heche got the girl and they lived happily ever after. THE REST of the movie is really not worth your time. Most of the other characters are corrupt, brutal, unethical, untrustworthy and violent. The only parts of the movie that are worth watching are when Joan Chen and Anne Heche are on camera. Watch the movie and you will see what I mean!

I don't really like films about organized crime or criminals, however there is a small amount of the movie devoted to the lesbian sex/love relationship Alex (Anne Heche) and Bruno's wife (Joan Chen). Anne Hech and Joan Chen did a superior job in their love scene, depicting lesbian sex. Most actresses do not understand lesbian sex or lesbian romance and thus misrepresent a deeply passionate act that they know nothing about. I haven't seen passion between two women portrayed this well in any movie I've ever seen AND I've seen dozens of movies with lesbian characters. Their sex scene was filmed tastefully and did not seem fake. I would not be surprised if Anne Heche actually had an orgasm in the scene. Their love scene was that realistic and convincing! The only reason I do not give this movie 5 stars is because of the violence and crude, brutal, criminal behavior of the other characters in the movie. I would like to see Anne Heche in another movie playing a similar character in a lesbian love affair, but make that THE FOCUS of the story instead of a sub-plot of the story.

Althouth the plot is not very reasonable,this movie worths some credit. All actors and actresses act well.The personalities are remarkable. And I see how true love is different with pure sex. The prostitute "Alex" involves in many sex scences, but only the lesbian scene with Virginia moves me. It is so sweet! When the prostitute in this movie falls in love, she becomes so tender, so caring. How respectfully she touches her lover! I hope viewers catch that point.

...if you're desperate for a romantic lesbian love scene, the one in this film can't be beaten. The actors--Joan Chen and Anne Heche (pre-Ellen)--are stunning. That gets the film two stars instead of one. In fact, that scene has to be the only reason this film wasn't ground up and fed to the guppies. What a shame that one wonderful scene can't be transplanted into a film with a better plot.

DON'T BUY THIS FILM; RENT IT. Once you slip it into your VCR, unless you particularly like heterosexual kitchen counter-top get-togethers or you're dying to see Chris Walken suffer through a bad hair day, fast forward about 38 minutes into the film, where you can watch Anne Heche and Joan Chen do lunch in a cool restaurant, drive around in a convertible, and indulge in an impromptu--and surprisingly beautiful--adult dessert in a seaside cabin. Then rewind, return the film, and spend the rest of your evening watching something else.