SIRENS
A film review by Mark Takacs
Copyright 1994 Mark Takacs
Mirimax Films / not rated (Australian) / opens March 11
Starring: Hugh Grant Elle MacPherson Kate Fischer Mark Gerber
Sam Neil Tara Fitzgerald Pamela Rabe Portia de Rossi
Classification: Historical Fiction / Sexuality
Tak Rating: see it several times - full and/or matinee
One-Line-Summary
----------------
A young woman awakens to her sensuality in the midst of a conflict
between art and religion.
Tak Plot Summary ---------------- Traveling with her husband, Rev. Anthony (Hugh Grant), Estella (Tara Fitzgerald) discovers an unfamiliar and initially unwelcome side of herself in the Australian retreat of controversial artist Norman Lindsay (Sam Neill). While Anthony debates the moral implications of art with Lindsay, Estella hangs out with the uninhibited models, Stella (Elle MacPherson), Prue (Kate Fischer), and the child-like Giddy (Portia De Rossi), and finds the SIREN within her.
Tak Thoughts ------------ Australian director John Dugan (FLIRTING) summarizes SIRENS very well: "I wanted to make a film about sensuality and repression and the church's attitude towards sexuality." I'll give him an A+ then. Like HENRY & JUNE, SIRENS is extremely sensual and focuses on one woman as she grapples with this powerful emotion.
SIRENS shows heaps of unabashed, and occasionally very sensual nudity. Except for Lindsay, who is always clothed, all eight characters (male and female) are seen butt-naked or half dressed, and not just briefly. The painter's models Stella (Elle MacPherson) and Prue (Kate Fischer) use sensual nudity to their advantage. They delight in making the English reverend and his wife uncomfortable.
SIRENS does an wonderful job of showing female sensuality. The women are passionate, playful, and powerfully aware of their sexuality. Traditional Hollywood male sexuality is missing, replaced by something much more arousing. Even with the debut of super-model Elle MacPherson (who gained twenty pounds to lend her body a Boticelli contour), the "beauty myth" woman has been replaced by real women. As an added treat, there's a turn-about--a fake male, "Devlin: the odd-jobs man," subject of many a Harlequin and cheap porno.
And yet, SIRENS is not a preachy movie. Lindsay's painting reflect his statements that the female body is beautiful. He believes the church suppressed sexuality, and women as its embodiment, to gain power over pagans who worshiped fertility and celebrated sexuality. "How do you compete with something that popular? You suppress it." His painting attempt to reclaim that time and feeling of sensuality.
The visuals were great. His estate reminded me of an Olympian glade--sensual, playful nude statues, fountains, riotous colors, and a naturally beautiful nearby swimming hole. All in stark contrast to the unrelenting brown of the nearby town.
And animals are everywhere, giving it a garden-of-eden feel. The characters fearlessly encounter snakes, kangaroos and insects. I was startled to see a moving koala bear--did you know they sort of hop? Maybe "gallump" is more accurate. In one scene Estella is awakened by noises at night and encounters a strange animal ... and even *I* didn't know what the hell it was! I can't remember the last time I saw a new creature. It was the size of a large pig, and looked sorta like a compact gerbil. Very odd. If anyone knows what this is, drop me a line, I'd love to hear about it.
NOTE: Although there was a real Normal Lindsay, this is *not* a biographical study, nor was it intended to be.
Tak Rating: ----------- Sensual. That's the word for SIRENS. I used it nine times in this review and that's almost the limit there. I fully intend to watch it again, this time with my girlfriend. I can't wait for this one to hit video as well. Then I won't have to wait 'til I get home.
avoid at all costs see several times (w/friends) as matinee
wait for videotape see once at full price
watch it on cable X see it several times - full and/or matinee
see once as a matinee see many times at full price
--
mtakacs@netcom.com
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