SAVAGE NIGHTS
(LES NUITS FAUVES)
A film review by James Berardinelli
Copyright 1994 James Berardinelli
Rating (Linear 0 to 10): 7.8
Date Released: varies Running Length: 2:06 Rated: No MPAA Rating (Sex, nudity, violence, language, drug use)
Starring: Cyril Collard, Romane Bohringer, Carlos Lopez, Corine Blue Director: Cyril Collard Producer: Jean-Frederic Samie Screenplay: Cyril Collard based on his novel LES NUITS FAUVES Music: various (including Cyril Collard) Released by Gramercy Pictures In French with subtitles
"AIDS, like tuberculosis in Thomas Mann's THE MAGIC MOUNTAIN, is just a backdrop [in SAVAGE NIGHTS]. Jean's struggle with the illness is also a struggle with stupidity, with all sorts of racism, with tyranny... Jean acts as though nothing were different in his daily life. He continues to drink, laugh, and drive fast. In his own way, he is shattering the taboos. He doesn't let himself get locked into the status of being HIV- positive, like some people for whom the illness becomes a sort of identity card." - Cyril Collard, writer/director/actor, SAVAGE NIGHTS
French filmmaker Cyril Collard published LES NUITS FAUVES, his autobiographical novel, in 1989. It relates events in the life of Jean (Collard), a 30-year old Parisian who, in 1986, is diagnosed as being HIV-positive. Unwilling to acknowledge that the virus has made him different, Jean continues his promiscuous bisexual life, pursuing a male lover by the name of Samy (Carlos Lopez), and falling in love with seventeen-year old Laura (Romane Bohringer).
In 1992, Mr. Collard (together with longtime companion Corine Blue) brought the book to the screen. Released in October of that year, SAVAGE NIGHTS caused an immediate stir across France. It went on to take four Cesars (Best Film, Best First Film, Best Film Editing, and Best Female Newcomer--Romane Bohringer) in March 1993--three days after its writer/director/star died of AIDS.
As was Mr. Collard's intention, this film is about the relationship between Jean and Laura, with AIDS serving as a vital backdrop for their interactions. Theirs is a twisted, dysfunctional affair, with jealousy and co-dependence working to destroy them. As a love story, this is dark and tempestuous, filled with searing arguments that become progressively more violent.
The most refreshing facet of SAVAGE NIGHTS is its willingness to flout political correctness. After learning of his condition, Jean does nothing to curb his sexual appetites, nor does he attempt to practice safe sex. And, when Jean eventually confides in Laura, her reaction (after initially being horrified) is to toss away the condom he proposes to use. Unlike in PHILADELPHIA, AIDS here does not equate with near-nobility.
Giving a stunning performance in her debut is Romane Bohringer, the talented daughter of actor Richard Bohringer. The part of Laura, which not only earned Ms. Bohringer a Cesar, but also the role of the title character in THE ACCOMPANIST, demands an extreme output of energy and emotion, and there is no instance when the actress isn't up to the task. Her scenes with co-star Cyril Collard crackle with intensity.
Speaking of Mr. Collard, he wasn't his own first choice for Jean, but he took the role when no other French actor was willing to risk playing a character so closely identified with AIDS and bisexuality. In retrospect, the ultimate casting of Jean is perfect, leaving us this legacy of Mr. Collard's skills as an actor.
SAVAGE NIGHTS is not without problems. The erratic pacing is amplified by a series of jarring cuts which can make the viewing experience similar to reading a book without transitions. Also, there are times when it's difficult (if not impossible) to sympathize with the film's protagonist because he's such a self-centered jerk. This, in part, leads to a rather unsatisfying final scene.
Passionate and unrelentingly grim in its portrayal of life on the edge of death, SAVAGE NIGHTS is a film that refuses to compromise. This may lead to an uncomfortable movie-going experience; this motion picture is neither traditionally entertaining nor escapist in nature. However, for those who want a grittier portrayal of the effects of AIDS than the one presented in Jonathan Demme's recent PHILADELPHIA, SAVAGE NIGHTS offers the option. Few will leave this film unaffected--one way or another.
- James Berardinelli (blake7@cc.bellcore.com)
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