For adults only, the film Scarlet Diva has returned to store shelves in the form of a remastered Blu-ray. Originally released in 2000, the erotic film was able to get some attention, but with the moral decay over the years in this 21st century it has opened a window to a sexual revolution in movies. A prime example of being in the right place at the right time, it’s now available in local merchandise outlets alongside Disney movies.
I guess you can call this a rant, instead of a rave, but this film has nothing going for it except sex, nudity, drugs and more sex nudity and drugs. Most of the erotic moments are more of a rape and go instead of a passionate display of sensuality and the main character’s love affair is a hit and run. Close to pornography as one can get, it fits in the genre soft porn.
The story flip flops all over the place as the main character travels Europe and then the USA visiting friends where she has sex with a drug dealer, attends a rock event followed by sex with the rock star, goes to her hotel room where she has sex with a female stranger, gets a chance to sell her script to a schlocky producer narrowly escaping rape, does a photo shoot where she gets drugged and raped by a female client rep and her photographer, etc. and more etc.
Most of this can be explained as follows. The writer and director of the film is Asia Argento. She plays the lead Anna Bastista in Scarlet Diva and her father and uncle produced the film so she could have a chance at it. From a family of actors, producers and directors, Asia has been acting in mostly B movies all her life up to the point in the year 2000 where she chose to make a film about what she always wanted to do. It’s an autobiography of sorts, although I have no clue whether the sex in the film is real as with the angle of the camera shots, it’s hard to tell.
The movie involves much of what I said previous to this paragraph. As Anna, Asia seems to be just going through the motions during most of her scenes while reacting to her support characters. This happens regularly when a person in a role actually directs the film. Setting up a shot and then stepping in front of the camera as a character needs someone who can envision what an audience wants to see and from what angle. It may be the “flaw that broke the camera’s back” in Scarlet Diva or just the script was just not right for the actors in the film.
BONUS FEATURES:
“Two audio commentaries by Asia Argento” (2002 when the DVD was released & 2018 for the blu-ray) This is worth the repeat of the movie that gives you Argento’s point of view.
“Looking into the Eye of the Cyclops with Joe Coleman”
“Asia Argento original release interview”
“Making of Scarlet Diva”
“Original release promos”
“20-page commemorative booklet”
Scarlet Diva has not been rated by the MPAA, but it contains all of what I said in the previous paragraphs. You can add some vicious brutality, masochism and copious amounts of rude language.
As a side note; there’s a scene in the movie where Anna Batista is lured into the room of a director named Mr. Paar played by Joe Coleman in the film. It was later brought out in the New Yorker that Asia Argento put the scene in her film as a portrayal of what Harvey Weinstein did to her.
FINAL ANALYSIS: Not much more than a voyeuristic roll in the hay. (2 out of 5 Stars)
Specifications and additional video information:
Starring: Asia Argento, Vera Gemma, Schooly D, Alessandro Villari, Daria Nicolodi
Directed and written by: Asia Argento
Genre: Drama, Foreign, Erotica
Running Time: 1hr. 45 min. version Not Rated
MPAA Rating: Original Theatrical Movie Rated R for strong sexuality, language and drug content. Contains nudity, soft porn, smoking,
Original Theatrical Release: May 26, 2000 (Italy)
Video Release Date: September 25, 2018
Language: English, Italian, French
Reviewed Format: Blu-ray
Audio: Stereo 2.0
Video: New Digital Restoration HD, Widescreen, Aspect Ratio 1.85:1
Subtitles: English
Number of Discs: 1Disc, 20 Page Commemorative Booklet
Distributed by: Film Movement
Released in: Blu-ray, DVD
Writer, critic, film editor John Delia, Sr. has been on all sides of the movie business from publications to film making. He has worked as a film critic with ACED Magazine for more than 20 years and other publications for a total of 40 years. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Florida. John is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association and Critics Association of Central Florida Send John a message at jdelia@acedmagazine.com
