 |  |  | | | I don't doubt Derek Yee's sincerity towards film and life, but in Viva Erotica, he puts himself in a superior position and ends up being obnoxious. In fact, the film does reveal an unwitting prejudice toward x-rated movies (actually Category III films), often times betraying a lack of authenticity concerning details. Most shocking is the crudeness of the production and the poor performances of the cast (with the exception of Fanny Hsu). But, perhaps because of the involvement of the celebrities on both sides of the camera, many critics were careful not to dwell into this point. | | LOG IN TO COMMENT ON THIS REVIEW! |
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| | | | | When director Derek Yee's usual concern with moral messages is applied to this film, he no longer has the safe distance he usually enjoys when the story is about the film industry itself. The shallowness and generalization can no longer be concealed, leading to widespread criticism. On the other hand, the inside stories of the film industry, though not that different from the gossip we heard, has an intimacy and entertaining quality that foreign films don't have. Viva Erotica is disappointing because of our expectations on Yee, but it's still rather creative and accomplished for a Hong Kong film. | | LOG IN TO COMMENT ON THIS REVIEW! |
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| | | | | This is a film that has no understanding of what is "pornographic" and what is "erotic" but passes itself off as a "pornography discussion film." The scriptwriter tries hard to convince the audience to accept the directors who is forced by livelihood to make x-rated movies, not knowing that audiences today no longer need to be convinced. The only one who cannot accept it is the director-scriptwriter, who, despite all his pretensions and hard work, is only dealing with himself. Because of his seriousness and his refusal to let the "erotic" elements to develop themselves, he ends up being blinded by "ignorance" and "egocentricity." | | LOG IN TO COMMENT ON THIS REVIEW! |
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| | | | | While using pornography as text to elicit sympathy for filmmakers, the film is full of hang ups about the subject. Instead, it tries to rely on the dedication of the actors, the encouragement from behind the camera and the initiation of the hapless director in the film, Derek Yee, to serve as inspiration for artists to continue their progress. But the film readily lets go of that inspiration and is unable to take advantage of the film-in-film structure to realize the satisfactions in the filmmaking process and in creative expression. It ends up a narcissistic exercise of a child who refuses to grow up. The only things left to be relish are the pair of "erotic man and woman," Xu Jin-jiang and Fanny Hsu, as well as fantasy sequences that are at odds with the rest of the film. | | LOG IN TO COMMENT ON THIS REVIEW! |
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