Baise-Moi DVD Review

18th Mar 2013

It’s been a over a decade since the original DVD release of Baise-Moi; Virginie Despentes and Coralie Trinh Thi’s controversial and groundbreaking, super-explicit road trip thriller. That edition, while still incredibly graphic for a straight 18 certificate film; did have some key cuts applied to certain scenes, deemed simply too extreme to leave intact. However, as is sometimes the way in movie-land, 2013 sees the film reassessed, and approved uncut for the first time.

Starring Raffaëla Anderson and the late Karen Bach, as Manu and Nadine respectively. They are two disaffected, frustrated and abused young women; strangers who; driven to breaking point, become murderers. Hooking up soon after they’re initial kills, they become dysfunctional sisters in crime, and embark on a doomed, rampaging spree of indiscriminate rage and slaughter, peppered with plenty of sex, drugs, and robbery. In fact, often blending all these things together.

Baise-Moi was a controversial movie upon its release in 2000, and I guess it still is. There have been many films in the interim that have pushed the boundaries of violence and sex in mainstream cinema still further (usually the violence part). However, it’s undoubtedly still an extreme watch in places, and maybe a little tough going for the unprepared. Back in 2000, Its combination of graphic violence, and even more graphic hardcore sex (and the occasional, truly disturbing fusing of the two); caused public outrage, and widespread banning. There was even a case, I believe, of a cinema patron storming the projection room, and setting fire to the movie reel in protest. Now, admittedly, it sounds like that person was proper crazy, and might well have done the exact same thing, had it been Monsters Inc playing, but you get the point.

Interestingly, this shock and outrage wasn’t in any way universal, and in some territories, the film went by completely unmolested, ignored even. Make of that, what you will.

For what it’s worth, despite the legitimately graphic scenes, I always found the film somehow short on actual drama and frenetic energy. It’s barely feature length at 77 minutes, yet pacing is all over the place, and crucially fails to build to the climax. One never really feels the heat of any police pursuit closing in, for instance, until all of a sudden, Nadine is face down in cuffs, and Manu, dead. If it’s setting out to deliberately shock (and I know some folks might balk at my use of the word ‘if’ in that statement), it misses the mark a little. Rather, many of the most obviously ‘shocking’ scenes, are rendered vanilla, and in a way; toothless by some measure of energy. I’m not entirely sure how the filmmakers manage this, and I’m never sure if it’s not indeed intentional. I actually think Anderson and Bach acquit themselves surprisingly well for novice actors, but overall the film generates neither real sympathy, tension, nor revulsion. We neither warm to the girls particularly, nor revile them beyond a distaste for some of their cruelest, most unprovoked deeds. It feels ambiguously inert, a muted experience, that really only raises a single definitive question in this viewer’s mind. That question is simply: Why do these girls do what they do, and then continue doing it when they don’t have to? I guess I’ve never much got on with the particular brand of violent pointlessness on offer here.

One feels that some of the folks who fall foul of Manu and Nadine’s wrath, should be depicted within the narrative, to seem more deserving of it than they are. Other folks, seemingly equally as seedy, engender no wrath at all (quite the opposite in some cases). This is weird enough, but then you add one or two true innocents, dispatched in a manner so casual, that it completely undermines our ability to get on board with the girls as anti-heroes. Hardcore Thelma & Louise, this really ain’t. Maybe viewer complacency regarding their journey is part of the point, who knows? I always felt more for the poor girl who is violently beaten and gang raped along with Manu near the start of the movie (arguably, the hardest scene to watch, and one that was trimmed back on the original DVD release). Perhaps it might be because I’m a man, but I relate much more to her wrenching emotional reaction, than Manu’s instantly closed down numbness to the event. However, once Manu hits the road with new murderer pal Nadine, this more sympathetic and recognisable character is literally, left behind, and plays no further part in the movie.

Although it may seem otherwise, I do admire this film. I bought it all those years ago after all, and requested this review assignment. I’m fond of it, in a wacky, kinda skewered way. I am very glad we now have it available for consumption uncut. The restored frames do add a little extra gruesomeness and colour to the mix, here and there, and in my opinion should never have been excised in the first place (but let’s not let me loose on a rant about that). Cut or uncut, however; there is plenty of power here (if a little unfocused). Despite any shortcomings I’ve mentioned already, or am yet to mention; it remains a film well worth seeking out.

Baise-Moi is being released at this time on standard definition DVD only, there is no Blu-ray. This is an intentional decision, based on the very low grade quality of the original digital source. Strangely, I never really noticed the low quality on my original DVD edition of the movie, back in the day. However, this was long before 50 inch HD Plasmas took no prisoners. I’m sure it’s just as rough and dirty as this new one. Watching it, you certainly understand why a Blu transfer would be entirely pointless. I don’t necessarily buy into the popular theory that the grainy, lo-res image quality adds to the grittiness or ‘verity’ of the movie. In fact, I’m quite sure that; had the movie been produced with a high quality production sheen; the juxtaposition set up between this, and the graphic content might have been rather unexpectedly effective. We will never know, but the thought persists.

Bonus Features:

This single disc presentation is pretty light on bonus features; containing as it does, simply a short ‘making of’ documentary, a Q&A session with the directors, and the obligatory trailer.

I must also mention that these features are not new to this edition of the film. Rather, they seem to have been produced contemporary with the movie itself. I’m also pretty sure they were included on the previous censored 2002 R2 DVD edition, or I’m getting severe déjà vu.

One of the benefits of ‘anniversary’ editions of movies, is the common practice of producing at least one documentary feature that returns to the film from the ‘retrospective’ angle, in synchronicity with today’s viewer. Often, features made at the time of release are somewhat less interesting now. They can be more to do with promoting the movie during its initial life phase. As such they have neither the perspective nor inclination, to really get granular with the work. Also, by their very nature, they cannot inform one of the lasting impact (if any), that the film has had in the interim, or how it has endured, once the dust settles after original release. Of course, behind the scenes material on a movie that courts controversy are probably inherently more resistant to this process, but the point is made.

What I would have liked to have seen on this release is obviously some new content. It could be a documentary, or even a simple (and cheap), commentary track with the directors. Perhaps some kind of small acknowledgement of Karen Bach’s tragic suicide in 2005.

Something that truly makes this edition more ‘of the moment’, and rendering it truly unique and superior to the original DVD release.

Of course, we must remember that this edition only really comes into being because of the aforementioned BBFC reassessment. Strictly speaking then, it’s not an anniversary or celebration edition at all, so some latitude on the subject of bonus features is probably warranted, and I should cut it some slack.

As the tenth anniversary of Baise-Moi’s theatrical release has come and gone, I guess we will have to wait a while and see if the powers that be give us something definitive come 2020.

If it seems like I’ve not been 100% positive about this release; I apologise. I’m actually more enthused about it than I’ve perhaps conveyed, and it is partly this that drives my wish for a more complete package. It is a bold movie, and a tough viewing experience in places. Most folks will see one or two things they’ve not seen in a movie before, and one has to give credit for that. At the very least, this DVD edition is now the definitive version, and prospective buyers should most definitely seek it out.

Be warned though; Baise-Moi still more than earns its 18 certificate, now more than ever.