This extraordinary film came my way with the title 'Spell', although the film itself bears the title, Man, Woman & Beast and appears to be the uncut re-edit released, in however a small way, under that title. A most appropriate title it is too, where in a small Italian village where everyone knows everyone and they all life very close indeed to nature. The main character is a communist artist who has a deranged wife, who can become very violent, and spends his days doing collage, in which he has a penchant for slapping images of internal organs over recognisable pictures. There is also a butcher who gets off with the meat hanging in his cold store, a young girl who's mother finds is pregnant - by her father and many more fun figures. There is much sexual activity, barely simulated, much exchange of body fluids, including a particularly harrowing finale and along the way a surreal, hypnotic, visceral and existentialist ride, like no other. Actually, having said that it precedes by a year the same director's Blue Movie, which is of a similar tone but less successful. Strong stomachs and non addiction to narrative flow essential should you even be tempted to seek this out.
