User reviews

"Sirens" (title refers to Homer's sirens) tells of a young church official who is dispatched to visit a painter at his remote Aussie studio/estate to dissuade him from showing a painting of a nude on a cross. Hugh Grant plays the minister who, with his wife, encounters four beautiful models (one is the artist's wife) who bemuse him with their nude romps and sensual ways. Moreover, he's distressed by his wife's apparent interest in the unabashed frolicking. "Sirens" is a not too serious and somewhat sensual film with a thin plot. The film's appeal is in the moment-to-moment situations, the shangrila "feel" given to the harsh outback locale, the feminist antics of the bevy of babes, etc. Some will find the film tedious while others will be captivated by it's subtle charms.

It is not the bosoms, really. No, there is an earnest quality here that is dependent on performances and landscapes and an essential moral tale than on the bounteousness of bums and bosoms frolicking in Australia. Neil is always good, Tara Fitzgerland is fine, and that often one-note Hugh Grant works perfectly as a priggish English priest who opens up ever so slightly when all is said and done. And much is said and some is done. There is some absolutley wonderful photography and some perfectly awful and obvious photography that would make Hallmark blush. Pretty good script with the story wandering about more than a bit. Shorter would have been better and the blue shots of nude statuary of indifferent quality by this nice but hardly profound Australian artist(on whose life and an episode therein, is it based)could have been a one-shot affair for my money. But I liked it for the performances.

While this film is often not taken seriously because of its explicit nudity, it is in fact one of the most thought-provoking commentaries on religious values I have ever seen on the screen. This film provides us with the stark contrast of the repressed preacher from London and the artist's three models in rural Australia, a throwback to Shakespeare's "Green World." The fulcrum of this contrast is the preacher's wife, being pulled in both the oppressive, "moral" direction by her upbringing and her husband and the free and expressive direction of the artist. The breathtaking cinematography and stunning visual symbolism of this film contribute to make it into a powerful attack on the Christian moral code that dominates western thinking. I have been scoffed at on more than one occasion for praising Sirens, but I left the theater questioning my own views about what is and is not moral. The fact that this film's sexual content seems to invalidate it as art in many people's eyes merely underscores the value of its message. Along with Sling Blade, Sirens to me stands as the most provocative film about morality made in the 1990's. A solid 8 on a scale of 1 to 10.

This movie, which in the popular imagination is a lighthearted comedy about sex with a lot of attractive women taking off their clothes, is a better movie than many may think. Viewed in a different life it's really a movie about the need we all have to feel and to be sexual. This applies particularly and especially to women, whose sexual appetitites and enjoyment of sex have always been seen negatively. This movie gives women a chance to revel in the enjoyment of sex.

A soft-core, high-minded daydream about the liberating sensuality of art. Sometimes the sirens in the film (Elle MacPherson, Kate Fischer and Portia de Rossi are the others) tickle one another merrily, and sometimes they talk about whether sea slugs make a good aphrodisiac.

The story is based on a real artist, Norman Lindsay(Sam Neill)and there was a real Anglican priest (played by Hugh Grant) sent to convince him to withdraw his "Crucified Venus" from exhibition. The film is set on Campion's estate and features his work throughout.

It is a little wild, silly at times, and features explicit nudity and sexual situations. Perfect introduction to Hugh Grant's abilities.

A minister and his wife (Hugh Grant, Tara Fitzgerald) are dispatched to disuss a painter's sensual work in Australia. ironically, the train depot is located in Springwood. Co-stars Portia DeRossi and Elle MacPherson, as the sexy, naked, muses, in very early roles . Sam Neill is the artist Lindsay, whose work has been deemed a little too naughty for an upcoming show. They arrive at the artist's home, and the merry adventure begins. The little strange moments start to add up, and turn into larger, stranger, naughtier things. and of course, because he's a minister, we keep seeing serpents... The minister and his wife are thinking things and doing things they never would have thought possible. will it tear their marriage apart? It's pretty good. Beautiful outdoor scenery of australia. Written and directed by John Duigan; his films have won many film festival awards. Not bad!

Granted, this movie is one of the few that deals with controversial issues. It portrays nudity rather than nakedness. But the movie is so full of itself that it is disgusting. Maybe I was oversensitized by imagery in English class, but this movie is just way too blatant. Do I have to see a snake every 10 minutes to be reminded of the garden of eden? At times this movie is little more than celluloid masturbation. Also I really felt the whole situation was way too contrived and unbelievable. Alter the plot from religion to politics (not that far in this film) and it becomes a propoganda film.

I remember this one back in the day was mainly being sold on the fact that supermodel Elle MacPherson appears naked in it (a perfectly good reason to watch a movie BTW). But its not really very exploitative at all though. Its an Aussie period drama about an uptight minister (Hugh Grant), who is sent to visit an artist (Sam Neill) who is producing erotic paintings which are offending the church, with the purpose of convincing him to stop producing this decadent art. But while there his wife (Tara Fitzgerald) starts to be drawn towards the sexually liberated world of the artist and his three models. This is a pretty good movie, with fine performances all round, including Elle MacPherson in a very rare acting role. It balances the comedy, drama and erotic elements very well and is all-in-all quality Aussie effort.

It isn't just Hollywood; it's the film world, in general. I'm talking about the incredible anti-Christian bias movie makers have always had. The Left Wing has always dominated the business, whether in America or Europe. In this case, it's Australia.

This highly moral movie has a bunch of models parading around nude and a preacher's wife winding up in a lesbian relationship with one of them. I don't think so!!! Also, the minister is "liberated" and, after seeing what's going on, is "more open-minded" now that he's converted to Liberal ways of seeing things.

Need I say more?

"Sirens" seems to have touched a nerve here. Some reviewers dismiss it as derivative soft-core drivel. Others love it. It probably helps to know that there's little derivative about the story-it's based on real people and a real incident. Sam Neill's character--Norman Lindsay--was real. Lindsay, a prolific artist and novelist, was also a libertine living a Hugh Hefner lifestyle when the rest of the world was awakening from the Victorian Age. "Sirens" was filmed at the Lindsay home and gallery, a 40-acre estate now run by the Australian National Trust. The artworks are all Lindsay's. And the storyline is based on an incident in which the Anglican Church dispatched a cleric to convey concerns about "The Crucifixion of Venus." As for the plot, it's simply a humorous retelling of what might have been--with lots of voluptuous nudes and erotic symbolism tossed in for good measure. Yes, it's all quite predictable. You know five minutes into the film that the Converters will become the Converted. But it's a fun ride getting to that inevitable destination. `Sirens' is not for everyone. If full-frontal male and female nudity offends, you will be offended. If ridiculing the Church or its values offends, you will be offended. And if the notion that the cure for a boring marriage is a little extra-marital dalliance offends, you will truly be offended. Otherwise, it's a little erotic gem and a great way to start an even better evening. :)

It's the 1930s, and Australian artist Norman Lindsay (Sam Neill) has created a painting of a voluptuous nude woman on a cross. This is deemed blasphemous by The Church, who send one of their young ministers, Anthony Campion (Hugh Grant), and his wife Estella (Tara Fitzgerald), to Australia to try to talk him out of submitting the painting for exhibition. Anthony and Estella find Lindsay on his country estate, living a bohemian existence with his wife Rose (Pamela Rabe), their two children, and Lindsay's three gorgeous models. Sheela (supermodel Elle Macpherson) and Pru (Kate Fischer) are the more outgoing ones, and Giddy (Portia de Rossi) is the more naive, innocent one. Estella finds that their sexually liberated ways tend to rub off on her.

There's a fair bit of discussion of art, religion, and philosophy in this not uninteresting social comedy. It's all attractively shot, on picturesque Oz locations, and is atmospheric and notably erotic. Many viewers may gravitate towards "Sirens" on the strength of the nudity, and there's quite a bit to admire here. Macpherson, Fischer, de Rossi, and Fitzgerald all are tantalizing, but rest assured that there's some beefcake on display as well, as the blind, rugged Devlin (Mark Gerber) doffs his duds for the camera. Overall, the film is good, light entertainment from writer / director John Duigan, who also has a cameo as a minister. He gets very good performances out of everybody present, especially Fitzgerald and de Rossi. The story rests on Fitzgeralds' capable shoulders as she undergoes a change in character.

No, "Sirens" is not for the easily offended, but those with thicker skins should find this agreeable enough.

Lindsay was previously played by James Mason in the 1969 film "Age of Consent".

Seven out of 10.

When I was a boy one of my favourite books was the Australian children's classic "The Magic Pudding", so when I first saw "Sirens" in the cinema in 1994 I was surprised to find out a few things about the life of its author Norman Lindsay. He wrote books for both children and adults but was better known as a painter than as a writer. He appears as one of the main characters in this film, and although the story is a fictitious one, the portrait drawn of him as a hedonistic Bohemian, a promiscuous libertine and an opponent of organised religion appears to have been accurate. (He also held racist and far-right opinions, but the film tactfully omits any mention of this side of his character). One reviewer describes him as an atheist, but this does not seem correct if by "atheist" is meant a thoroughgoing rationalist. His religious views appear to have been a personal take on Graeco-Roman paganism. He believes that in a previous life he lived on the lost continent of Atlantis, and a thoroughgoing rationalist would doubtless deride belief both in Atlantis and in reincarnation.

The action is set in the 1920s. The Anglican Archbishop film of Sydney, taking exception to an allegedly blasphemous painting which Lindsay intends to exhibit, asks a young clergyman named Tony Campion to visit the artist and persuade him to withdraw the offending artwork from the exhibition. (Why the good Archbishop imagines that the notoriously anti-religious Lindsay will take any notice of anything that a priest has to say is never explained). Tony and his young wife Estella arrive at Lindsay's home in the Blue Mountains, and find that the artist is living in what might be called a menage a cinq with his wife, Rose, two models, Pru and Sheila, and the maid, Giddy. All four women both sleep with Lindsay and pose for his pictures, and are frequently seen in the nude. Lindsay makes Tony and Estella welcome, but Tony is disturbed by the atmosphere of sexual libertinism. He is also disturbed to discover that Estella seems much less disturbed than he is.

The basic idea behind the film, the clash between libertinism and religious asceticism, is a potentially interesting one, but the film doesn't make the most of it. I have never really been able to see Hugh Grant as the representative of religious asceticism; despite his dog-collar, Tony seems more like the sort of romantic comedy heroes which Grant specialised in playing during this part of his career in films like "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and "The Englishman Who Went up a Hill but Came down a Mountain". (In this latter Grant also co-starred with Tara Fitzgerald, who here plays Estella). Fitzgerald has something of a thankless task. One of the main themes of the film is supposed to be Estella's sexual awakening, but the script never gives us much idea of what sort of person she was to begin with. Fitzgerald also has the disadvantage that for most of the time she is required to keep her clothes on, meaning that she tends to be overshadowed by several statuesque young women, including supermodel Elle MacPherson, wandering about naked.

Sam Neill makes Lindsay a likeable old rogue, but never does enough to overcome the argument that a lifestyle like his (not particularly uncommon in Bohemian circles, even in the 1920s) has less to do with principled opposition to Christian moral values than it does with the selfish desire to take sexual advantage of as many young women as possible. When he talks about the victims of the Inquisition, what he really means is getting his leg over. One writer talks about Lindsay "living a Hugh Hefner lifestyle"; given what we now know about Hefner those words seem truer, and less complimentary, today than they did when first written in 2004.

The film has some virtues, including some attractive photography of there spectacular Australian landscapes, but overall "Sirens" struck me as a rather trite, trivial film, much less significant or meaningful than writer/director John Duigan seemed to have imagined. A pudding of a movie, but with little magic about it. 5/10.

I knew nothing about this movie, but offered to accompany a woman I had known for some time, but had never been on more than vaguely friendly terms. I was not prepared for the charm, playfulness, joy and raw sensuality that this film captured. Sam Neill is the ultimate sensualist, yet indulges his children's fancies with innocent abandon. Hugh Grant is a likable doofus, and he is far outpaced by Tara Fitzgerald's acceptance of the pleasures of the flesh. In many ways, this couple reminded me of Brad & Janet in "Rocky Horror" - the man is either unable or too clueless to accept the sensual awakening that his companion does. Thus, I was pleased at my date's choice of film, and any discomfort of my own at being seduced by the screen on a first date soon passed from my date's reactions to the sexy scenes. On the anniversary of that date, I paid the outrageous price of $59.95 for a VHS copy, and the repeat viewings were as pleasant as th first. We later married, and this was her idea, too.

P.S.: I recommend "The Advocate" for those who like "Sirens".

P.P.S.: I agree for the most part with Eamon Buchanan's comments, but, the models were "painted"in the nude, not "painting", and it was the Anglican church that was upset, not the Catholic (the Campions could not have been married if they were Catholic).

John Duigan directed this sexy drama about Australian artist Norman Lindsay(played by Sam Neil) who has caused a scandal with his graphic(some say blasphemous) paintings. The church bishop sends idealistic young English Minster Anthony Champion(played by Hugh Grant) to try to persuade Lindsay to stop his painting, but he refuses, instead lecturing him and his wife Estella(played by Tara Fitzgerald) on their "prudish" ways, which the minster denies, but fails to notice how his own wife is intrigued by three very open women models also staying with Lindsay... Surprisingly good-natured film presents both sides evenly and intelligently, with no stereotyping. Quite provocative at times, but does at least offer everyone a happy ending.

Some would say that Sirens is not taken seriously because of the abundant nudity in the movie. And yes, it does seem at times that the movie exists only to display exactly why model (and here, wannabe actress) Elle Macpherson was nicknamed "The Body". But perhaps the reason the movie is not taken seriously is because it simply isn't any good. The movie drags and drags and then drags some more. The plot never seems to get going. It's a movie that has no energy to it, it just painfully slogs along in hopelessly dull fashion. The film is utterly predictable, you know where this is going right from the beginning but it sure does take its sweet time in getting to that inevitable conclusion. The movie sets itself up as a statement on organized religion's view on sex. But any kind of statement the filmmakers hoped to make is lost because the movie is simply too boring to hold anyones attention long enough to get their point across. The whole enterprise is not helped by some rather clumsy acting, most notably from Macpherson who certainly looks nice but struggles to deliver dialogue in a believable fashion. Hugh Grant and Tara Fitzgerald are reasonably decent in their roles but it's not enough to save this enterprise. Predictable, tedious, dull and at times rather laughable...that's Sirens in a nutshell.

This movie must be the most interesting Australian movie since "Mad Max"! It is quite funny and the acting is (almost) flawless.

This is (in my opinion) Hugh Grant's best acting (after "4 Weddings and a Funeral") role. Real life models Elle McPhearson (sorry about spelling), Kate Fisher and Portia deRossi play 3 young beautiful models who pose for a painter (Sam Neill).

Now the paintings aren't ordinary paintings! The girls are painting in the NUDE!! This stirs controversy in the Catholic Church and Hugh Grant a priest(!) is called in to investigate.

Don't be fooled, this film is filled with nudity and sex but it is very funny! British actress Tara Fitzgarald is hilarious in her role as the under-educated wife of Hugh Grant. Interesting Australian cinema!

A soft-core, high-minded daydream about the liberating sensuality of art. Sometimes the sirens in the film (Elle MacPherson, Kate Fischer and Portia de Rossi) tickle one another merrily, and sometimes they talk about whether sea slugs make a good aphrodisiac.

The story is based on a real artist, Norman Lindsay(Sam Neill)and there was a real Anglican priest (played by Hugh Grant) sent to convince him to withdraw his "Crucified Venus" from exhibition. The film is set on Campion's estate and features his work throughout.

It is a little wild, silly at times, and features explicit nudity and sexual situations. Perfect introduction to Hugh Grant's abilities.

Skintastic moment: Portia de Rossi and her pals pose for a painting, the subject of which seems to be hot chicks who show rack, rug and rear.

Bonus Skintastic Moment: Kate Fischer flashes her ass and a bit of full- frontal from a distance while wading, then continues to bare her breasts for a very long time.

How can it be bad? It's an Australian film, and 95 % of their movies are always good. This is a film about erotism, it's also about puritanism. These subjects are shown with a gentle smile. I love the bright colors of this film, and also the creativity of some images (the dream where miss Fitzegerald are in the hands of the sirens.) It's very original and intelligent. Hugh Grant is funny in the role of Cary Grant (Sorry about that! I know that these guys had the same name, but they are so similar!) and Tara Fitzegerald is superb! We should see more of her in real movies (not TV movies) She was also great near Grant in Englishmen who went up etc. and near Ewan McGregor in Brassed off. She is one wonder of English cinema, with Polly Walker and Helena Bonham Carter. More more more movies from Australia and England!!!

Ho hum, another film where artists are unfettered and misunderstood by the Church and their neighbors, and who are just trying to express themselves while providing plenty of soft-core porn for the late-night cable crowd. The movie tries to dress itself up as a statement for freedom of expression, and of course we are subjected to the familiar stereotype of the stuffy, bumbling, hypocritical cleric. Too stupid to be really offensive, and at least Sam Neill is charming.

By the way, in response to the post that IMDB chose to run as the first comment, the church that was so upset by nudity in art was the ANGLICAN Church, not the Catholic Church. Catholic priests are not married.