maxalmonte

An out-of-work director agrees to make an erotic film against his will so he can pay the bills. But if he is going to do it, it's going to be HIS way.

I bet that's the one-liner directors Derek Yee and Lo Chi-Leung gave executives that got them the green light.

Viva Erotica is maybe the first serious film that gets away with showing female breasts and still being a magnificent work of art - at least that I know of.

The film satirizes the film industry's (Hong Kong's and global) obsession with sex in a very original way: by making a sex film.

Directors Derek Yee and Lo Chi-Leung also wrote the script, with Ka Man being a third writer. Most of the credit goes to them for the innovative premise and great execution, but the cast doesn't fall short either, especially Leslie Cheung as Kwok-Wing, Karen Mok as Man-Wai, and Shu Qi as Mango (particularly Shu Qi as Mango!).

Simply put: one of the best films I have ever watched.

A very entertaining mystery thriller that at times winks at the supernatural, but doesn't quite lean into it.

The film looks and feels exactly like what you would expect from a 1979 Hong Kongese independent film. At only 85 minutes of runtime, it is very fast-paced, which makes it entertaining and engaging. The acting is good, maybe one of the highlights of the film alongside the story.

And speaking about the story, it gets quite interesting towards the end. I honestly wish the film was remade. A modern-day interpretation of the story would be very enjoyable.

The Secret was my introduction to Ann Hui's work. I've gotten conflicting information about this film being or not her directorial debut. Whatever the case, I'm looking forward to seeing more of her work.

Even if the premise is good, the editing is so bad. It feels like they trimmed the movie way beyond what they should have, to the point sometimes one scene doesn't make sense after another. The plot feels rushed and underdeveloped; I think the film could have really used an extra 30-45 minutes. Also, the timeline is very messy. Events happen days or weeks after other events and it's not apparent until they mention it.

Have you ever heard of the principle "show don't tell"? Well, there is a lot of telling instead of showing in Naked Killer.

Story-wise, my main criticism is that the film portrays the type of lesbianism that only serves male audiences: mindless touching and kissing without diving into the lives of the characters. It was the 90s, I guess...

Giving credit where it is due, the set designs were fantastic. They are visually appealing and succeed at setting the proper mood in every scene.

Long story short, Naked Killer is another mediocre sexploitation film which only aspires to get the male audience horny. Do yourself a favor and skip this one.