Chad

clckworang

Not my first time watching this movie. Given its rather short length, it's one that typically gets viewed toward the end of the month when I'm exhausted and trying to cram things in. It was a nice change viewing it while I'm fresh early in the challenge.

I think this is a beautifully surreal film. It's one of those that I feel like I'm able to read on a very surface level but am probably missing out on a lot not being more familiar with the culture and history. Regardless, the strength of the movie is really in its imagery. I'm hoping to dig into the extras next month.

Undeadcow

Ive seen Valerie a few times now and cant quite say what its about. With so many changing roles and alternating idyllic versus nightmare imagey it's awfully cryptic.

I think I see it as a film about how the fickle and hidden nature of lust, represented by vampires/lies/trechery, with the bright nature and religious symbolism representing fake polite society. There are a dizzying amount of twists and recants and retwists to a point there's little reason to especially follow it all (but I probably lost a lot of subtext and context).

Spiderbite

I know that there is an audience for stuff like this, but I am not that audience. I definitely like some arty-type films and I can also appreciate them...but when they get this artsy-fartsy, my mind just shuts off.

I don't know if it is the lack of coherent narrative, the exhaustively slow pacing, the sudden overacting/underacting, large jumps in ambiance, lack of understanding the culture, or likely a mix of all of the above. Just not my thing.

It is a beautifully shot film but nothing I ever want to revisit. Plus, the prepubescent nudity along with grown men lusting after the young girl just grosses me out. It's not like the main character is underage but built like a woman. This is still basically a child even though she gets her period in the movie (and yes, I realize that is a major plot point of the film). I know that it was common in the past and even still in some places today where men basically marry children, but it just disgusts me. So, I have zero interest in watching it in any film.

My rating: * out of *****

Bladz

I agree with everything Spiderbite said in that last paragraph. I shut it off after the scene where the priest comes into Valerie's bedroom at night while her breasts are exposed. I had enough at that point. What's even more disturbing to me is that the actor who played Orlik ended up marrying the actress who played Valerie four years after the movie was released. She was 13 and he was 22 when they filmed the movie.

mallratcal

I liked it, I thought it looked great, and the dreamlike atmosphere.

I thought the actress playing Valerie looked young but didn't think she was actually 13, that's going to get a yikes from me, dog.

Trevor

Ouch. I’ve always enjoyed this one, have to be in the right mood for it though. Could have sworn we had this as a subset before, but apparently not. Knowing the above is going to put a damper on any future viewings.

Undeadcow

I dont think nudity always has to be perverted or even sexual. It could be thematic. Valerie is not smut or even cheap, its high minded art so I dont think the expectation is that it be erotic or even necessarily exploitative.

numbercrunch

An interesting surreal vampire film that is visually a feast, but the overall story just isn't my cup of tea.
6/10

Obi-Wanma

I watched this last night. It's too weird for me. I didn't really understand it. Valerie is a very attractive girl, but I didn't need to see her unclothed. Just seemed weird, maybe a cultural thing on my part, but definitely not my thing.