Balcony (1963)
by Joseph Strick
List Price:
Our Price: $4.50
You Save: $25.48 (85%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Category: VHS Video
See more movie releases
Buy this VHS video movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
Product details
Actor: Joyce Jameson, Lee Grant, Peter Brocco, Peter Falk, Shelley WintersDirector: Joseph Strick
Edition: VHS Tape
Audio: English (Original Language), Analog
Format: Black & White, NTSC
Running Time: 87 minutes
Release Date: 1998-09-01
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Publisher: Mystic Fire Video
Studio: Mystic Fire Video
VHS Movie Reviews of Balcony (1963)
Movie Review: Pure DeSade
Summary: 5 Stars
The vile Marquis was also a philosopher and proposed that the obstacle to true democracy was that some individuals are driven to lord it over others. His solution was freedom for sexual perversions. Let them take out their needs in brothels and private bedrooms instead of positions of power.
Genet develops this theme by showing individuals taking out their fantasies of power with girls in a brothel.
When the leaders of society disappear what is to happen? The customers in the brothel can easily fill in and no one will notice or does notice. Society is ultimately run simply by people with fantasies of power and sex anyway. The brothel becomes a metaphor for society in general.
The film takes its name from a wonderful performance in which Peter Falk gives an empty but passionate and arousing speech from the balcony, acting out his childish fantasies of power.
I am not sure if the ending of the film works well or not. This is all totally crazy on the surface and is all really about subtext communicated through metaphor, and so it may hang together more tightly on a second viewing. I give the film high marks however for even daring to appear, and for some truly memorable performances in my opinion.
Obviously it is not a film for everyone. And if it had been my film I would have done a few things differently. Also it might seem a bit dated, and maybe too "European" for some. But I think that a viewer that goes in with open eyes and some artistic tolerance could agree with me that it deserves very high praise.
Movie Review: A surrealist gem
Summary: 4 Stars
Surrealist in intent, atmosphere and cinematography. Could be considered Dystopian as Orson Welle's 'The Trial', Soderbergh's 'Kafka'.
If you like David Lynch you will most assuredly enjoy this strange thought-provoking offering.
I am referring to the Image Entertainment August 1, 2000 release.
Though amazon.com states 1.33:1 (Academy Aspect ratio) - it appears, on my Sony 52" LCD, to be properly 16:9 Enhanced/Anamorphic (although it does start a little shifted to the right, it quickly corrects itself). IMDB does not list the original aspect ratio but most films after 1960 were filmed in 1.85:1 (in America) or wider and I'm assuming this one was too.
Keep an open mind and enjoy - hope this helps.
Movie Review: The satire of the power
Summary: 4 Stars
This movie has a great cast where each character overcomes to the other one. It doesn't create you that it is an orthodox film; on the contrary, you should be very attentive to the game of circus mirrors that supposes each scene.Movie Review: Under our clothes we are all naked.
Summary: 4 Stars
The Balcony is not just an ordinary extension to your house ... in this film it is a place where mortal men go to live out their fantasies. It is a modern day dream castle, where men can escape from the hardships of the real world and act out lives of important people that they may never have the opportunity of becoming. I use the word men for a reason in this review, because the "Balcony" is a brothel. It is a place where men go to fulfill not just their sexual fantasies, but also their dreams. If one wants to become the Bishop; he can go to the "Balcony" and demand that women tell him their sins. If one wants to become the strongest General in the English army with a trusty steed by his side all that he needs to do is go to the "Balcony" and a woman will become his sidekick. There is even a place for men to become Justices of the Supreme Court; carrying out sentences to the women that they hire. Rooted with deep political and sexual undertones, this black comedy digs deep into your soul and your mind. Adapted by the play by Jean Genet, we watch as three men live out their fantasies as their troubled country is rocked right outside the doors by a gang of rebels.
With the revolution happening outside, the business has been tough, but the ladies seem to be surviving. Everyone is happy, until Peter Falk enters the scene. He plays the police chief who is trying to bring the rebels outside to justice. He is also the man who is dating the owner of the brothel played by Shelly Winters. He does not know how to bring the rebels to justice and keep the moral of the people and troops together when the Bishop, General, and Justice have all been murdered. Then he finds his answer in the least of places. He gets the women of the brothel to ask the three men to become stand-ins for the actual leaders of the country. After much persuasion, they say "yes" and begin their voyage outside into the "real world" wearing the masks of their fantasies. At first they succeed, but soon the power reaches even these imposters as they begin to change the rules in their positions. As relations begin to heat up again, a surprise twist shows us that role-play can happen in the most common places.
Director Joseph Strick takes on quite a daunting task with his film adaptation. The Balcony is very racy at times and definitely pushes the envelope, but it is the film's subtle humor that keeps it from becoming all too serious. The wild fantasies played out inside the Balcony are turned into something that can put an end to the violent revolution. While the film is mainly comedic, there are metaphors abound. The brothel itself becomes the main symbol of an unruly, but acceptable, community where morals and standards are nowhere to be found.
The violence outside its doors mirrors the activity in the brothel. It seemingly tells us that without standards anything can happen and be accepted. The brothel may even come out on top, as the madam says, "We don't allow death in here." I felt as I watched it that I was watching a film that had been made this year. The dark themes, the powerful images, and even the switching ending are all issues that Hollywood uses in everyday film today. It is not something that you see in 1963 (when this film was made). I applaud this film for taking chances, and while it isn't the greatest film out there, it should gain respect with the deeply rooted symbolism that it carries. I especially loved the ending. Look to see an interesting "side" of Nimoy and Falk. This film also explores the issue that we may carry the clothes of power, but without them ... without anything on our backs ... we are just the same as the next man or woman. We are all human.
I also enjoyed the idea of throwing standards to the wayside. That is the major theme of this film. Without standards, you have the violence that happened outside of the "Balcony" ... without standards you have people imagining worlds that do not exist, living lives that they have not earned, and not caring about consequences just people's reaction to themselves. This is obvious when the three unknowns head out onto the city to bring peace, God, and justice to the unknowing people. They do not care that they do not have the training for this power, all they care about being able to feel like they have the power if only for just one moment.
Overall, this film was a scary and interesting when you begin to think about it on a different level than just a comedy. This movie will rank as one of the oddest films I have ever watched in my film career, but one that will remain in my mind forever.
Grade: **** out of *****
Movie Review: A Great Piece of Theatre-TV
Summary: 5 Stars
This is an arty-entertainment film. If you like NIGHT OF THE HUNTER, THE WICKER MAN, POWELL & PRESSBURGER FILMS, DENNIS POTTER TV, THEATRICAL PERFORMANCES ON TV -- and anything else that is different with an arty dramatic drive, you'll love this unique piece. Probably the closest that the USA has come to getting a European piece of theatre right. I'm not into arty rubbish, but into entertainment. If you have nothing against a made for TV theatre piece that is very poetic, and at times surrealistic, then give this a try. It was shown on European TV several years ago, and I found it wonderful, and have longed for its release. The best performance I have seen from Peter Falk, and Leonard Nimoy was very virile and un-Vulkan. The women in the brothel are also INCREDIBLY sexy !!!!!
Sex Comedies Video
Video Genres
- Action & Adventure
- African American Cinema
- Animation
- Anime & Manga
- Art House & International
- Classics
- Comedy
- Cult Movies
- Documentary
- Drama
- Educational
- Fitness
- Gay & Lesbian
- Horror
- Kids & Family
- Military & War
- Music Video & Concerts
- Musicals & Performing Arts
- Mystery & Suspense
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Special Interests
- Sports
- Television
- Westerns
Movies most talked about in Sex Comedies Video
Major & The MinorUniversal Studios; Release date: 1998-05-26; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $15.44
Tender TrapMGM (Video & DVD); Release date: 1993-01-27; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $17.96
Price in other shops:
Love Letter (1999)Dreamworks Video; Release date: 2000-01-01; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $0.98
Price in other shops:
Jamon JamonFox Lorber; Release date: 1997-11-11; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $19.99
Under the Yum Yum TreeSony Pictures; Release date: 1997-02-11; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $89.95
Risky Business (1983)Warner Home Video; Release date: 1999-07-06; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $2.25
Price in other shops:
S.O.B.Warner Home Video; Release date: 1995-02-21; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $5.77
Price in other shops:
My Demon LoverSony Pictures; Release date: 1994-06-24; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $8.00
Price in other shops:
Sex and the Single GirlWarner Home Video; Release date: 1998-09-01; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $89.95
Boeing BoeingParamount; Release date: 1995-08-15; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Price in other shops:
Similar Video, DVDs, Audio CDs
VincentImage Entertainment; Release date: 2006-06-06; DVD
Best price: $12.18
Price in other shops:
David Lynch's Inland Empire (Limited Edition Two-Disc Set)Ryko Distribution; Release date: 2007-08-14; DVD
Best price: $14.99
Price in other shops:
Cruising (Deluxe Edition)Warner Brothers; Release date: 2007-09-18; DVD
Best price: $10.75
Price in other shops:
TCM Archives - Forbidden Hollywood Collection, Vol. 2 (The Divorcee / A Free Soul / Night Nurse / Three on a Match / Female)Release date: 2008-03-04; DVD
Best price: $37.04
Price in other shops:
Henrik Ibsen Collection (Hedda Gabler / Ghosts / Little Eyolf / The Wild Duck / The Master Builder)Warner Brothers; Release date: 2007-07-24; DVD
Best price: $42.80
Price in other shops:
El Cid (Two-Disc Deluxe Edition) (The Miriam Collection)WELLSPRING/GENIUS; Release date: 2008-01-29; DVD
Best price: $13.01
Price in other shops:
Battleship Potemkin (The Ultimate Edition) (2pc) (Full B&W)Release date: 2007-10-23; DVD
Best price: $16.23
Price in other shops:
Kiss of the Spider Woman (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) - Amazon.com ExclusiveRelease date: 2008-07-22; DVD
Best price: $34.98
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Two-Disc Special Edition)Warner Brothers; Release date: 2006-12-05; DVD
Best price: $14.79
Price in other shops:
The MaidsRelease date: 2003-04-01; DVD
Best price: $18.75
Price in other shops: