I think comparisons of this film to Polanski's subtle, precise and devastating, Repulsion are a bit rich but I suppose I can see the reasoning. Frustrated lady going mad and all that but that's it. No way Mr. Benazeraf was ever going to go subtle on anyone but this does catch the eye. Not sure about some of the pretension dialogue or those great long periods without any at all but then this is a French film. This also means that unlike English sex films of this time that tended to have speeded up Benny Hill style slapstick sequences with people shedding the odd costume, the French way is to slow things down with slow motion and even stop with a lingering still frame. I'm being a little unfair because this does look great all the time, the wintry near monochrome exteriors and the full on colourful interiors and I haven't even mentioned the abundance of flesh, also beautifully shot. I don't believe I have seen a film where quite so many young ladies drop their clothes and with such abandon. There is also a Sadean sequence, some religious drivel and rather a lot of TV news which is at times an interesting element.
Review of The Chambermaid's Dream
