More curious than interesting for being the first works of Roger Deakins or the series B star Glory Annen. The Marquis de Sade adaptation has some moments of soft eroticism in the first part, closer to the nunsploitation subgenre, but gets lost in a sarcastic representation of high society. However, it has a staging that provides elegance and Roger Deakins captures the misty landscapes with a disturbing beauty.
Review by BronsonBlockedParent2023-12-10T06:41:43Z
I'll start by saying that I am a huge fan of Sade, and Justine is my favorite book from him. That being said, the movie is poor, in terms of its cinematic quality, and mainly in its adaptation of the book. Major pieces of the story are missing.
This has the look and feel of a Hammer production, only with less charm or artistry.
There's a fair amount of nudity, the acting is okay, but the plot is a mess - and I am judging this on its own merits, outside of the source material.
I have seen several movies based on Sade's work - which, oddly enough are widely about Justine; very strange since her sister, Juliette, has a story that is much easier to tell - and I am always excited to see them, yet consistently disappointed.
In order to stay true to a Sade book, you'd have to make a hardcore porn movie. No one would have the mettle to produce a film that stays faithful to the man's work. I mean, Sade made A Serbian Film centuries before that movie existed - i.e., 120 Days of Sodom, in particular, the omitted pages that didn't make the final draft. I know Salo tried, but it's still tame compared to the book.
What this movie gets right is taking some of the dialog, but tone is all off. This being the 1970s, the movie doesn't know if it wants to be camp, horror or drama. Anyone who has ever read Sade will know that his books are not an easy read: they are long, wordy, violent, and challenging in terms of the philosophical questions Sade dares you to answer.
I wouldn't recommend this to anyone. General moviegoers will be totally confused by what is going on here. Sade fans will wonder where the rest of the story went.
What have you monsters done to my sweet Justine?