Insatiability (2003/Gay Drama)

 

Picture: C+     Sound: C+     Extras: D     Film: B-

 

 

Trying to do a combination of Pier Paolo Pasolini and Pedro Almodovar, Witkor Grodecki’s Insatiability (2003) tells the tale of a young 18-year-old man who is coming of age at the time when Fascism is coming to Poland.  Though none of the sex or violence is quite as graphic as Pasolini’s work, (especially Salo, which the case provocatively notes,) it eventually becomes very political and smart after a slow start.

 

He has money and along with his looks, blond hair and attractive body, he is a target for so many things and faster than you can say Fox & his friends, finds himself in the middle of the growing madness as all kinds of situations and other person’s self-interest conspire to create mass chaos.  The original Stanislaw Igncay Witkiewicz book was set in the 1930s, but this film version is set in a strange near future where China is invading Poland.  At 128 minutes, it wears thin faster than expected, but if interested in the material, it is worth your time.

 

The letterboxed 1.85 X 1 image is not bad, but has some softness and image limits that suggest this transfer was originally from a PAL master.  Otherwise, cinematographer Viktoras Radzevicius does an amusing job of keeping the camera moving with the story and Galius Klicius’ Production Design is good too.  The film was a Dolby Digital theatrical release, while this Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo DVD has limited surrounds, but is clean and clear enough to enjoy.  There are no extras, but this is an interesting change of pace for Grodecki, whose other films are also reviewed on this site and also from Water Bearer DVD.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo