THE BEAST

France, 1975, 98 minutes, Colour.
Sirpa Lane, Lisbeth Hummel, Elizabeth Kaza, Pier Benedetti, Guy Trejane, Marcel Dalio.
Directed by Walerian Borowczyk.

The Beast is Borowczyk’s version of The Beauty and the Beast. Borowczyk was a painter and lithographer in Poland. He was a poster designer, made short films, animations in the late 50s. Most of his work was done in France as an animator and then in features. Over the decades he became a controversial film director because of his films being explicitly erotic and sometimes sensational.

He was famous in the 1970s for such films as Blanche, Immoral Tales and Behind Convent Walls. While this film is erotic in its presentation of the Beauty and the Beast story, it is not so explicit as some of his films during the 1980s.

1. The purpose of this film? Its impact? As an immoral tale according to its film-maker? As a moral fable? A fable about human nature, society? The validity of the erotic modes of the fable? (The justification of hesitation by censors?)

2. The film as the work of Walerian Boroyczyk? Polish background, working in France? His baroque style and attention to detail? His view of the constructions of society? His view of the interior repressions in personalities? The effect of the old world, its mythologies and legends? The use of symbolic animals to express these repressions, especially as regards sexuality, violence and greed? Their perspective of the director on human nature? how optimistic, pessimistic?

3. For what audience was the film made? How seriously?

4. The nature and validity of the erotic treatment of the subject? How much passion, how much sensuality? Was the film exploitive in any way? A valid psychological study of human nature, perversions, religion and society? The relationship of religion, society, sexuality?

5. How well did the film draw on the Beauty and the Beast legend? An erotic and perverse application of the legend? Or does the legend have these perversions implicit within it? The visual presentation? The intellectual application of the fable?

6. The significance of the opening and the emphasis on horses as animals, as beasts? The importance of sexuality and copulation? Sexuality and pleasure, breeding, instinct? The sound associated with animals and sexuality? The blending of visual& and sound? The importance of the implications and their later application? Maturin and his presence, affinity with these experiences and the irony of it?

7. The world of the old Duke? The appearance of the chateau, the interior, the furnishings? The modern world and yet all the trappings of earlier centuries? Decay, a world passed over? His personality, his dependence on Maturin? The mystery about Maturin and his baptism? His relationship with his nephew and their dialogues and interactions? His holding of power? The significance of his relationship with his brother as Cardinal? The importance of the background of his poisoning his wife and his nephew's hold over him? His brother's rejection of him, especially the phone sequences? What had he to live for? A symbol of decayed aristocracy? The decay of the values of the past? The importance of his death and its implications?

8. The contrast with the Duke, his nephew? His poise yet his desperation? His participation in the decay, his foreboding of disaster? The linking of this with nature? The past corroding his personality? His manipulation for the continuation of the line and yet its doom? His writing letters for Maturin? His plan for the Broadhursts? His plots against his uncle? The importance of the Broadhurst will and the necessity of the Cardinal being present? His desperate attempts to get the Cardinal to be present? Maturin and his shaving him and preparing him for Lucy's visit? Maturin not coping and the effect that it had on his father? The build-up to Maturin's death and his ultimate disappointment? The comment on aristocracy in France and its position, wealth, social standing, religion as embodied in this mad duke?

9. The mystery about Maturin? The training of the horses, his affinity with them? The mystery of his bathing, baptism, shaving? How well did the film suggest mystery and then shook when the explanation was given? His semi-human and semi-bestial behaviour at meals etc.? The mystery during the night? The pathos of his death? How well portrayed the beast character, symbol?

10. The contrast of Lucy and Virginia? Lucy and her photographs especially of the horses? Virginia and her greed and her protection of her niece? The background of wealth and society of the modern world intruding in this old world? What did the two societies have in common? The arrival, the room, the mystery of Maturin? The will? Lucy and her response to Maturin's so-called advances - really from his father? The bizarre behaviour at the will? The importance of the will? The effect of the experience on Lucy?

11. The fascination with the legend of the beast and the beauty in the 18th century? The significance of Lucy having similar dreams? The visuals of the dream and the presentation of the beauty and the beast how well portrayed was the beast in his bestiality, the communication of lust, the effect on the 18th century lady and her being reduced to bestiality? The dream fascination for Lucy? The importance of dreams and the comment given by Voltaire about a dream? The significance of man being beastly, woman being attracted? The brutality and the associations of blood? The blend of fantasy and reality?

12. Lucy wandering the corridors and the approaches to Maturin and the fright of his death? The advances of the beast and the beauty being the cause of death?

13. How convincing were the visuals of the beast? The effect on the audience?

14. The significance of the sub-plot with the duke's daughter, her seeming commonsense, preparation for the marriage and dressing of her children, her affair with the black servant? The character of the servant and his sexuality (hence of beauty and the beast, black and white, mistress and servant etc.?)?

15. The significance of the sub-plot with the priest, his bringing the boys and fondling them. his devotion to the music? The comment on celibacy, homosexuality? The Church and its attitudes towards sexuality?

16. The atmosphere of the wedding transferring to the atmosphere of the funeral? The madness pervading all of this?

17. The significance of the arrival of the Cardinal at the end? His moral theology textbook comments on what had happened, on bestiality and sinfulness? Confession? The ironic touches in the speech of the Cardinal? What is the director saying about the Church and its influence on human behaviour and attitudes towards sexuality?

18. How valuable is a film like this in its imaginative and free-ranging exploration of society, individuals, the psyche and human psychological dreams, fantasies and symbols?