8 ½ Women

OK, before you read any further, I should point out that I am not a fan of Greenaway or of the type of movie he represents, so if you're looking for yet another fawning contemplation of the 'genius' that is Peter Greenaway, then hit the back button now.There is something almost insultingly tiresome about Peter Greenaway's compulsion to shock in order to attract attention; he's been doing it for more than twenty years now, and watching his films – new and old – is a little like having one's forehead constantly prodded by the thumb of some warped history teacher who is determined to drill his perverse version of world events into your brain come what may.

Peter Greenaway's 1999 Cannes nominated film covers the exploits and rather grotesque misadventures of two people obsessed with the mistreatment of women; expanding their own sexual horizons and a specific film from the Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini from whence this piece draws on inspiration for its own title. It's a stark, confrontational piece; placing characters at the heart of it we do not especially like doing things we can not, hopefully, especially relate to; but is mostly engrossing and never especially alienating.

Writer/Director Peter Greenaway cements his title as the High Lord of Art House Pretension with his latest exercise in obnoxious self-indulgence, 8 ½ Women. The film follows a wealthy Englishman and his son on their mutual quest for sexual satisfaction, as they lure and blackmail women (guess how many) into joining their personal collection of concubines.

John Standing plays Philip Emmenthal, a banker who has just gained control of some pachinko parlours. His odd son Storey is looking after them in Japan, while Philip resides in his mansion in Geneva.

I dont know about you, but I've always felt drawn to 'ART' cinema. The first 'art' film I managed to get a hold of was Peter Greenaway's "The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover", which blew my mind and creative spiret into overdrive.

A master visual allegorist reaches farther and fails. But not for the reasons others claim here.

Somewhere i'd read that this film is supposed to be a comedy. after seeing it, i'd call it anything but.

I am sorry to say that it was one of the worst films I've ever seen. Although visually fascinating (e.

Greenaway seems to have a habit of trying deliberately to disgust his viewers. This film opens with incest--and purposeless, meaningless, casual incest at that.