简介：ThenichemarketDVDlabelMondoMacabrohasreleasedalittle-known1976filmtitledInHell,knownvariouslyasLatorturaandGloriaMundi.ThemovieisthecreationofthelateGreekdirectorNikosPapatakis,whoobviouslyfelthehadasignificantleft-wingpoliticalstatementtomakeinthisbizarreandunpleasantblendingofradicalismandsexualhumiliation.Thefilm'sonesavinggraceisanastonishinglybraveperformancebyleadactressOlgaKarlatos,whoweareintroducedtoinaprovocative,ifcringe-inducingsequenceinwhichweobservehersittinginabathtubandattachingelectricalwirestohernipplesandgenitalsthentorturingherselfbyturningonthecurrent.Whyisshedoingthis?Itseemsthathercharacter,Galai,isanattractiveyoungAlgerianimmigrantlivinginParis.ShehasfallenunderthespellofamysteriousandunseenpoliticalanarchistnamedHamdias,whowantstowreakhavocagainstFrenchcolonialisminAlgeria.ThisistobeachievedthroughterroristactsthatheisgroomingGalaitocarryoutviainstructionsonthephoneandcassettetapes.HealsofancieshimselfanimportantfilmmakerandistryingtoraisefundsforapoliticalthrillerstarringGalaiintheleadingrole.Thefilmrunsintotheusualdilemmathatreallifeindependentproducersmustendure:thefundingkeepsrunningoutbutGalaibecomesobsessedwithensuringthatthemovieiscompleted.HamidiasenvisionsincorporatingperversesexualabuseintothestorylineandhefindsawillingleadingladyinGalai,whoenthusiasticallysubmitsherselftoself-imposed"trainingsessions"inwhichsheperformstortureonherownbody,allthebettertopleaseherproducer/director/loverbygivingthemostgenuineperformancepossible.ThegraphicopeningsequenceofthisabuseisdifficulttowatchbutthefilmquicklydelvesintoavirtuallyincomprehensiblelookatthepsychologicaltorturesGalaiisfacing.SeemsthatHamdiasenjoysplayingheadgameswithherpsycheandissuingincreasinglydangerousdemandsincludingcarryingoutdryrunsforterroristbombings.Sheconstantlyventstoherselfaboutherdisdainforhim,butitbecomesclearthatnotonlyisshecompletelysubmissivetohiswhims,heisalsoholdingtheirchildasavirtualhostagetoensureshecarriesouthisdemands.That'saboutallIcouldascertainfromtheconfusingstorylinewhichattimesiscompletelyincomprehensible.Therearefilmswithinfilms,sarcasticscenesthatdenouncetheFrencheliteandoccasionalsequencesinwhichGalaiissubjectedtosexualabuseatthehandsofmilitarycaptor.ThereisabundantfullfemalenuditybutnoneofitispresentedinaneroticmannerandinoneparticularlyawfulsceneoneofGalai'swould-beloversvomitsonherbarechest. PapatakismighthavethoughthewasmakingapoignantpoliticalstatementbuthecomesacrossasabargainbasementimitationofCostas-Gavras.Infact,onesuspectsthatallhereallywantedtodowasmakeadirtymoviebutprovidedhimselfwithapseudointellectualcover.(Inoneprolongedfilm-within-a-filmsequence,adespicableFrenchmilitaryofficerengagesaprostitutetoengageinbizarrepracticesthatincludeusingaratherdifficultandinnovativemethodofopeningchampagnebottles.) ByLeePfeiffer-cinemaretro.com-…