Playing with Love (1977)

the audience applauded

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

I'm not one who separates between art and exploitation, Texas Chainsaw can be said to be both and it's high on my list of favorites. I buy into Cannibal Holocaust's raw power in a big way. I also look out for films about sex, in my view good film works on pretty much the same standards as sex. Like film, good sex is internal, there can be as in any film, roles, a story, attractive presentation, but the real spark is when you lose the superficial walls of who you think you have to be and there are only valleys of vibrant now.This is all from the outside. It isn't about sex so much as delusion and power dynamics, a Lord of the Flies offshoot notoriously banned in a score of countries for its frank depictions of pubescent sex. But does it matter? Power lies not in what the story is about but how it penetrates. This is sloppy, panting without passion. Meandering through nature as poetry. Worse, it's pretentious — instead of showing her being raped, a snake crawling on the girl, symbolic of spoiled purity. Later she falls down a rabbit hole.It is art. All art exploits the curiosity of looking, nothing more to it. It's what you draw our eyes to that matters.

This film has so much to say about important issues, and does it so well in many ways, that I really do want to believe it was conceived as a serious work of art and not as a sop to the dirty raincoat brigade. I've read all the reviews here by its stalwart defenders, who argue a good case for a unique film, but I remain to be fully convinced.Did the production team deliberately court controversy by using so much child nudity or were they genuinely taken aback by the reaction to its release? Western Europe in the 1970s was pretty liberal about such things, and still is by American standards (thank God!), but even so the boundaries of "mainstream" films must have been pushed back quite a bit with Maladolescenza. Arguing that so much footage of pubescent sex was essential to the artistic integrity of the whole would have been difficult even then. Nowadays the film couldn't possibly be made, which is probably a good thing overall simply because (in my view) young children should not be sexualised for the benefit of adults. However in the case of Maladolescenza, although the girl actors were only 11 or 12, I think you would find it pretty difficult to assert that they were exploited or harmed in any way, judging from a cursory look at their filmographies; though I am open to persuasion otherwise by anyone who really knows.So what we have is a curiosity from another age, and it's really rather good. The controversy over its content, which has made it so notorious (and which attracted my attention in the first place, and no doubt many others'), will rage forever, but beyond all that it's a pretty convincing study of adolescent torment and suffering. The locations are stunning and the three young actors are quite beautiful, highlighting all the more the psychological and physical torture they inflict on each other, which is achingly well portrayed and well acted. The film is shocking in its portrayal of children's cruelty, more so than any other I can think of, even Lord of the Flies. This is clearly deliberate, yet the shock value is compounded by the sex scenes — also intentional of course, but necessary to the whole? Sex is clearly integral to the power games being played out by the kids, and again this is a convincing aspect of the plot as a whole. Kids really do behave like that (you deny it at your peril) and a shiver went down my spine as I recalled my own youth — so the film worked in this way for me. It's challenging and that's good. I just recoil a little from seeing so much young flesh in such sexual situations. There's nothing wrong with nudity, yes even child nudity, and nothing wrong with sex; but combine the two and you cross the line at some point, and I think this film does, even though it's tastefully done and certainly not what I'd call child porn. That's my take on it, from my English standpoint. But sorry, righteous Christians and outraged moralists, I don't reckon I'll burn in hell for watching and enjoying it, and I'd far rather live in a society that permits eccentricities like this than your prurient paradise.So yes, it's uncomfortable and challenging viewing, on many levels, and on these terms the film is undoubtedly successful. It obviously sickens the prudish, and although I can understand why, that actually contributes to its appeal for me. Ban it? Never! You don't have to watch it and neither do I, but I am strangely attracted by its power and sheer oddity. Flaws: yes, plenty of course, it's no masterpiece. The ending is daft for one, the dog pretty pointless for another (when it's around, which is not much). There also seem to be one or two non-sequiturs in the narrative flow, which may suggest some hasty editing (some sources give the original film length as 117 or 127 minutes, whereas the "uncut" version generally in circulation today only runs to around 91 minutes). But hopefully it will survive as a controversial cult classic for those of us with a taste for the weird, and a reminder of better times when the sight of a naked child did not automatically lead to mass hysteria from the self-righteous moral brigade across the pond.Overall verdict — Great: no. Darned good: yes. Shocking: oh yes. Just don't try and do it again!

Pier Giuseppe Murgia's Maladolescenza or 'Spielen wir Lieben' caused a great deal of controversy on its 1977 release, which is understandable and yet frustrating, as the film in itself has a lot more going for it than the media at the time may have picked up on. The acting is strong all round, especially from Eva Ionesco, the plot is interesting and the characters are well-defined.The film centres around two children, Laura and Fabrizio, who meet up on holiday every year at the same place. This time they meet, however, both are reaching the age where sexual awareness creeps in, and therein lies the crux of the film. Laura dotes on Fabrizio, yet he is distant, cold, and often downright rude. The two spend time playing in the woods together, eventually stumbling upon a deserted 'town' in the forest, beneath which is a cave. Fabrizio persuades Laura to have sex with him in this cave. Afterwards, he continues to treat Laura poorly, yet she cannot seem to leave him alone.Soon after, Fabrizio meets another young girl, Silvia, and the two also form a sexual relationship, along with bullying and taunting Laura, at one stage chasing her while firing arrows at her. I don't want to give any more of the story away, so I'll leave it there.The film in itself had the potential to be an excellent look into the awkwardness of adolescence, yet for me it falls short. This is partly due to the sex scenes. While some are tasteful and help to advance the story, others are (especially towards the end of the film), overplayed, gratuitous and seedy. I can see how some were necessary for the development of the story, but the later shots are uncomfortably lingering, with some shots replayed for no apparent reason. It serves to cheapen what could have been a very powerful and innovative approach to a highly taboo subject. As it is, I can't help feeling that a little less would have meant a whole lot more.The characters themselves are very interesting. The differences between the two girls are marked; Laura starts out with a very young approach to life and ends up the most grown-up of the three. Silvia, on the other hand, enters the film with a very adult demeanour, yet has collapsed into pre-pubescent frailty by the end of the film. Fabrizio seems highly unlikeable and self-assured for the first two-thirds of the film, yet by the end he is revealed as lonely and desperate, which perhaps gives some reasoning to his actions. There are questions which were raised for me, such as why Laura continues to go to play with Fabrizio and Silvia after their terrible treatment of her, and why she is so attached to Fabrizio in the first place, especially as he is neither kind nor friendly to her at any stage in the film. Even at the end she still proclaims she would do anything for him, which could be looked at as the folly of youthful love, but I feel a better development would have been her rejecting Fabrizio in realisation that he is trapped in loneliness, a very fitting punishment for the acts he carried out against her. The locations for the film are beautiful, and the direction is well handled. The soundtrack had some cringe-worthy moments, but no worse or better than most Italian movies of the 70s. All-in-all, if you are looking for a challenging film, and don't mind putting in a little effort, there is a lot of food for thought to be had in this film. I so desperately wanted to rate it higher than a 6, but due to the over-statement of the sex scenes, the tone became cheap towards the end, which diluted the strong start for me. This isn't to say this film is unwatchable, quite the opposite, but what could, if handled carefully and sensitively, have been a masterpiece, is unfortunately condemned to be considered a cheap attempt at commercialising child pornography. This is a shame, as the themes of adolescent politics are ideas we can all relate to, and this film could have explored them a lot more intelligently were it not focusing its attention on the baser side of teenage life.

This is a story about three young kids, two girls, Lara and Sylvia (12) and one boy, Fabrizio (18), who have some very interesting and intense personal interactions, during a summer vacation. They are the only characters in the movie. The setting is a remote, forested and hilly/mountainous area, adjacent to a very small community.Lara met Fabrizio for the first time the previous summer. She has been looking forward to seeing him again. They had agreed to meet again and Lara had wondered if Fabrizio would forget.When they meet and get some things they stashed away, the previous summer, Lara notices that Fabrizio has changed, seemingly a bit more distant and different in some way, and he keeps looking at her in a different way; he notices her budding sexuality. She sort of feels a little bit differently about him, too, but thinks it's a good feeling. And she feels that he can see right into her and knows what she is thinking, which somewhat unnerves her.But, Fabrizio also seems to have turned meaner and more abrupt towards Lara, first being nice and then pushing her away. He wants her to play some of the games and fun things and then he wants her to get lost and not bother him. She alternates between being happy, having fun to crying and wondering what's going on. It's confusing for Lara, but she likes him, regardless.After several days, they go into a cave they found. Fabrizio wants to explore it, but Lara is afraid. After traveling a ways in, Fabrizio pretends to be lost, not able to find his way out. Lara is scared and cold. Fabrizio comforts and holds her, backing up to the wall of the cave. They both slowly sink down to the ground, Lara remaining in Fabrizo's embrace. After a moment, Fabrizio starts removing her jacket and reaches for the buttons on her blouse. She asks what he's doing. He says he wants to see her body. Saying nothing more, she acquiesces and gazes intently into his eyes, while he proceeds to remove her blouse. He removes all her clothes and then gently rubs his hands over her breasts and caresses them, while she gently gasps and breathes erratically. He removes his clothes and she says to be gentle with her. He assures her that he will. Before he has intercourse with her, he goes down on her. Lara says it feels warm and good. Frabrizio then moves himself on top of Lara and has intercourse. At first she says it hurts, but quickly gets over that and is shown rubbing Fabrizio's hair and enjoying his lovemaking. Shortly afterward, it fades out of their lovemaking scene.That is probably the gentlest and sweetest scene of all the nude/sexual scenes, because of the superb acting, and the showing of emotions and facial expressions during lovemaking. It shows Fabrizio at his gentlest, as opposed to other times. So, there is a contrast, with Fabrizio, seemingly from one moment to the next and one time to another time.Sylvia is the "stranger" there, not having been there the prior year and Fabrizio wants to know who she is, when he sees her for the first time. Lara is a beautiful girl, and while Sylvia is also, she is stunningly so, a beautiful looking blond with long hair. However right away, Sylvia is shown to be a very stuck up and self-assured girl (at least on the surface). Lara is a sweet and innocent girl, while Sylvia appears to be neither.Fabrizio gets Lara to convince Sylvia to play with them, when he finds he can't persuade Sylvia. He does this by pretending to be mad at Lara about something (which is common with him) and then saying that he'll forgive her if she gets Sylvia to play with them.Lara does convince Sylvia and almost immediately, Sylvia displaces Lara, in terms of Fabrizio's attentions. The abrupt and mean streak that Fabrizio has, is accentuated by the stuck-up and self-assured nature of Sylvia and they both turn on Lara and make her life miserable, first being friends and then making her a "slave" to their whims and wishes. Lara endures it patiently, although crying at times, while she still has feelings for Fabrizio. We can see the look on Lara's face at times, either disappointed or sad or stunned or frightened -- all because of the games that Fabrizio and Sylvia play on her. Lara even has her doubts about herself, but still remains steadfastly in love with Fabrizio, even while constantly hurt.One absolutely shocking moment, for Lara (and for the audience) is when Lara stumbles upon Fabrizio and Sylvia, both of them completely nude and playing around with each other. Lara is stunned, absolutely stunned, as she had been with Fabrizio, just like that, in the cave. Both Fabrizio and Sylvia show no shame or remorse or contrition, but absolutely boast in showing off to Lara what they are doing (making this all the more stunning and shocking).Sylvia looks at Lara with a very proud look, saying that she knows that Lara wishes she were with Fabrizio, like she is at that very moment, and with glaring eyes towards Lara, grabs Fabrizio's head and pushes it down to her vagina and lays back down to enjoy herself. Lara is shocked, stunned and extremely hurt, all of which you can see on her face. She turns to walk off but Fabrizio commands her to stay and sit just a few feet from them and watch them. Lara obeys and sits down. Fabrizio then proceeds to have intercourse with Sylvia with Lara a mere few feet away, watching. Both Sylvia and Fabrizio look over at Lara occasionally to make sure she's watching and sneer at her.The scene changes with Lara leaning her head towards a tree and quietly sobbing.(more, if I can post later...)