Whore

I am certainly in the minority thinking this is Ken Russell's best work. I am also certainly in the minority thinking this is Theresa Russell's best work. As the only, and I mean only, letterboxd user to have this in their Top 4 favorites, I want to take a moment to talk about what is close to one of, if not, the best movies ever in my opinion. There is no other work of art surrounding the hazards, joys, and depressions that sex workers deal with and rationalize on a day-to-day basis. Theresa Russell is untouchably good in this, and Ken Russell directs her to perfection. From the opening scene to her flashbacks to the idle camera monologues. I've touched on this in the past, but the pseudo-documentary nature of this movie does more than just dictate and chronologize the events that are depicted. Liz tells us about her past and experiences but she's always honest. The way you'd expect a hooker not to be. There are times where she's telling the dirtiest and most depraved stories and looking you in the eyes with confidence. Other times she's telling you about her sexual abuse and rape experiences and SHE'S the one embarrassed. It's the only story she doesn't dictate to the camera, left entirely to internal dialogue because she can't stand to lay bare the details herself. There are moments in this movie of profound comfort and desire to give you a proper shower in the form of a hug. When Liz and her friend, Katie, are living together and they play scrabble and read books in the bathtub while smoking, you can feel the tender desire and status of relaxation. Not just in the moment but in the world. Everything has stood still and the anxiety of the profession and past and future are gone. The most gut-wrenching and heartbreaking scene in the movie comes as Liz lies down on a park bench and soliloquies about her child. Reminiscing about the the life they could have had in the future, a commonality many sex worker movies display. A longing for a past that could change the reality of their future. Not that the present is wrong or immoral, but realistic about the barriers and obstacles it establishes. Both Russell's bring an unrivaled rawness and delicate but precise and ingenious take to the "follow a hooker for a day" genre; however, this one isn't about the fucking and sex, it's about the human who is handcuffed and sentenced to life in the industry. There is no feel good story to be had here because the characters aren't asking you to forgive them, they're asking you to accept them and love them despite their unique identities. I want to personally thank Imprint Films in Australia for finally releasing this on Blu-ray. One of my personal Holy Grails, and it's on home media at long last. I will be reviewing this again(sixth time's the charm to repeat everything I've already said) when that releases as well. "You know..., you should be legal."