Ken Russell's films are interesting even when they fail, except perhaps for this misconceived production, made in reaction to the sugary romanticism of "Pretty Woman". Russell wants to show the world of urban prostitution without rose-colored glasses, and so fills his film with every kind of unpleasant person and situation imaginable.
But too much in this film works against its attempted realism. Based on a play, the film employs lots of monologues spoken directly to the camera. Theresa Russell, usually a fine actress, overacts throughout here and seems uncomfortable (and unfamiliar) with the constant flow of filthy language she is required to speak. Russell photographs this world of moral squalor in gaudy, brightly-lit colors. Within this context, many of the sexual situations play like deliberate parodies, or bad "Saturday Night Live" skits.
With a film working so hard against itself, the end result becomes a bigger cartoon than the film it set out to debunk. "Whore" is probably the best cinematic argument possible against employing negative reasons as artistic inspiration.
But too much in this film works against its attempted realism. Based on a play, the film employs lots of monologues spoken directly to the camera. Theresa Russell, usually a fine actress, overacts throughout here and seems uncomfortable (and unfamiliar) with the constant flow of filthy language she is required to speak. Russell photographs this world of moral squalor in gaudy, brightly-lit colors. Within this context, many of the sexual situations play like deliberate parodies, or bad "Saturday Night Live" skits.
With a film working so hard against itself, the end result becomes a bigger cartoon than the film it set out to debunk. "Whore" is probably the best cinematic argument possible against employing negative reasons as artistic inspiration.