Anatomy of Hell
Encyclopedia
Anatomy of Hell is a 2004 film by Catherine Breillat
. The film was adapted by writer/director Breillat from her novel Pornocracy. The explicitly sexual film stars Amira Casar
as "the woman" and porn star Rocco Siffredi
as "the man". Renowned movie critic Leonard Maltin
's review of the film was extremely negative. He gave the film zero stars and said the film was "homophobic" and "unintentionally funny". Roger Ebert
stated: "I remember when hard-core first became commonplace, and there were discussions about what it would be like if a serious director ever made a porn movie. The answer, judging by Anatomy of Hell, is that the audience would decide they did not require such a serious director after all."
The film went on to win "Best Feature Film" at the Philadelphia Film Festival
.
by one of its male patrons. The woman offers to pay the man to watch her for four days, during which time she explains her views on sex and sexuality.
Catherine Breillat
Catherine Breillat is a French filmmaker, novelist and Professor of Auteur Cinema at the European Graduate School.-Life and career:Breillat was born in Bressuire, Deux-Sèvres, but grew up in Niort...
. The film was adapted by writer/director Breillat from her novel Pornocracy. The explicitly sexual film stars Amira Casar
Amira Casar
Amira Casar is a French actress who grew up in Ireland and who has appeared in 40 films between 1989 and 2009....
as "the woman" and porn star Rocco Siffredi
Rocco Siffredi
Rocco Siffredi is the stage name of an Italian pornographic actor, director and producer of pornographic movies, famous for his rough sex scenes...
as "the man". Renowned movie critic Leonard Maltin
Leonard Maltin
Leonard Maltin is an American film and animated film critic and historian, author of several mainstream books on cinema, focusing on nostalgic, celebratory narratives.-Personal life:...
's review of the film was extremely negative. He gave the film zero stars and said the film was "homophobic" and "unintentionally funny". Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
stated: "I remember when hard-core first became commonplace, and there were discussions about what it would be like if a serious director ever made a porn movie. The answer, judging by Anatomy of Hell, is that the audience would decide they did not require such a serious director after all."
The film went on to win "Best Feature Film" at the Philadelphia Film Festival
Philadelphia Film Festival
The Philadelphia Film Festival is held annually in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Until 2009 it was generally held during the first weeks of April....
.
Plot and themes
Anatomy of Hell, like many of Breillat's other works, explores female sexuality, in this case focusing specifically on male fear and resentment of that sexuality. The plot follows an unnamed woman who is discovered in the middle of a suicide attempt in the toilet of a gay barGay bar
A gay bar is a drinking establishment that caters to an exclusively or predominantly gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender clientele; the term gay is used as a broadly inclusive concept for LGBT and queer communities...
by one of its male patrons. The woman offers to pay the man to watch her for four days, during which time she explains her views on sex and sexuality.