Bluebeard

Rating:
Summary: Punch and Punchier
Review: When Bluebeard was made, its sole intent seemed to be to get an international cadre of actresses out of their clothes while providing an unsettling mixture of sex and death (two elements bound to pack 'em into the theaters). Though pretty hot in its day, nearly 30 years later, it seems fairly tame in terms of exposed flesh, but retains a campy charm that was completely missed in the early 70s. Burton's hammy performance is not to be believed and the (nearly offensive) dizziness of his seven wives will have lovers of low humor chuckling more than watching Vincent Price at his most extreme in similar Roger Corman vehicles. Today, Bluebeard plays like a particularly mean-spirited Punch and Judy Show, and Joey Heatherton's turning the tables on Burton at the end is something you'll never forget. It's even more fun once you realize that semi-respectable director Edward Dmytryk probably took the whole thing seriously--but that doesn't mean you have to. Sure to get a reaction.