Rating: 
Summary: The saddest, most beautiful film ever made.
Review: ... it's just an amazingly touching film, about a successful, romantic, loyal man (Duchovny), his neurotic girlfriend (Bako), and the "hottie" she meets by accident (Wirth). What happens next is up to you to watch it.... it's a beautiful and sad film.... ...please check out this film. You will not regret it. It has basically nothing to do with the Showtime cable softcore porn series that followed... this is a beautiful, intelligent, engaging film with a gorgeous score (thanks to George S. Clinton)... Duchovny rules in this film.... it always makes me cry... always. Intense, passionate, and yes, there is sex in the film (don't shy away from it because of that).... just watch, enjoy.... and prepare to have your life and perspective of love and lust forever changed.
Rating:
Summary: DEAR MEN: This is porn for women!
Review: A sexy guy who talks a woman into a pair of outrageous red shoes and into his bed for some seamy steamy forbidden sex....a nice guy lover who thinks everything is perfect until he comes home and finds her in the bathtub with her wrists slit.... THis is a tragic love story with complicated emotions and no true resolution. Every woman I know loves this movie- it speaks to us. The eroticism is classy and tasteful- even the obligatory bimbos are treated with class as are all of the women in Zalman King's work.The Red SHoe Diaries worked as a series on Showtime because they discovered that like Fred Savage's mom- women tend to be the viewers of soft porn on cable late at night. We ogle mens bodies, enjoy the sizzle but want a story! Red Shoes the Movie, and the episodes deliver up a healthy serving of fantasy and escapism that is comepletely safe. A recommendation- guys if you want to give your lady some steamy stuff to read to get ideas and fantasy scenarios from- the Harlequin Blaze line of romances read not too unlike the letters to Penthouse! Fantasy and building a scenario, setting a mood, prolonged foreplay- this is what Zalman King is all about in visual form. Use the books for times when you can't watch a movie ( ie kids are still up!)- try anything by Vicki Lewis Thompson- Notorious has a wild sex scene in a hot tub and in a Vegas hotel that any man would love to have read out loud.
Rating: 
Summary: David Duchovny or Billy Wirth...what a choice!
Review: A young woman(Bridget Bako) is torn between her fiancee, played by a pre-X Files Duchovny, and a shoe salesman she is having an affair with, played by gorgeous Billy Wirth...not that Duchovny isn't bad himself! She can't decide between the 2 men...so she committs suicide! After her death, Duchovny finds her diary, along with a pair of sexy red shoes she purchased from Wirth, and tries to put the pieces together. This is bascially the jist of the film. It is shown in flashbacks as Duchovny sorts painfully through her belongings. He reads her diary hoping it will provide some insight as to why she took her life. What he learns about the woman he loves is devastating! I have watched this film many times. I enjoy it very much. I like director Zalman King's films. (Another good one is Two Moon Junction) I think he is able to make sensual films from a womans point of view, which is why they come across as erotic, not smutty. The only thing I don't like is, the version originally aired on Showtime and the rental version have different endings. I prefer the cable version. You end up liking Wirth much better. I don't know why King found it necessary to have 2 endings, the difference drastically alters the tone of the film. If possible, try and get your hands on the cable version first. You can purchase both versions, so know which is which. I must admit that I don't care for the Showtime series, Red Shoe Diaries, for which this movie was the pilot. Bridget Bako is absolutely lovely in the scene were she manically dances about her apartment. She reminds me of a young Jane Fonda. Billy Wirth's smouldering character posesses the uncanny ability to guess his customers shoe sizes the moment they walk into the store. But his character is not as shallow as he appears. Wirth is SO incredible in this film! Then again, let's face it, most woman would be content to watch Wirth read the phone book aloud! This was the first time I ever saw Duchovny, and I immediatly liked him. He has a nice screen presence. He is subtly sexy. I am glad I got to know him in this film before I became familiar with the stone-faced Muldar on X-Files. He CAN do more than play the straight man. I really can't say too much more about Red Shoe Diaries without giving up too much of the story. All I can say is, if I had the dilemma of choosing between Wirth and Duchovny, I certainly wouldn't kill myself! I'd be on the phone boasting to all my girlfriends!
Rating:
Summary: " what sparked - purchasing the rest "
Review: Amazing !! Simply the greatest series ... Harlequin move over....
Rating:
Summary: " what sparked - purchasing the rest "
Review: As an X-files fan, I have listened to and read a number of articles where David Duchovny referred to the Red Shoe Diaries, so I thought I would check it out. When I read information on the tape I thought it was just another sex-oriented storyless movie. Finally, I decided, on the strength of those references to give it a shot. I don't regret it. There is sex no-doubt and pretty artfully done, but that's not really what the movie is all about. The only thing I didn't like was the character Alex's breathy phlegmatic voice. However, given the movie, it may have been done delibrerately. The movie starts out surprisingly enough with the funeral of the central character Alex. Jake (David Duchovny's character) is obviously the significant other. The reactions of some of the family and friends are odd. Friends are supportive, but the one family member the mother, is obviously accusational. After her funeral, while gathering Alex's clothing and shoes from where they lived, Jake stumbles on some diaries written by Alex. Here he reads not only of her admiration and love for himself but of another man in her life. A shock you can well imagine. A surprise as well when you have read of the satisfaction she has with her life and with Jake. As he reads on, she describes the situation of her meeting the "other man; Tom". Girls lets face it, he is an eyeful. This is a psychological movie in the sense that you have to understand and you will as you watch the movie, that Alex is a woman that is always being controlled by other people. Based on comments by Alex, she often lets people take control. When Jake meets her mother after their engagement, it is easy to see where this all began. Her descriptions of her youth only reinforce it further. Too often when relationships are forged, so are the roles, and the person in control, remains the one in control. Alex in her relationship with Jake was unable to change the balance of power. It was no doubt Jake was in control, though hardly overbearing and from what I saw, also adoring and gentle. With the new situation with Tom, she hoped to have a situation she could control. She wanted to call the shots. This did not work out the way she hoped it would. Alex realized in the situation with Tom, that is was not him, that was the problem, but her when the balance of power began to shift. The ending was inevitable and the only time she could exercise control and not lose it. Jake after finding these diaries and reading them seeks out Tom, to understand why. Through a travesty of a basketball challenge and interruption of well meaning friends a one-on-one match becomes a one sided conversation where Jake tears at Tom's philosophies in life, seeing him as only a philandering ladies man. If not for the "cheerleaders", he may have gotten different answers. Needless to say, Jake wants to know what Alex saw in Tom. He also trivializes Tom's interest in Alex. Tom is unaware that Jake was Alex's fiance. Tom is also unaware that Alex is dead. This scene and the later scene where Jake tells Tom of the death of Alex, while presenting him with the red shoes Alex bought from him, is a well done example of the possessiveness and grief of men. You wonder if Jake is more upset by Alex's death or that Tom owned a part of her that Jake could not have. Similarily it seems Tom reacts. I found the movie had an interesting insight into why people do what they do. The character's of both Jake and Tom, never get the point. Especially when it is apparent Jake continues to seek answers, even after being given them in Alex's diary. I also see how things can go horribly wrong. Before you look outside, you must look inside. Easy to say, not so easy to do. Given the nature of the other follow ons to this movie (they seem pure erotica) I may not see them, but I'm sure glad I saw this one. Please note I saw the rated R version. I'm not a prude but like to have a story in a movie that I'm going to dedicate 2 hours to.
Rating:
Summary: This was a very good movie
Review: As an X-files fan, I have listened to and read a number of articles where David Duchovny referred to the Red Shoe Diaries, so I thought I would check it out. When I read information on the tape I thought it was just another sex-oriented storyless movie. Finally, I decided, on the strength of those references to give it a shot. I don't regret it. There is sex no-doubt and pretty artfully done, but that's not really what the movie is all about. The only thing I didn't like was the character Alex's breathy phlegmatic voice. However, given the movie, it may have been done delibrerately. The movie starts out surprisingly enough with the funeral of the central character Alex. Jake (David Duchovny's character) is obviously the significant other. The reactions of some of the family and friends are odd. Friends are supportive, but the one family member the mother, is obviously accusational. After her funeral, while gathering Alex's clothing and shoes from where they lived, Jake stumbles on some diaries written by Alex. Here he reads not only of her admiration and love for himself but of another man in her life. A shock you can well imagine. A surprise as well when you have read of the satisfaction she has with her life and with Jake. As he reads on, she describes the situation of her meeting the "other man; Tom". Girls lets face it, he is an eyeful. This is a psychological movie in the sense that you have to understand and you will as you watch the movie, that Alex is a woman that is always being controlled by other people. Based on comments by Alex, she often lets people take control. When Jake meets her mother after their engagement, it is easy to see where this all began. Her descriptions of her youth only reinforce it further. Too often when relationships are forged, so are the roles, and the person in control, remains the one in control. Alex in her relationship with Jake was unable to change the balance of power. It was no doubt Jake was in control, though hardly overbearing and from what I saw, also adoring and gentle. With the new situation with Tom, she hoped to have a situation she could control. She wanted to call the shots. This did not work out the way she hoped it would. Alex realized in the situation with Tom, that is was not him, that was the problem, but her when the balance of power began to shift. The ending was inevitable and the only time she could exercise control and not lose it. Jake after finding these diaries and reading them seeks out Tom, to understand why. Through a travesty of a basketball challenge and interruption of well meaning friends a one-on-one match becomes a one sided conversation where Jake tears at Tom's philosophies in life, seeing him as only a philandering ladies man. If not for the "cheerleaders", he may have gotten different answers. Needless to say, Jake wants to know what Alex saw in Tom. He also trivializes Tom's interest in Alex. Tom is unaware that Jake was Alex's fiance. Tom is also unaware that Alex is dead. This scene and the later scene where Jake tells Tom of the death of Alex, while presenting him with the red shoes Alex bought from him, is a well done example of the possessiveness and grief of men. You wonder if Jake is more upset by Alex's death or that Tom owned a part of her that Jake could not have. Similarily it seems Tom reacts. I found the movie had an interesting insight into why people do what they do. The character's of both Jake and Tom, never get the point. Especially when it is apparent Jake continues to seek answers, even after being given them in Alex's diary. I also see how things can go horribly wrong. Before you look outside, you must look inside. Easy to say, not so easy to do. Given the nature of the other follow ons to this movie (they seem pure erotica) I may not see them, but I'm sure glad I saw this one. Please note I saw the rated R version. I'm not a prude but like to have a story in a movie that I'm going to dedicate 2 hours to.
Rating:
Summary: can you say FINE???
Review: David Duchovny has got to be the finest man in this world!!! He is so gorgeous and that voice!!! ooooooh. Lucky woman in this sexy movie. What I would do to be her! A lot of droolworthy scenes with that hunk!!! Definetely worth seeing over and over and... get the movie.
Rating:
Summary: Romantic Tragedy
Review: Duchovny is great in this Red Shoe debut movie. If you ever caught one the series on Showtime, but often wondered how did Red Shoe Dairies ever start, this explains it all. It keeps one guessing throughout the emotional rollercoaster of love. Too bad David didn't make more of these types of films. He is much better as one of the stars (such as in this title) rather than just the narrator, as the series goes. It's nice to see him sensually interactive on film, pure enjoyment, especially if you're one of his fans.
Rating:
Summary: Romantic Tragedy
Review: Duchovny is great in this Red Shoe debut movie. If you ever caught one the series on Showtime, but often wondered how did Red Shoe Dairies ever start, this explains it all. It keeps one guessing throughout the emotional rollercoaster of love. Too bad David didn't make more of these types of films. He is much better as one of the stars (such as in this title) rather than just the narrator, as the series goes. It's nice to see him sensually interactive on film, pure enjoyment, especially if you're one of his fans.
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful Portrayal of a Woman's Longing Desire for Control
Review: Excellent storyline. Confused, poetic, emotional young woman Alex (Bridgette Bako) seems to have it all: perfect boyfriend (David Duchovny), beautiful loft in LA, successful career as a designer. The only thing she lacks in her life is control -- and something or someone to ease her impulsive desire to lose herself in sexual bliss without losing her mind and her life permanently. A classic line is when Alex, the main character, is with her secret lover (not her boyfriend), and he tells her to give him oral pleasure -- and she in turn commands him and says: "F--- you! Rip my panties off!" What's so beautiful about this line is that you really capture the sense of her being who she wants to be, not conforming to a mold, giving all of herself and desires to her lover (a total stranger) yet trying to maintain being nameless and owning the "control" she desperately tries to have over this stranger and her life. This drama is a must for women who need! to come to terms with their own inner longing for control and inner peace, without turning that desire into a destructive force that could topple their whole world before they know what's hit them. END
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