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Visitors Review

anonymous 2012-05-24 19:28:59

Christina does a great job, in an otherwise lackluster film.

Christina Applegate put in a great performance in her interpretation of therole of Claudine. The rest of the movie did not support her performance,however. The plot was weak, with the only substantive storyline occurring inthe first 15 mins., and the last 15 mins. The rest of the movie could havebeen cut, and the audience would not have missed much. Tibaldi's directionused a lot of close shots, and free camera work, that actually detractedfrom the story. In scenes where the audience might have wanted to payattention, we were getting distracted by the edgy camera motions. There werea number of subplots that never played into the story, and ended up likeflotsam on a beach, with no purpose.

Garo 2012-05-24 11:39:04

Christina Applegate - Pandora's box!

An enjoyable movie that I watched with my wife. I am not usually keen on 'girly' movies but I enjoy making my wife happy. Applegate shines through the movie and at times leaves Stefano behind. The contrast of having a fiery female fall in love with a laid back calm male is interesting, but Stefano was too quiet at lacked the dynamics to allow his personality to develop. Applegate's face looked too 'innocent' for a stripper, a lap-dancer, a pole dancer or a porn movie actress. I am not implying that real life strippers lack innocence or are ‘bad’ in any way but their experience shows on their face in real life. A true stripper has a certain air about her and knows how to look at a guy. Applegate did not even know how to 'dance' like a stripper, too many jerky movements and dramatic turns but none that would warrant a slow motion playback… Hollywood failed miserably in this fervent over-acting in Showgirls. The story develops well and I did feel a great deal of sympathy with Claudine (Applegate) who suffered from typical insecurities found in the hearts of most exotic dancers. She wanted to be loved in the simplest ways but could not find true love because she was nothing more than an object of desire. Eventually she finds love in Stefano, at least he cared and not only for her body.As their relationship progressed they inevitably met challenges which were well placed. Stefano discovered more sides to Claudine and we are compelled to feel sorry for the poor man as he descends in her murky world of insecurity and fear.We enjoyed the movie right up to the end. The part that touches me till now is when she went back to her father's home and being greeted by the gardener. Home is where the heart is and once again Claudine discovers that she has no home and that despite being with Stefano, she is a lonely soul. I quite enjoyed the subliminal philosophy "Nothing dies, things change..." but I was quite disappointed to see it wash away because of the poor editing at the end sequence. We were left with too many questions but not for the right reasons. This is a love story and should not have been plagued with ‘twilight zone’ type mysteries that took away from the very essence of the movie. I am sorry to disappoint anyone reading this but one of the questions I still ask myself is if Stefano had indeed killed himself or not. I wonder if the effect was intentional to add an element of suspense to the movie. Unfortunately it was an amateurish attempt at best (sorry editor).I would have given the movie a straight A at least. The soundtrack is superb and makes me wonder how much of the movie was actually inspired from the songs, especially "Dance of bad angels" This is a movie not to be missed even with the ending 'glitch' you will smile, you will cry but you will certainly be moved. Treat your better half to this movie, she will love it.

2012-05-13 17:45:05

Unless your a huge Christina fan don't bother

Christina Applegate did a great job with a very bad script. It's obvious that she is a great actress. However, it doesn't make up for the movie all together. If it wasn't for her performance, I would rate this one a zero. The other actors missed there marks all through the film. A film school student could have done a better job directing this film. It would be nice to see Christina in a real movie.

2012-05-13 03:49:05

The unsettling dark side of humanity & the need for love

This movie ranks very high on the list of an ability to cut through the hollywood candy coated lives we see in most movies. The writer and director had an understanding of human life and the need to be loved. In this film Christina Applegates character has fallen into the underworld trying to cope with her failed search for real love. When she meets a young man who truly loves her she is unbelieving and rejects his love over and over. When he is relentless in his understanding for her she finally gives in to him and all seems good. But like so often in life just when things seem to be getting better it ends. The film makes a great point about life at the end and leaves you sad but comforted and wiser. This is one of the better films I have seen in a long time. The actual filming is suberb in creating intimacy without a coating of explicit sex so as to not distract from the real story. The film draws you in close in a very artistic way. ...

2012-05-06 22:46:13

Hmph? What? The movie's over? Did I fall asleep?

Applegate's stripper-by-night/motel-laundress-by-day life spiral is apparently motivated by her troubled past. A past that includes a stern military father, a brother who killed himself on his 16th birthday, and a step-mother still living in the family's Southern mansion. Unfortunately these elements are only hinted at in Applegate's exposition, and the viewer is left to wonder what sort of childhood they add up to.The arc-free plot involves an Italian drifter, hired as the motel's handyman, who becomes smitten with the laundress. Unfortunately, Applegate's character has intimacy issues (or perhaps bi-polar disorder), and the couple embark on a series of push-me-pull-you encounters. There are plenty of content-free subplots - including porn films being shot at the motel, and a lesbian affair - none of which pay off. There's also a big helping of artistic lighting, framing and freewheeling camera work, none of which further the film.Applegate's short erotic dancing sequences are the sort that provide good copy (and a still) for the tape's packaging, but are not the sort of blockbuster performance one might expect in light of the turns made by Demi Moore and Elizabeth Berkeley. In fact, it's Applegate's dramatic scenes that show off her actual talent - acting. Too bad there's so little content for her to work with.

2012-05-06 18:12:30

Funny data

No I have not seen this movie, I just wanted to note a funny point: that in Thailand this movie is being marketed (Yes as a pirate version) as Showgirls 3

2012-05-04 15:32:33

Christina gets a paycheck

The biggest gyp I've ever seen. The costume she wears is out of Annette Funicello and the 1950's. She has no heat - whatsoever, no dance moves either. This is strictly a marketting movie all about selling the cover.

2012-05-04 04:43:25

spoilers mentioned everyone......hmm. stripper by evening and working regular job in daytime?how flagrant.could of been better

hola.and i cannot believe i have never heard of this movie being a movie and soap tv buff since 12 and then recording artist too for decades! i love her films and television...and this movie ok well 1st,kinda cheesy lol boring etc.but i say how flagrant because it is so typical for movies imo anyhow. i meancome on get more original plz.gracias.lol but i did like it alot for the1st time watching on the S AND M lol channel and no guys i do not meansubmission and dominatrix lol but S AND M is a new time slot after 10 p.m.on mi fave,one of mi fave channels on soapnet channel who show ALL classic80's and new 90's type movies too! i just finish seeing my girls christineand applegate is awesome. i just adore her and love her,she is my age nowin her mid 30's or so and i just adore christina so for this reason PLUSi love the sexy tall dark guy italiano name of Stefano i just love how he truly adored mixed up but lovely and loveable claudine,i think the endingsuck how he put on a bra to make her think or love him more that was kindaweird,but i do get why he wanted her to love him at practically ANY COSTto put on make up and a bra lol just to seem as if he was one of her oldstripper girls etc lol i was laughing at this part with mi papi here whenwe were watching this but over all i do believe he TRULY LOVED HER but shewas just too mixed up in my opinion and at the end it was really too latewhen he tried to see her getting off the bus to go back to where she wasat visiting the OLD house then she was already dead sad and tragic love story, a strange love story but DEFINITELY a TRUE LOVES STORY with tragicof course in the end.i will watch it again only because i LOVE C.A. andstefano is such delicious eye candy to look at yum yum! lol but that is the only reason,they got good/great chem on screen together! sizzling hot!and the fact i will watch it again if it is on or buy it cause i love hermovie and tv shows,she is a natural for years in front of the camer so cute and great actress in my opinion.but could have been MUCH BETTER over all.but no complaints much i love her anyway.good movie alot boring but overall again i give it at least a tres...three for ALL reasoning listedadios!BMW200ZXREDHEAD@aol.com

2012-04-27 15:29:10

I never knew Christina had the potential

The first thing that shocked me about "Kiss of Fire" was Christina Applegate's performance. I mean, WOW. She just MADE this movie.The storyline was actually very strong. The director handled it well. Claudine (Applegate), a beautiful free-spirited young woman, is desperately trying to escape her awful past. She is a laundry girl by day and an exotic dancer by night. When claudine meets Stephano (Dionisi), a man who changes her life, she learns about real love and decides to confront the secrets that haunt her. Everything seems wonderful...but all good things usually come to an end."Kiss of Fire" is powerful, captivating, and intensely riveting.A truly beautiful film.I searched and searched and searched and FINALLY found it on DVD. It only includes a chapter selection (1-29) and captions (english subtitles or none). The main menu has a gorgeous picture of Christina Applegate on it with some fireworks in the background.If you've seen "Kiss of Fire" and you're looking for the DVD, I found mine at the Virgin Mega Store in Westside Downtown Disney in Orlando, FL. Well, that's only if you live near there or are planning to go there. ...

2012-04-27 03:24:32

Kiss of Fire (aka: Claudine's Return)

This review is from: Kiss of Fire (DVD) Now this is an outstanding example of independent style film-making. While the subject matter and characters wildly swing from eccentric, impish, passionate to spiritual, the easiest conflict to recognize is the tormented love-affair of Claudine Van Doozen (played by Christina Applegate of Married with Children fame) and Stefano Marui (Stefano Dionisi). To add to this complex mix of emotions, Claudine has tendencies to be openly self-envolved, including AC-DC tendencies. This then relegates Stefano as simply an escort, as Claudine routinely shares herself with her other female acquaintances. Nevertheless, Stefano is like a moth-to-the flame, spell-bound by Claudine's physical beauty, moodiness, spiritual insights, inner-conflicts, plus deep personal scars. By conjecture, this film supposedly depicts a fringe element of southern society that may shock you. But like Stefano, you become ever-intrigued to see how it all plays out, and who will ultimately win Claudine---if at all possible. Truly, this film is a sleeper-classic that will likely never be aired on network TV...at least not during the kiddy-hour!

2012-04-26 11:08:30

Rent it, don't buy it.

I can honestly say that this movie wasn't interesting in the slightest. The only reason that I even watched it is that my best friend and I were extras in this movie. We were in the strip club scenes. It was great. I almost hit Christina in the face with a pool stick once. It was first going to be called "Claudine's Return" but they changed it. I wish someone had told me. I had to find out several years later from a friend of mine who found it on the internet. I thought that the movie had been scrapped or something. When I finally watched it, it bored me so much I had to fast-foward it to the scene that we were in. My friend did the same thing. Christina did a great job acting though. She has great talent but made a bad choice in making this movie. If they had chosen a different actress to play Claudine, it wouldn't even be worth renting.

hcoursen 2012-04-26 04:15:26

Understanding her character

I agree with the negative reviews. The film drifted aimlessly -- anunfortunate effort to simulate the aimlessness of the lives depicted.And, come on, no state would permit anyone to drive a windshield-lesscar after it has rolled over. That is, even assuming the car weredrivable. The cops would not have released it. The last few minutesstrained credulity in other ways as well. The little blonde girl! Butso say more would be to utter a spoiler. The only reason I respond isto suggest that so far the reviewers have missed the subtext forApplegate's character. She was in love with a boy once. "We were justkids." Obviously, that was her brother, who committed suicide oncetheir incestuous relationship was (apparently) found out. She fled. Herreturn to Charleston was motivated by that memory, as was herscrewed-up persona. To be fair to the film, it did sketch in thatbackground -- including her holding on to her brother's photo. Itwasn't clear, of course, and, indeed, the film muddied things up in allkinds of ways. But -- the back story does answer some questions.

2012-04-23 22:45:55

I played a small role in this film

and I have to say that this is the worst movie I have ever seen. I watched alot of the scenes being filmed and I can tell you that in her cocaine induced state she still can't act. I own it only because it reminds me of the days that I had long red hair... yeah that is me the amateur porn girl heheheh

2012-04-23 21:54:55

If you love Kelly Bundy, you will love this movie!

This is something no Kel Bundy fan can live without!

BLKahuna 2012-04-20 21:35:32

Much better than expected

This is a surprisingly great movie.Christina Applegate's performance as well as that of Stephano are extremelywell done and offer great depth. The characters are interesting and themany ancillary characters help to create a slightly bizarreatmosphere.I thought the screenplay, direction, cinematography and sound were all topnotch and added a lot to the overall feeling of the movie. The camera work,especially, was very creative and interesting.This is not a feel good movie and it dances at the edge of the darkside ofhumanity. If you feel like an interesting, off-the-beaten-path, moody flick- this is a good choice.

aurora99x 2012-04-20 15:18:40

interesting, if slightly confused failed art-house film...

An interesting failure for Ms. Applegate--seemed to be something of acharacter study/ bittersweet non-romance gone astray...thecinematography was beautiful, Applegate's performance intelligent,hard, and playful--yet something about this film felt strangelydetached, strangely out of place and out of time--at times it wasdifficult to tell if one was in the sex-district of Berlin, or a smallfishing village off the coast of rural Georgia (the intendedsetting)...one wonders if something got lost in the trip from script toscreen however, as it feels like some fundamental tension that shouldbe present in order to hold a story together is somehow missing...newtitle and DVD image suggest that Mirimax is choosing to market this assomething of a schlocky camp-fest: though there is clearly more brewingunderneath the surface. whatever's brewing beneath is never reallyrealized, however, so the picture of Christina going up in flames onthe cover is not necessarily a bad metaphor for the movie itself--amoody misfire, another straight to video; some intelligent acting onthe part of the actress, however--lovely intro and conclusion which thewhole of the story, unfortunately, never comes to realize...

2012-04-19 21:08:57

Best film she's done since "Streets"

As far as CA's films go, most have been rather..ehm..disapointing to say the least. She showed she COULD act in "Streets" and this is withoug doubt her best film since then. Great performace throughout, and if your a CA fan you HAVE to have this film, lots of sexy shots, guys won't be disapointed.

videoport 2012-04-19 18:00:47

An Erotic Journey Of Desire... NOT!

This film has been repackaged as an erotic picture [retitled Kiss Of Fire]with a very racy cover that implies one will get more than a briefexposureto Miss Applegate's talents. Well forget it. This is an idiotic "drama"withno point, little plot, and amateurish camera work. Disney has added thetagline "An Erotic Journey Of Desire!" to a movie that is really just acrappy chick-flick!

sparklygirlx 2012-04-17 19:28:38

strange, confused hybrid, but Christina's SMART.

this was a fairly confused film, that seemed to suffer from a failureof a sense of 'place'--at times i felt i was in hipster berlin, in somebasement bordello, at times on a wild georgia coast. their wassomething odd and peculiar about the location, sets, and sexuality ofthe main characters, that i could never really put my finger on.nevertheless, Christina applegate turns in a surprisingly subtle,smart, and wry performance, the cinematography is LOVELY in the outdoorsettings, and there are comic, as well as a few almost mysticallybeautiful moments. along with some very clunky and dumb ones. one getsthe feeling the film is very much a MISS, but that their must have beensomething interesting underlying the story that never quite made it tothe surface. atmospheric, Christina is great, but ultimately, only aninterestingly, occasionally downright muddled misfire...

Doug Alderman 2012-04-17 11:06:22

Few Kisses, Little Fire

I'm sorry to say I rented this with a clear head. Under-developed story,little use of Applegate's ability as a fine actress, and no nudity ruinedthis film. I kept thinking to myself "If there was just the occasionalbreast, the movie would be fine." I was wrong, but what thehey?The characters were sorely undeveloped. The story was never shown to theviewer. The "past" that Applegate is trying to conquer and escape is nevershown.And what kind of morons do the writers think we watchers are? The blondekid in the car? The flash to the future? Come on.Never rent this. Ever.My dish: 1 out of ten, and that's my being gracious.