MovieChat Forums > Claudine's Return (1998) Discussion > I liked it

I liked it

posted 12 years ago by AccidntlTourist
3 replies | jump to latest

I'm a guy and I bought the VHS (second hand) because I wanted to see Christina as an exotic dancer.

So, this film was "barely" anything like I expected.

It was much better!

But, I can imagine the main reason for such a low score is that a movie named "Kiss of "Fire" - "An erotic journey of desire" (the name on my copy) - was selling itself to an audience destined to be very disappointed - not to mention "unsatisfied".

I've been a fan of Ms Applegate from her Married with Children days and this film confirms my suspicion that she is indeed a very talented actor.

To be honest, it took me two sittings to get through "Kiss of Fire" (aka - Claudine's Return). It began so slowly and I kept expecting her to get arrested for taking the bird (or for the bird to be eaten in the forest).

There was so much that I didn't feel comfortable with, but what did I like?

I liked:

- The believability of the odd-ball,other side-of-the-tracks, characters (very good cast).
- The tension; including the feeling of Claudine's slow suicide (painful but powerful)
- the classic boy meets girl; painful twists and turns; much closer to the "dance" that most couples go thru - especially if one of them is damaged goods.
- the sound track
- the venues
- the photography
- the direction
- the mysteries and unanswered questions
- the ending - because it's much more realistic than your typical formula movie

I salute this independent work of art!!

[–] Eric-1226 12 years ago

I liked it too, AccidntlTourist. The story as portrayed in the film was a bit quirky and somewhat enigmatic, but in more than a few ways, it really rang true for me. I have travelled in that part of the southern coastal Atlantic U.S. where this took place, and... I once knew a girl who was much like the Claudine character. So for me the story was very believable and, I must admit, it affected me as being quite unsettling in many ways. There are girls out there who are much like the Claudine character - well portrayed by Christina Applegate of "Married With Children" fame. Others may dismiss this film as boring, or as a bunch of "art film" hokum, but for me it rang true in many ways.

I loved the cinematography, the soundtrack was great, the odd mix of supporting characters was great, and the quirky nature of the girl and the overall story were reminiscent of things I've actually experienced. So I'm with you on this: I too salute this independent work of film.

[–] AccidntlTourist 12 years ago

Good to hear that someone else looked beyond the "rough cut" of this film.

The quirky-ness of these characters really took me back:

I'm in my 60s now, but when I was in my early twenties I traveled around the USA a bit looking for work and living in some low-income areas. Some of the "low-rent" places I lived in (temporarily) were old motels converted to monthly rentals. I lived next door to some real characters - all kinds of people: sleazy; scarey; marginalized; mentally ill and emotionally damaged; addicted; naive and vulnerable; prostitutes and pimps; "alternative life-stylers"; societal rejects; ex-cons; and drifters/searchers like myself ... a veritable "carnival" of characters - on the fringes - very much like the ones in this film.

[–] Eric-1226 12 years ago

Good posts, AT. Thanks for your input. I hope more people like you and me get to see this film. It deserves more appreciation than it has gotten. But I guess only roamers and travellers, or people who have seen and lived on "the other side" can relate to it.