Notable Cast: Kathleen
Turner, John Laughlin, Anthony Perkins, Annie Potts, Bruce Davison
Director Ken Russell has always been known for pushing
boundaries with his films. It's why his film The Devils has been buried by Warner Bros for so many years. Despite this key trait... and I’ll
admit I’m not nearly as educated in his films as I ought to be, but I
was excited to dive into Crimes of
Passion and its recent (and packed) new Blu Ray release from Arrow Video.
The film itself is something of erotic thriller, in the same vein as artistic
ones akin to Dressed to Kill at times, but
don’t go expecting it to be too artsy or too exploitative. Expect it to be both. It’s the blend of
powerhouse performances and edgy approaches to its subject that make it stand
out from many of its peers and it’s the strong execution, both onscreen and off
screen, that makes Crimes of Passion
such a robust piece of film to watch. It’s occasionally an uncomfortable watch,
at times sliding into the realms of exploitation, but it’s such a well done
film that it’s hard to deny it doesn’t express itself in a way that makes a
connection.