Dir: Bigas Luna
1990
**
The Ages of Lulu has now been labelled 'Typically
Erotic' in the same breath as its director Bigas Luna. I’m a huge fan of Luna’s
films but his 1990 film is not erotic. People get naked, have sex etc but it is
pretty far from erotic as the film features brutal rape and deceit in the
pursuit of sexual gratification. I was willing to forgive the unnecessary and
tasteless opening scene but as the film descended into puerile filth I've
decided not to. The story begins with fifteen-year-old Lulú as she is seduced by Pablo,
her brother Marcelo's best friend, who then leaves to work in the United
States. Lulú is sustained for years by the belief that Pablo will come back
into her life. When he returns he proposes to her and they are married. Pablo
and Lulú have a passionate relationship, developing a taste for sexual games. On one nocturnal
expedition they join up with a transgender prostitute called Ely who becomes
their friend. The couple have a daughter, Ines. Pablo convinces Lulú to
participate blindfolded in a threesome; when Lulú discovers that the third
person was Marcelo, her brother, she leaves Pablo in disgust, taking their
daughter with her. However, her own desire to play increasingly dangerous sex
games now comes to consume her. After becoming
aroused watching a gay porn movie, she seeks out gay men
and pays them to join in orgies, or watch them having sex. Unable to pay enough
to satisfy her desires, she meets a pimp called Remy who runs a
secret S&M club. Ely tries to warn Lulú that Remy is dangerous, but
Lulú ignores her, so Ely goes to warn Pablo. Remy tells Lulú to go to a club,
where she is tied up by Jimmy, a gay man she had previously paid for sex. She is forced to
endure violent sex while gagged and bound. Ely tells Pablo that Lulú is in
danger. She goes to the club to rescue her, but is attacked by Jimmy and killed
when her head hits a metal bar. Pablo calls the police, who arrest Jimmy and
the others. Lulú and Pablo are reunited. Francesca Neri was cast as Lulú
after Ángela Molina, who was originally cast in the lead role, withdrew when
she learned how explicit the sex scenes were to be. Javier Bardem has a small
part in the film which has made the film more sought-out now that he is a big
star but he and Lunas went on to make much finer films together. I
think Bigas Lunas saw the error of his ways later on, as rude as his later
films are, they still have a lot of charm about them - something
that The Ages of Lulu severely lack. This is my problem, the rape and suffering
has no point other than for the audience’s gratification. I understand that it
is based on the homonymous novel by Almudena Grandes but
reading something – the idea of something – is often stronger and poignant than
the vision of something. Luna, a fairly new director in the scheme of things,
wasn’t yet strong enough to give the film the dramatic balance that was
required from it. It just feels like it is one for the dirty old men who will
hide behind the argument that it is art. That said, it is about ten minutes
worth of footage that spoil an otherwise pleasant film. I’m afraid that film is
just far too potent to stomach, it is sickening and just a little tiresome.
Rape and brutality that have no point behind them is not entertainment and nor
is this a real depiction of ‘sexual awakening’. It is dangerous and misleading
stuff in my opinion and you will know I’m no proud from my other reviews, I
just know a fraud when I see one. Fraud might be unfair, but this film is a
blight on an otherwise brilliant catalog of beautiful films and I’m
afraid that when a film has to be cut due to rules protected by the Protection
of Children Act 1978 then I’m afraid it becomes somewhat defenseless.
