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The Seduction of Dr. Fugazzi
The Seduction of Dr Fugazzi
Actors: Faye Dunaway, October Kingsley
Director: October Kingsley
Genres: Drama
UR     2009     1hr 38min

Starring Faye Dunaway (Chinatown, Bonnie and Clyde) and writer, producer, The Seduction of Dr. Fugazzi is a strange, twisted psycho-sexual thriller depicting one woman's depraved descent into madness and mayhem. Dr. Anna F...  more »

     
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Movie Details

Actors: Faye Dunaway, October Kingsley
Director: October Kingsley
Genres: Drama
Sub-Genres: Drama
Studio: Troma
Format: DVD - Color,Widescreen
DVD Release Date: 03/31/2009
Original Release Date: 01/01/2008
Theatrical Release Date: 01/01/2008
Release Year: 2009
Run Time: 1hr 38min
Screens: Color,Widescreen
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaDVD Credits: 1
Total Copies: 0
Members Wishing: 4
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Languages: English

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Movie Reviews

A Truly Unique, Original, Intelligent Gem
Kimberly Matthews | New York, NY | 02/19/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'm not sure how to really describe or categorize "Dr. Fugazzi" because in many subtle and not-so subtle ways this film almost takes a perverse pleasure in defying categorization. My husband and I were first eager to see this film at Cannes because we heard that Faye Dunaway was in it, and naturally being huge Dunaway fans, we were anticipating an interesting performance from the legendary actress. Well as it turns out, Dunaway is not really the driving force in this film... I mean don't get me wrong, Dunaway does a phenomenal job in the movie, portraying the enigmatic and elusive "Detective Rowland", a character who may or may not be entirely what she seems. But then again, playing with reality is what this film is all about... that is to say, none of the characters are really what they appear to be; and the beautiful surface reality of the film cleverly toys with the more sinister and ghastly Truth about the main character "Dr. Anna Fugazzi", portrayed skillfully by the hauntingly attractive October Kingsley (who interestingly enough also directs this film). The creative and quirky process by which Anna Fugazzi's "Truth" is revealed is the central thrust of this film.

It would be wrong to define "Dr. Fugazzi" as a psychological thriller because in truth the film encompasses a lot of different genres... psychological thriller, dark comedy, horror, adult drama, fantasy. Ideally, "Dr. Fugazzi" can probably be best described as an experimental, fantasy-thriller... strangely reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick's "A Clockwork Orange" and Polanski's "Repulsion". It is important to note that there is nothing even remotely "normal" about this distinctly art-house film... the directing style is boldly unique and fearlessly peculiar, the dialogue is crisp and darkly provocative, the characters are all colorfully eccentric in their earnestness (among them, a pedophile with a little dog who utters cryptic warnings to Anna Fugazzi, a devil-costumed entertainment lawyer who runs around chasing his neighbor with a lawn mower, and a vicodin-munching musician obsessed with roast chicken). Moreover, the film's production design and costumes are bright, original and over-the-top... all of which sharply complements the film's bold, ferocious style.

It should be noted that there are some scenes in this movie that are so disturbingly memorable that you almost want to see it again just to be sure that you in fact witnessed it the first time around. I won't go into any specific details, but certainly the "broom rape" scene has got to be one of the most hilarious and most shocking scenes in the movie!! Squeamish heterosexual men, Beware!!! Clearly, "Dr. Fugazzi" is a strange and quirky movie that delights in being different from the typically mainstream American film. It is totally unapologetic in it's weirdness, and in many respects, you get the uncanny feeling that the filmmaker is laughing at the audiences' shocked and confused response. I was surprised to discover that the filmmaker (October Kingsley) is American because the film has such an international, Fellini-esquire quality to it. Aside from Kubrick's "A Clockwork Orange", the closest contemporary American film that most resembles "Dr. Fugazzi" in style, language, and content is the David Lynch film "Blue Velvet". Lots of incongruous, darkly thematic material bubbling under the surface, just waiting to be unleashed onto the world.

With all that being said, here are the pros and the cons of "Dr. Fugazzi" in my opinion: The Pros: A very creative, entertaining experiment into the art of film-making. A totally insane film. Definitely worth a look if you enjoy weird, art-house-type films that defy the restrictive boundaries of contemporary, mainstream American films. Also, lots of perverse, wacky humor and sexually suggestive material that will rattle your delicate sensibilities for days to come. The Cons: If you're NOT a big fan of the weirdness of David Lynch or the risqué playfulness of Stanley Kubrick, then you will probably not like this movie or understand it's stylistic content. In order to truly appreciate this movie, you need to think outside the box and dispel any preconceived notions that you might have regarding films and film-making... otherwise you'll be offended and confused by the film's style, content, and subject matter (probably much to the great delight of the filmmaker)."
A Train Wreck
Kevin D. Ivers | Washington, DC United States | 02/19/2009
(1 out of 5 stars)

"The apparent concepts behind this film appear to be somewhat compelling - head doctor from a conservative background hides a psychotic, unhinged personality within, even from herself. But once the "raw, leaked footage" from this train wreck of a film made it onto YouTube back in 2007 (when it was actually produced), it was clear that it was sloppily directed, woodenly acted (especially the writer-director-star, October Kingsley), and even its attempts to titillate seemed embarrassing and unappealing even to kink afficionados. (A lengthy and pointless scene of "broom-rape" pushed eagerly onto YouTube proved to be neither titillating, repulsive, or even convincing. It looked like bad college improv playing out forever without a teacher to yell, "cut".)

The other bizarre element is the figure of Faye Dunaway amidst all of this, playing a detective investigating a murder. Why she felt it necessary to join this production is a mystery, perhaps to be solved in retrospect (like we learned about Joan Crawford's appearance in "Trog".) One wishes there was a Dunaway commentary track, perhaps accompanied by a separate one by the filmmaker. Given the listless, wooden delivery of the lines, it would probably make the film extremely entertaining if such commentaries simply replaced the soundtrack altogether.

This film took two years to make its way straight to DVD, and produced some colorful flame-wars on the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) message boards along the way. But now that it seems set to finally see the light of day, one must recommend that you see the YouTube segments for free and save your pennies (although I know die-hard Dunaway fanatics will make a beeline for it). Let's also hope that Ms. Kingsley learned a lot from the experience -- perhaps some humility -- and takes her interesting concepts to more skillful projects in the future."
PIECE OF JUNK
TV People | San Francisco, CA | 05/14/2009
(1 out of 5 stars)

"Too bad there isn't a button for zero stars. Why Faye Dunaway was in this garbage is beyond comprehension (Dunaway's probably wondering that now herself), avoid this movie at all costs. Like another reviewer stated, save your money and watch it on YouTube...at least for a good hearty laugh!"