Exotica

Starring:David Hemblen, Mia Kirshner, Calvin Green, Elias Koteas, Bruce Greenwood, Don McKellar, Peter Krantz, ArsinÃ©e Khanjian, Sarah Polley, Victor Garber, Damon D'Oliveira, Jack Blum, Billy Merasty, Ken McDougall, Maury Chaykin, C.J. Fidler, Nadine Ramkisson
Director: Atom Egoyan
Studio: Miramax
Product Type: DVD

Customer Reviews:

Hotel Exotica For Her.......2007-02-04

When Ellen Evans directed this movie she managed to get sex scenes with energy, passion, sensuality, and creativity. Fans of softcore know how rare these things can be. An just how skilled a director has to be to accomplish them. Which make the directors cut of this movie (Which is being sold here) such a mystery. My only guess is that when she was given the chance to reedit this film she wanted a to make a version that she could watch with her 14 year old daughter, or maybe she was trying to get a job at the Hallmark Channel. What ever the reason if you are a fan of the Oxygen Network buy the Directors Cut, if you are fan of softcore get the original version.

Answer to DVD Situation.......2006-07-19

Here's the definitive word on the DVD version...
Koch got it wrong, plain and simple. The box both lists the runtime at 85 min. and the fact that it is supposed to be the Director's Cut. It isn't...it's the edited 71 min. version. I've never seen the VHS version, but you probably want to check that one out rather than the DVD.

Many of the bad reviews are referring to ANOTHER VERSION.......2006-02-20

I'm reading bad review after bad review which refer to the censored and cut DVD VERSION of this movie. This is incorrect and needs to be fixed by Amazon. The specific box UPC code which "leads" to this product page and Amazon ASIN number is for the NOT RATED video (VHS) version of this movie.

As we all know, "not rated" is the Hollywood euphamism for "we knew we couldn't get it past the film censor without it being cut to shreds, so we didn't even try".

BTW, both the box and the cassette case state that this VHS version is the FULL 90 minute (i.e.: uncut) version.

We are a seller. As part of our listing process we review all used movies for quality issues. And I gotta say: this is a pretty hot movie. 5 Stars for hotness, and to counter all the inappropriate 1's.....

Rip-Off! Stop Selling!.......2005-05-07

While the 'real' version of this movie, as shown on Cinemax and as sold in VHS, is about 90 minutes long, this DVD is only 71 minutes long.

Forget what the product description says, it is wrong! This is movie is a heavily edited version of Hotel Exotica with almost 20 minutes of footage cut!

Amazon should either stop selling this DVD or correct the information about it to say that it is NOT and uncut version and that it is only 71 minutes long.

Do not buy this DVD.......2005-01-08

I bought this supposed to be UNRATED version of this movie from "mediathrill" and I felt that they cheated. They have cut all good scenes from this movie. I contacted them and they just denied their responsibility. I had seen this movie earlier, so I was very much aware of all the scenes.
Please do not buy this DVD...no matter what.

Average customer rating:

Great movie, poor transfer
"You Have To Ask Yourself What Brought The Person To This Point?"
Seductive, Mysterious, Revealing
A masterpiece
Say what?

Exotica
Starring: David Hemblen , Mia Kirshner , Calvin Green , Elias Koteas , and Bruce Greenwood
Director: Atom Egoyan
Manufacturer: Miramax
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6305428107
Release Date: 1999-11-16

Amazon.com

In spite of its atrociously misleading packaging, Exotica is a beguiling mystery by enigmatic Canadian filmmaker Atom Egoyan, in which people and their relationships are not what they seem. What at first appear to be disparate stories of a tormented tax auditor, a lonely pet-shop owner, and a sensitive stripper and her coworkers gradually merge to reveal a larger, interconnected portrait. The sequences involving Mia Kirshner's schoolgirl stripper are particularly engrossing because of her character's intelligence and the scenes' deeper subtext. Indeed, Exotica is less about stripping than about fragile human relationships, and it is not until the truly revelatory final scene that we are able to fully absorb the film's deeper meaning. --Bryan Reesman

Description

Forbidden desires and dangerous intrigue generate sizzling heat in this erotic thriller! At a sexy strip club called Exotica, three strangers -- an obsessive man, an erotic table dancer, and the club's mysterious D.J. -- share much more than is apparent at first glance! As their secret passions grow, they become more deeply entangled in an inescapable web of jealousy, deceit, and revenge! The powerfully seductive hit EXOTICA is gripping entertainment -- you won't be able to take your eyes off it!

Customer Reviews:

Great movie, poor transfer.......2006-11-27

I won't go very far into discussing the content of the film here - suffice to say that I think it's probably one of the greatest movies made in recent years and well worth 5 stars. Atom Egoyan is a genius and this is probably his best film to date - an atmospheric mystery which keeps the viewer guessing until the final reel. The script is a masterpiece, Egoyan deftly handles the story and the actors (even the very young ones) all play their roles with the right level of depth and subtlety. As others have said, although the story takes place in and around a strip club this is not your average soft porn strip club movie - not at all, it's a different thing altogether - even the movie's title has many meanings and layers, as does the story itself. Exotica is a deeply thoughtful mystery where no one and nothing is what it seems and where those who appear at first to be villains can be saints. It's a psychological drama that takes place not in the strip club but in the minds of the characters. Those with enough patience will find a real treasure worth many re-viewings.

But in this review I'm mostly choosing to focus on the technical aspects which I feel detract from the DVD.

This DVD (ASIN: 6305428107) features a transfer that is known as 'matted widescreen' which works fine on smaller 4:3 TVs, but which looks awful on larger screen or widescreen TVs. I believe that every DVD today should be made in 'anamorphic widescreen' format so that the image is enhanced for viewing on a larger screen. If it's not then I think that the low image quality should be clearly marked in some way, as the lack of an anamorphic transfer makes a big difference in quality. In the case of this particular movie the image is very poor mostly due to the matted widescreen format that results in what's known as 'gutterboxing' (black bars all around the image) when the movie is played on widescreen TVs. Some TVs allow zooming in to fill the screen in cases like this, but then the image becomes very grainy - so much so that it's probably better to watch it in the 'gutterboxed' mode.

So in conclusion, those with the older standard 4:3 TVs under 30 inches probably won't notice any loss of resolution. But for folks like me with big screen TVs I advise waiting until this movie gets an updated DVD treatment. Alternatively, if you own a good quality up-converting DVD player that can play region 2 discs, the British version (ASIN: B0009PZ88K available from Amazon.co.uk) is an anamorphic transfer.

"You Have To Ask Yourself What Brought The Person To This Point?".......2006-01-17

This is an undiscovered gem of a film with an incredibly inventive and powerful script that is sure to suprise and please. 'Exotica', a "Gentleman's Club", is the focal point of a world in search of meaning. Men come not just to watch beautiful women sensually dance in various stages of undress. They come to forget, however briefly, the pain and suffering they have experienced in the world outside.

Christina (Mia Kirshner) and Eric (Elias Koteas) work at the club, Christina as a dancer, Eric as the DJ. As the customers watch the enchanting Christina perform on-stage and privately, Eric watches the customers watch her. As you might have guessed, while moods and emotions are generally muted and controlled within the confines of Exotica they are forever on the verge of breaking through the illusory nature created and sustained by alcohol and sexual stimulation. There are untold stories to be brought into the light of day and only when the truth is known will the many tangled relationships and reasons for being there finally make sense.

Director Atom Egoyan has conjoured up a place outside of time and space, a purgatorial oasis where all regrets, memories and hopes converge into the incessant drone of the music and the tantalizing movements of the dancers. Truly a stunning vision that will stay with the viewer for quite sometime. Definitely not a film for everyone, 'Exotica' deals with adult situations and contains numerous scenes of nudity and some mild homosexuality. However this thoughtful, probing tale ultimately transcends most of the dark, depressing elements and offers a ray of hope and forgiveness. If you're the adventureous type who is looking for something different 'Exotica' is definitely the film for you.

Mia Kirshner and Elias Koteas (two of my favorite actresses/actors) are fantastic. Also wonderful performances by Bruce Greenwood, Don McKellar, Arsinee Khanjian and a young Sarah Polley.

Seductive, Mysterious, Revealing.......2005-12-28

Having seen "Exotica" several times now, I can say that knowing the ending does not detract from the seductive power of the film. Very watchable, a multi-layered plot and aural feast - I want to work at the Exotica! If you enjoyed the movie "The Usual Suspects" for its left-field conclusion, this film should appeal to your puzzle solving nature, although the two movies could not be less alike in their sensitivity, style, and humanity. I thought of giving it 4 Stars because it didn't quite connect effortlessly, but any film as surprising, original, and provocative as this deserves a 5. For a literate review, read the "Amazon.com review", not the one above it, which is a mish-mash.

A masterpiece.......2005-11-15

Ignore the comments of the person who is listed here as Brad13, unfortunately, it seems this complex film is way out of his league. Exotica is a study on the nature and affects on loss, and whilst it may take a couple of viewings to soak it all in , that is more to the power that it contains. Atom Egoyan is a genius, this is probably his finest film, and anyone with a capacity for empathy for there fellow man , and understanding of pain in loss in all its outcomes , should find something to cherish and reflect upon.

Say what?.......2005-11-09

An extremely convoluted little film by the talented Atom Egoyan that centers around Exotica, a strip club with its regulars and staff.

Do not think that this is in any way a sexy film: it is a sad, bleak and confusing picture.

It's so confusing that the DVD badly needs a director's commentary or some solution to the reverse plot on the disc. Some reverse ploted movies -- like Following -- do include this. (If you want a backward running plot that works and gives you Aha! moments, see Memento.) I don't want to watch the entire movie again to figure it out.

Then, too, because, Mr. Egoyan uses a stable of repertoire players, I kept thinking of their roles in the better, far clearer The Sweet Hereafter.

Basically, everyone has a strange and hidden backstory. Spoilers here: the club DJ is the former lover of the dancer; the accountant cannot accept that his daughter is dead and so keeps hiring baby-sitters. One even says near the end of film, "there's no baby to sit." The last few scenes in the movie reveal the last bits of backstory -- the pre-Exotica lives of the characters.

P.S. If I do read a fabulous plotline explanation of this film, I may want to change my rating. A revelation like "Oh, gee, the pet shop guy is the club owner's son!" I increased my rating to allow for that possibility -- that it's a great movie that I didn't get.

I did watch it again. OK, sad film, filled with small moments of pain and loss. The review here about substitutions is excellent, better than the film itself.

Average customer rating:

Natasha Yi Not on This But Elsewhere in PB
Change of Pace
Eurasian Exotica
Best (and only) Playboy compilation of Asian hotties

Playboy - Asian Exotica
Starring: Sung Hi Lee
Director: Steve Silas
Manufacturer: Playboy Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

( P ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Ultra Vixens - Asians II
Peach Ultra Vixens: Asians
Mystique: Asian Beauties Exposed - East Meets West
Playboy - American Beauties
Playboy - International Playmates

ASIN: B00005AQ4V
Release Date: 2001-02-13

Customer Reviews:

Natasha Yi Not on This But Elsewhere in PB.......2005-11-09

Follow up:
Natasha appears in one of the 'next door' DVDs. She is shown in an 'amatuer' segment shot in her home on a video cam. Its more of a tease since she keeps her cooter out of sight. Next she is in for a photo shoot and they video her getting still shots - the quality is outstanding. She has perfect skin tone and a fantastic bosy. The 'Yi-cooter' is out for viewing enjoyment in this one. Then on to the feature video for more of the Yi.

Change of Pace.......2003-05-30

One of my favorites. The production values vary quite a bit since its mostly compiled from a series of older Playmate footage shot over the years of the rare asian/eurasians featured in PB. In those days the cener of attention was the face and breasts, the southern latitudes were visited in quick bursts and quick cuts - now days the equatorial areas are the center of attention and the inner thighs are a common destination (the change in grooming is also noteworthy).
Morena Corwin (1992-POM) (now age 29 as of this 1998 release ) is the lead and appears with another woman before each segment in a tame way - she is nude of course but keeps those thighs shut. Morena's earlier videos are spliced together and we get so see those splendid face, breasts, rear, her great long legs, and that natural dense muff. However the age of DVD and single frame freeze means that little editing "accidents" can be recovered and enjoyed. Morena's moment is when she swims by the camera and "frog kicks" thus spreading her thighs for a nice unintentionally explicit view.
Christy Thom's video is from around 1992. She is nude the entire time and we are treated to long lingering closeups of her body with some quick dashes between her partially open thighs (freeze frame to catch some "extras"). Lisa Marie Scott is all from something earlier - not very good. Lynn Thomas is lovely but not interesting. Sung HungLee's segment is weak - its just not that good. There is Japanese girl that strips in a water shower - she is stunning and has a classic japanese body and the camera gets in close for a good view of her perfect little "gear box."
There is a chinese woman who appears in a girl-girl thing who is outstanding and the viewer gets to see much more since her "unit" is the center of attention of the three players.

There is a hacked up shower sequence featuring any asian or near-asian they had in the film-bin. Morena Corwin makes an appearence - freeze frame for a close up head-on shot of her wet muff and what's inside - its worth it.
Overall this is a good video. Noteworthy ommsions from the video are the stuuning Diana Lee ('88), Pia Reyes ('88) and Estores Lourdes (81- likely Pre Video!).

Eurasian Exotica.......2002-03-26

I think the previous review is excellent, and would just like to add some curious omssions on the part of Playboy: Diana Lee, the May 1988 Playmate and dancer who is Playboy's only thoroughbred Chinese Playmate since China Lee in the '60s, is curiously not featured, nor is the exotic Hawaiian/Phillipino Lourdes Estores from June 1982. Indeed, this video should be more accurately titled "Eurasian Exotica." I nevertheless enjoyed it, although admittedly it is a close call between 3 versus 4 stars.

Best (and only) Playboy compilation of Asian hotties.......2001-06-06

This DVD kind of gave me a mixed reaction. P>Here's where the mixed reaction begins: of the 11 video segments, 3 of them appear to be from the 1980s, where the video signal gets very grainy and fuzzy, probably coming from VHS masters. This made me realize how few Asian models have graced the magazines and videos of Playboy in the last decade.

4 of the other video segments seemed to be taken from the Video Calendars of the respective Playmates: Lynn Thomas, Morena Corwin, Christy Thom, and Lisa Marie Scott.

Of the 4 remaining segments, one was a slightly shorter version of Sung Hi Lee's fruit sequence from Girls of Hawaiian Tropic, and another was from Blue Collar Babes from a hot model named Jessica who strips in a steel factory. I didn't recognize the 3rd sequence of a hot Asian model who strips and showers in a warehouse. The final segment was a compiled shower sequence of several different Asian models (including 1980s Playmate Venice Kong).

Two Asians I was hoping to see (and deserve to be in here) were late 1980s Playmate Pia Reyes and more recent Newsstand Special model Natasha Yi. Neither of them appear here.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent!!.......2007-01-27

Incredible video, I really learned alot!! I have never been dissatisfied by any of George Alexander's dvd's!!

Exotica [NTSC/REGION 1 & 4 DVD. Import-Latin America]

Average customer rating:

Exotica [NTSC/REGION 1 & 4 DVD. Import-Latin America]
Director: Atom Egoyan
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Average customer rating:

Great movie, poor transfer
"You Have To Ask Yourself What Brought The Person To This Point?"
Seductive, Mysterious, Revealing
A masterpiece
Say what?

Exotica
Starring: David Hemblen , Mia Kirshner , Calvin Green , Elias Koteas , and Bruce Greenwood
Director: Atom Egoyan
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video