“LIZ AND MIA GET FREAKY”

By Raymond Benson

Once again, Kino Lorber, a company grandly competing with other “Cadillac” DVD/Blu-ray publishers, has released an esoteric non-mainstream title from yesteryear that might have otherwise have remained under the radar screens of retro movie lovers.

The filmography of Joseph Losey, the American expat who fled the U.S. to Britain after being blacklisted in the early 50s, has been duly represented by Kino. The company has released several of his titles, a recent one being Secret Ceremony, a British production starring American actors in the three lead roles.

Made in 1968, the picture is one odd duck, but it’s got quite the cast—Elizabeth Taylor, Mia Farrow, Robert Mitchum, Peggy Ashcroft, and Pamela Brown. Based on a novel by Marco Denevi, Secret Ceremony resembles some of the avant-garde stage plays by the likes of Harold Pinter or Jean Genet; in fact, the movie reminded this viewer of Genet’s The Maids, in a way. Unfortunately, Ceremony is in no way as successful or admirable as any of the works by these writers.

Taylor plays Leonora, whom we are led to believe might have been a former prostitute. She’s a little unbalanced because her only daughter died some years ago. Farrow plays Cenci, a wealthy but childlike young woman who lives alone in a huge mansion. Coincidentally, she’s a bit unbalanced as well because she lost her mother in the past. And wouldn’t you know it? Cenci resembles Leonora’s dead daughter, and Leonora looks like Cenci’s deceased mom. After Cenci stalks Leonora on the streets for a time, the older woman finally succumbs and moves into the mansion with Cenci to be her “mother.” Meanwhile, Cenci’s aunts (Ashcroft and Brown) make trouble by trying to steal some of Cenci’s belongings and money, and then there’s the estranged stepfather, Albert (Mitchum) who unexpectedly shows up. Oh, and of course he apparently sexually abused Cenci back in the day.

It's all about role-playing, fantasies, repressed sexuality, psychological and physical abuse, and power games, and the freaky family dynamics stretch the drama to an almost interminable 109 minutes.

While the film does not work in any way, shape, or form in terms of story or acting (both Taylor and Farrow are, frankly, terrible, and Mitchum seems to be in the wrong movie), it does look gorgeous. Kino Lorber’s new high definition master is sharp, colorful, and quite attractive (the cinematography was by Gerry Fisher). This is accompanied by an audio commentary by Tim Lucas, and it has optional English subtitles for the hearing impaired. The only other supplements are trailers for this and other Kino Lorber titles.

Strictly for fans of Taylor, Farrow, or Losey, perhaps Secret Ceremony might be an entry as one of those “so bad it’s good” pictures. Masochists will experience much revelry in its campiness.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER FROM AMAZON