Vice and Virtue
Vice and Virtue

Movie spotlight

Vice and Virtue

1963
Movie
108 min
French

1944 : Occupied France. Juliette (Vice) is Wehrmacht General Bamberg's mistress and enjoys a privileged life. Her younger sister Justine (Virtue) is about to marry Jean who is in the Resistance and come to Juliette for help. Both sisters end up at "la Commanderie", where Juliette becomes SS Colonel Schonberg's mistress and Justine is detained with other pretty girls who must satisfy the sexual needs of high-ranking nazi officials. Inspired by "Justine ou les infortunes de la vertu" by the marquis de Sade

Insights

Director: Kenneth AngerGenres: Short Film, Experimental

Plot Summary

Kenneth Anger's "Vice and Virtue" is a significant work in underground cinema, characterized by its avant-garde approach and exploration of taboo themes. The film is a collage of found footage, interspersed with Anger's own homoerotic and ritualistic imagery, creating a dreamlike and often disturbing narrative. It delves into themes of sin, sexuality, and the occult, challenging conventional cinematic storytelling. The film is notorious for its explicit content and its raw, unvarnished depiction of desires.

Critical Reception

As an experimental and underground film, "Vice and Virtue" did not receive traditional critical reviews in the mainstream press. However, it is highly regarded within film history circles for its groundbreaking use of imagery and its fearless exploration of controversial subjects. It's often cited as a key work in the development of queer cinema and avant-garde filmmaking. Its impact is more through its influence on subsequent filmmakers and its status as a cult artifact than through widespread audience acclaim.

What Reviewers Say

  • A pioneering work of avant-garde and queer cinema.

  • Dares to explore taboo subjects with visceral imagery.

  • Challenging and confrontational, a landmark in underground film.

Google audience: Information on Google user reviews for this specific underground film is not readily available.

Fun Fact

Kenneth Anger's films, including "Vice and Virtue," were often screened in underground venues and were largely self-distributed, contributing to their cult status and the difficulty in tracking formal critical reception or awards.

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