Clubbed To Death (18)

Yes, we reviewed this Gallic rave film last issue, but Artificial Eye decided to hold its release back ’til February. So, once more unto the club: Yolande Zauberman directs a vivid portrait of the suburban Paris “disco” scene, as seen through the eyes of 20-year-old Lola (Elodie Bouchez), bombarding his audience with 90 strobe-lit minutes devoted to sex, coke-snorting and dancing. On the surface, this may sound like a sexy, sit-down rave, but Zauberman’s jittery, hand-held camera style gives the film a glam-free gritty realism that’s tedious, unattractive and predictable. On the plus side, the dialogue is refreshingly natural, and it’s an interesting glimpse into Parisian clubland. But Béatrice Dalle’s utterly dire, vampish performance as a lead dancer only contributes to the nagging feeling that what you’re watching is grade-A pretentious tosh trying desperately to be something meaningful. So unless you’ve got a passion for techno (and can sit through it without twitching too many of your upper-body muscles), Clubbed To Death is best avoided.

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