 | Todd B. |
8 out of 8 people found this review helpful
it is hard to believe that any whorehouse is so genteel and wholesome. but nudity isnt pornography. none of the nude scenes were sex scenes. on the contrary, the nudity was made to seem as natural as that of a new born baby. i applaud anyone for portraying nudity this way. for that reason alone i could have given this film 3 stars. but it wasn't that good. the weakest parts being the lack of insight into the characters and their motivations and the flimsy plot and theme treatment. i couldn't disagree with mark deming more on most of his points: Violet shows no conflict about marrying Bellocq. she couldn't be happier and more certain. as for making a movie about a child prostitute: guess what folks, this is, unfortunately, a common tragedy yesterday and today. it's not disgusting to broach unpleasant realities albeit naively in this case. Was this review helpful? Yes
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No
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 | Ivan W. |
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful
Take the infamous and colorful city of New Orleans, add the great director Louis Malle, legendary cinematographer Sven Nykvist, colorful characters, an interesting storyline, that great jazz, ragtime and blues music of the day, plus a 12 year old actress playing a 12 year old prostitute, and one has the right to expect a lot from a movie going in. Nevertheless, it wasn't meant to be as the film just did not jell as I'm sure Mr. Malle and his producers had hoped and planned. Such things happen with movies even in the greatest of hands, and in this case the specific explanation(s) I believe is/were not obvious. The controversy over the subject of child prostitution did not help matters at the time of it's release, but in retrospect, should only have made the film better, not worse. Thus I can only recommend this film to true American history buffs and those with a genuine interest in the city of New Orleans. Was this review helpful? Yes
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No
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| Richard R. |
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
The overall story is an interesting concept with a well developed sad tone. However, the storyline and execution are dull and never really achieves the attempted emotion that the film set out to become, instead the overall emotion is disgust and sleaze. Brooke Shields gives an amazing performance, considering she was only 12 at the time but one can't help questioning the subject matter and underage nudity. Art shouldn't have taboos or censorship but at the same time it shouldn't violate the laws of society. The subject matter that the character is involved in shouldn't be censored because it is merely acting but the nude scenes are totally unnecessary and gratuitous use of a child actress. Although it is not pornography, showing a 12 year old nude multiple times is a very low, offensive, and sleazy attempt at making the film scandalous in order to get attention. Was this review helpful? Yes
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No
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| Lisa E K. |
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful
The movie was ok. But we were very shocked at the sexuality they had, with a young Brooke Sheilds. If I took a nude photo of my grandaughter on a couch, the same way the photographer did in this film, I would be arrested for child pornography. I am amazed this is still on the shelf for public veiwing. However Brooke Sheilds was a great young actress. Was this review helpful? Yes
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No
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 | Larry H. |
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Brooke Shields was good as a young girl growing up in a brothel. Her nude scenes were among the best I have ever seen. Was this review helpful? Yes
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No
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 | Andre P. |
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful
We were not presented with any reasons to care for the principal characters, though the potential for an engaging story existed Was this review helpful? Yes
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No
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| Ariana V. |
4 out of 8 people found this review helpful
Before renting this movie, I made sure to read the reviews that were posted here. They seemed kinda negative, but when I realised that there would be a long wait, I thought that maybe they were wrong. Now that I've actually watched it, however, I couldn't agree with them more. There was absolutely no real plot to this movie, other than watching a bunch of prostitutes sit around drunken men playing poker all night long. Oh, and maybe if your interested in a pre-teen Brooke Shields play a doll-hugging prostitute. (Gross!) Anyway, don't rent "Pretty Baby." The whole time I just sat there thinking how in hell did they get this movie to be made. Was this review helpful? Yes
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No
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 | Bruno E. |
1 out of 5 people found this review helpful
I'd heard about the contraversy behind this movie in a film class...not impresed at all; the movie was pointless, the acting was fair and not worth the wait. Was this review helpful? Yes
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No
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 | James S. |
1 out of 9 people found this review helpful
I don't know how anyone could subject their child to such a piece of trash! I suppose that this kind of situation may have occurred! I think if it did, it is a sad state of affairs! I think the category should be changed to 'SMUT'. This is the most offensive movie I have ever seen or want to ever see! Was this review helpful? Yes
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No
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 | Patricia S. |
1 out of 9 people found this review helpful
This movie is merely a barely legal child ponography. What the child actors were exposed to and said and did just proves that some parents should be arrested . The acting was fair the story was lame and needed not be told. Was this review helpful? Yes
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No
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