Victoria Zinny Movies

Guillaume Depardieu, Jeanne Balibar, and Michel Piccoli star in director Jacques Rivette's adaptation of the Balzac novella The Duchesse de Langeais, which tells the tale of a Parisian socialite who is romantically pursued by a Napoleonic war hero. The story begins as grieving French general Armand de Montriveau (Depardieu) arrives at a Majorcan church to speak with French nun Antionette le Langeais (Balibar). General de Montriveau believes le Langeais to be a woman he once loved dearly, but eventually lost. As the pair is reunited under the watchful eyes of the presiding priest and mother superior, their romantic past gradually comes into focus. It was five years ago that bored socialite Antoinette first became enamored with the wounded soldier whose rousing tales of adventure offered exciting contrast to her highly refined lifestyle. Though she was married at the time, the coquettish cosmopolitan quickly fell under the spell of the commanding military man -- who vowed that very night that Antoinette would be his lover. As their romance grows more complicated, the passionate pair finds it increasingly difficult to deny the powerful connection that binds them. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

This low-budget Italian exercise stars Bo Svenson (in a ridiculous-looking fake beard) as a college professor who takes a group of American students to a remote Serbian village to witness an ancient Balkan religious service. Unbeknownst to the kids, Svenson has an ulterior motive: he intends to recruit Beverly (Mary Kohnert), the sole virgin of the group, to participate in the ceremony -- actually an occult ritual in which she is to become the Devil's bride. The kids learn of this treachery and try to escape aboard a moving train, but soon find that the engineer is none other than Satan himself, who causes the train to jump its tracks and speed off through the wilderness toward the village again. Most of the kids are destroyed in their attempts to avert the train's course -- all but Beverly, who has foiled the Devil's plan in her own way, thanks to an enigmatic flutist (Igor Pervic). Needless to say, the Evil One is not pleased. Released directly to video, this attractive-looking but rather hollow occult horror is related in name only to Mario Bava's penultimate Beyond the Door 2, which in turn bears almost no connection to Exorcist rip-off Beyond the Door (aka Chi Sei?). ~ Cavett Binion, Rovi

This undistinguished drama goes no further than clichéd views about women who gain success by bedding down those who have it. Pia Zadora stars as Jerilee, just out of high school and married to a prominent Hollywood screenwriter, with her own heart-felt aspirations to get her screenplays noticed by the right producers. Her marriage fails for many reasons and once on her own, she comes to the difficult decision that she really will go nowhere fast unless she uses her sexual charms to pave the way to recognition -- and so she does, with a bit of revenge thrown in at the end for good measure. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

Half-breed Keoma (Franco Nero) returns to his border hometown after service in the Civil War and finds it under the control of Caldwell (Donald O'Brien), an ex-Confederate raider, and his vicious gang of thugs. To make matters worse, Keoma's three half-brothers have joined forces with Caldwell, and make it painfully clear that his return is an unwelcome one. Determined to break Caldwell and his brothers' grip on the town, Keoma partners with his father's former ranch hand (Woody Strode) to exact violent revenge. ~ Paul Gaita, Rovi

Manrino (Pino Caruso) is the virile male with a wife, a mistress and a mini-skirted girlfriend. The Professor (Carlo Hintermann) breaks the new to the disbelieving Manrino that he is changing into a woman. In three days time, the man indeed becomes a woman, leading to comedy situations and many plays on words. He is confused by a transvestite go-go dancer in a night club and begins to experience things for the first time as a woman. He hopes some pills prescribed by the doctor will change him back to the male gender so he may continue his macho fantasies. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi

After 25 years' exile, Luis Buñuel was invited to his native Spain to direct Viridiana -- only to have the Spanish government suppress the film on the grounds of blasphemy and obscenity. Regarded by many as Buñuel's crowning achievement, the film centers on an idealistic young nun named Viridiana (Silvia Pinal). Just before taking her final vows, Viridiana is forced by her mother superior to visit her wealthy uncle Don Jaime (Fernando Rey), who has "selflessly" provided for the girl over the years. She has always considered Don Jaime an unspeakable beast, so she is surprised when he graciously welcomes her into his home. Just as graciously, he sets about to corrupt Viridiana beyond redemption -- all because the girl resembles his late wife. It is always hard to select the most outrageous scene in any Buñuel film; our candidate in Viridiana is the devastating Last Supper tableau consisting of beggars, thieves, and degenerates. As joltingly brilliant today as on its first release, Viridiana won the Golden Palm at the Cannes Film Festival. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi