The Most Beautiful and Controversial Film Ever Made
Generally the film is lumped into the “Nunsploitation” genre, a grouping of films primarily made in Europe in the 1970s and ’80s that involved sex and violence inside a convent. They tended to be period pieces and almost always had scenes of lesbian encounters, flagellation, and demon possession. But shoving it into this niche is like saying The African Queen is a “boat movie” and Schindler’s List is a “war picture”; it is accurate, but doesn’t tell the whole story. Yes, it has some amorous nuns and whippings, but the aim is higher than mild eroticism, or even criticism of church power and sexual repression (don’t take that to mean the stimulating moments and the accusations of hypocrisy aren’t relevant and part of the package).
So, there’s plenty of hefty concepts here, but this is no philosophy lecture. It is quick moving, entertaining, and shocking.
This movie isn’t for everyone. Love it or hate it, you won’t forget it.
