Last Harem (1999)

Boring

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

I appreciated the photography, the textures, the colours and often, unlike one comment, the lighting. What was lacking for me was a coherent storyline.I found it often disjointed, badly edited and at times difficult to follow. My version was 110 minutes, IMDb shows one at 125m. Possibly the cuts and subtitles didn't help. I applaud any films that escape from the Hollywood mould but this left me disappointed. Miss Gillain was luminous and the performances were all fine, I just wanted a little more dialogue. If anyone would like to see another film that has some affinity with this one, try 'Hideous Kinky'with Kate Winslet.

This story is a complex and wonderful tale of the last Harem of the Ottoman empire, well told and provoking we see the inner workings of a world now gone, and learn about the people who lived there.I enjoyed the story, characters, acting and scenes. A few scenes suffered from quick editing and the sub titles sometimes disappeared too quickly, otherwise a wonderful piece.The main character Safiya is played wonderfully by Marie Gillain who I am pleased to say did a fantastic job without over doing it. The scenes with her and Alex Descas (Nadir) are charming and lovely.I recommend this film for anybody looking to watch something less Hollywood and more authentic to the world they are emulating.

If you are looking for this movie fulfill some of you "Hollywood" desires and expectations as to what a Harem is you will be sorely disappointed. Unlike what a previous reviewer said it is full of sumptuous and colorful costumes. The dull color that the reviewer notes comes from the low key lighting that is accurately used to portray the setting and story. It is lighting that is very appropriate for the tale. This is a tale of one woman's experience in the last Harem of the Ottoman Empire. It is full of relationships between both the occupants of the Harem, and those without. A previous reviewer asks how a eunuch can have sexual relations. Castration serves to make it so that the person cannot reproduce. It does nothing to the need for love or desire, which is what one of the characters in the movie shows. And if the previous reviewer had paid attention the character in question did not use his crippled organ to perform for the member of the Harem. If you are simply looking for titillation, then it would be good for you to look elsewhere. If you are looking for a good story which well thought out and rich background then you should enjoy this one!

When I think about this movie, all the adjectives that come to mind somehow relate to the physical appreciation of the world. Texture, smell, color, that's how I think this movie should be judged in terms of. See the rich golden tones surrounding the young concubine asleep by the fireplace, or the sweltering turkish bath, and let it flood your senses with impressions of spice, coarse cloth, smooth skin, scented oils, flickering flames, satin rustle. Don't just watch and listen, be absorbed, let the droning voice of the storyteller mesmerize you.