God do I LOVE this movie -- knockout

I had no idea what to make of this when I saw it in 1984 but I knew I was fascinated by it, to be sure. And a little embarassed as well.

I just watched it again and it is just a fine, fine movie, so fantastic in its mix of absurd and real, it's giggling, explicit sexual put-ons every ten minutes or so, the way ahead of its time disintegrating marriage, the luridly wild bloody and semen dripping in the peep show, the fantastic Wakeman score, red and pink seedy neon flashing cheap hotel room, alternately erotic and ridiculous sex, juxtaposition of a All American boy and the whore who *almost* needs to be saved. This is one fantastic movie that threw everything into the pot and came out a real piece of dirty high art, a B movie dressed up with an A star and a bold director, at a time when American movies could be brazen and sexual still. The dialogue is so much fun, loaded with double entrendres and teasing, and delivered by Kathleen Turner with such style it's a real joy to listen to.

WOW.

Turner, a real goddess of movie acting and physicality, threw herself into this role with such confidence and a sense of theatricality that is unmatched anywhere. What a pro, strutting around annoucing herself on the street corner in that blue satin dress, platinum mane and red lipstick. She looks so grandly cheap it's sublime.

I am free. But life is so cheap.