Let The Corpses Tan (2018)

By: Andie Pitts on Saturday, September 15

NR Running Time: 92 mins

SHOULD I SEE IT?

YES

  • Artistically produced, with beautiful cinematography.

  • Intense and fast-paced, which makes the film entertaining.

  • A gripping beginning, will captivate you on the first scene.

NO

  • May perceive as confusing and out of the ordinary for some potential viewers, especially those not familiar with watching foreign films.

  • Offers little to no story line and even less character development. Overall weak screenplay.

  • Be aware: This film contains full-frontal nudity and graphic violence throughout, which might be disturbing or become too much for some interested viewers.


OUR REVIEW

In a Mediterranean ghost town, Rhino (Stéphane Ferrara) and his gang hide from the cops after stealing 250 kg of gold. Along with them is a mysterious female artist, Luce (Elina Löwensohn), looking for inspiration for her next piece. All is well until two cops show up, turning the once hidden sanctuary into a horrendous battlefield.

Directed by Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani (The Strange Color of Your Body’s Tears), Let the Corpses Tan is a film which will keep you captivated till the very end.

Together, Cattet and Forzani craft their film to jolt you back and forth between characters caught up in a combination of an old fashion western standoff and erotic desires and greed. Based on a novel of the same name, the screenplay, co-written by the directors, keeps the audience guessing as to just what the main storyline actually is.

When we are first introduced to Rhino, he and his gang have retired to the ghost town, plotting their next move. However, about midway through, after Luce is introduced with a couple of lovers and the police arrive, Let the Corpses Tan plunges itself into pure darkness and scenes of a graphic nature. The gang, once all together, eventually turn against each other, the female artist has a hand in that, and when you add in the cops, this all becomes exceedingly difficult to figure out who’s on what side.

Luce is presented as cunning and witty, when in reality, her motivations are written in such a way as to add more confusion to the story. Once we reach the film’s final moments, and we see just how Cattet and Forzani have laid everything out, this still doesn’t account for the state of disarray you likely feel throughout while trying to piecing all of this together.

Cattet and Forzani pace their movie well, leaving me on the edge of my seat and wondering what would happen next. Not having read the book, at least on screen, Let the Corpses Tan suffers from the screenplay not providing enough character development to create a satisfying ending. On the other hand, one cannot help but be impressed with cinematographer Manuel Dacosse’s astonishing work, each shot keeping me motivated to see this thing through to the end.

Overall, this movie is solid, but has its challenges. If you are at all interested into diving into the world of independent foreign film, and especially foreign-made horror films, this is a good one to start with. And although it contains graphic content, you can’t help but appreciate the artistic work put into this film. But, if you are not at all interested in subtitles, foreign films, or horror, well then this is definitely not the movie for you.

CAST & CREW

Starring: Elina Löwensohn, Stéphane Ferrara, Bernie Bonvoisin, Michelangelo Marchese, Marc Barbé, Marine Sainsly, Hervé Sogne, Pierre Nisse.

Director: Hélène Cattet, Bruno Forzani
Written by: Hélène Cattet, Bruno Forzani
Based on the novel “Laissez bronzer les cadavres!” by Jean-Patrick Manchette and Jean-Pierre Bastid
Release Date: August 31, 2018
Kino Lorber