La Bête (The Beast) (1975)

75% of critics liked it
(8 reviews)
53% of users liked it
(1,337 ratings)

In this story, a young nobleman with an unusually strong interest in horse-breeding is being prepared to marry the wealthy niece of an American Cardinal. (Noble families which are growing impoverished try to marry off their younger generations to the heirs of wealthy commoners.) When the girl… More In this story, a young nobleman with an unusually strong interest in horse-breeding is being prepared to marry the wealthy niece of an American Cardinal. (Noble families which are growing impoverished try to marry off their younger generations to the heirs of wealthy commoners.) When the girl arrives at the nobleman's family mansion the day before the wedding, she is shown around the house and its treasures and is told the story of an ancestor's legendary battle against a beast. That night, she dreams of an erotic encounter with a man/beast which culminates in the death of the beast. On awakening, she finds that she has been in bed with her fiancé, who is now dead. When mysterious bandages on his person are removed, he is seen to have a tail and one hand which has turned animal-like. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: NC-17, 1 hr. 42 min.
Directed By: Walerian Borowczyk
Genres: Drama, Horror, Art House & International, Mystery & Suspense, Science Fiction & Fantasy

In Theaters: Jan 1, 1975 Wide
On DVD: Nov 8, 2005

Critic Reviews

Fernando F. Croce, CinePassion
Beauty killed the beast, Borowczyk says, and erotic poetry freed the screen
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
The film is oddly effective and, unlike so many other "erotic classics," virtually undated.
Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com
Seriously strange French skin-stuff.
Rich Cline, Shadows on the Wall
Yes, it's utterly unhinged in every way, but Borowczyk avoids much of the stylish overkill of most films of this genre and period, and the result is surprisingly timeless

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

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Featured Audience Ratings

Dean M

I never except to see this arthouse film is very erotic while it finally released straight to DVD, not in the cinema in 1975 because it was banned for 30 years - it's true! This attempts to mix a fairy tale, a sort of comedy of manners and faked explicit bestiality. This… More
I never except to see this arthouse film is very erotic while it finally released straight to DVD, not in the cinema in 1975 because it was banned for 30 years - it's true! This attempts to mix a fairy tale, a sort of comedy of manners and faked explicit bestiality. This genuinely erotic film is wonderfully photographed and tasteless. The women here are stunningly beautiful and they are naked most of the time. Overall <I>La Bête</i> is a visual feast. Whether it be from the fetishistic attention to detail, or the visual motifs pregnant with information, director Walerian Borowczyk's masterpiece should be watched with care and attention.
Steve K

I wanted to like this a lot more than I did, but as a whole it came across as amateurish and juvenile, a weak framework being used as an excuse to show sexually "shocking" imagery. Great, now I've seen horses mate. Oh wow, they're showing that guy's johnson.… More
I wanted to like this a lot more than I did, but as a whole it came across as amateurish and juvenile, a weak framework being used as an excuse to show sexually "shocking" imagery. Great, now I've seen horses mate. Oh wow, they're showing that guy's johnson. Sex and sexual imagery can have meaning and can be truly daring, but there needs to be an artistically perceivable point. I found no such thing in The Beast, which largely left me just bored despite all the supposedly lustful ongoings.