The Suitors (Iran)

 

Picture: C     Sound: C+     Extras: C-     Film: C+

 

 

Maybe back in 1988, someone could have considered writer/director Ghasem Ebrahimian’s The Suitors a black comedy, but the very idea is about as problematic as the idea of a “guilty pleasure” as both cases need a huge dose of denial to work.  The story here is that four Arab men what goat soup and when the blood from their killing of a live goat causes a neighbor to panic, the police raid their apartment and a married man is killed.  His wife left behind is pursued by several men (the title characters in effect), but she blames them and sooner than you can say The Bride Wore Black, blood runs all over the place.

 

Unfortunately, the film is too coy early on, then only develops into something more formidable later on, by which time it cannot make up for the earlier half.  Comparison to the Francois Truffaut film The Bride Wore Black is unavoidable, and when you cannot get the better film out of your head (especially a near masterwork like that one), forget it.  Had I not been a fan of the 1967 thriller, I still can point out plenty of problems with the film, though the motif of English-language television juxtaposed to the bizarre situations of the characters is an interesting angle that is never fully explored.  The result is that the parts that are interesting are far more interesting than the sum that makes up this film.

 

The 1.33 X 1 full frame image is from a print that has debris and scratches here and there, plus lack of depth and somewhat plugged up colors by DuArt.  The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo is slightly harsh and has no good surround information, though Pro Logic spreading might dull the harsh audio edge somewhat.  Extras only include five recommendations of other films from Iran from First Run, three of which have trailers.  For diehard viewers only.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo