Conspirators of Pleasure (1996)
AKA: Spiklenci Slasti
Directed by: Jan Svankmajer
Starring: Petr Meissel (Single man), Jiri Labus (Porn store owner), Barbora Hrzánová (Mailwoman), Gabriela Wilhelmová (Neighbor), Anna Wetlinská (Newsreader), Pavel Nový (Newsreader’s husband)
Country: Czech Republic, European Cinema
Language: Czech (English subtitles)
Runtime: 01:22:53
Genres: Misc Paraphilias, Animation, Bizarre, Dolls, Body Modification, BDSM, Relationships with Animals
Plot – Spoilers:
Six regular people set about crafting elaborate props for their fairly unique fetishy fantasies. A lonely submissive single man irl secretly wishes to be dominant while wearing a rooster hat. A policeman gets off to tingly and ticklish sensations. A domina fantasizes about tormenting her neighbor. A mailwoman has a thing for bread pellets. A newsreader who feels neglected by her husband desires her toes to be sucked by fish. A pornstore owner creates a mechanical wonder to masturbate him as he watches the news.
Conspirators of Pleasure is a silent movie with comedic music and some of Svankmajer’s renowned animation when the different characters’ fantasies finally come to life. If ever a movie did justice to the category ‘Misc Paraphilias’, this is it.
did we really need that many shots of the policeman’s feet
Nice movie
I liked this movie even when the setup of the stories was more interesting than the payoff, at least the chicken man and the old lady had a creepy ending.
Not not one of Svankmajer’s better works. Surprisingly not boring.
…Jokes aside, I really love this movie. Unlike some of Svankmajer’s other movies that are clay animation and stop motion animation galore with bizarre and intriguing props, costumes and sets, this movie is primarily a live action film with “live action” people, set in an almost realistic setting. It focuses on each character’s enactment of their fetishistic fantasies. I love how the movie can be seen almost as a commentary on our own lifestyles today that’s become increasingly fetishistic and fixated on mass consumption of signs and objects in hopes of attaining better images of self and fulfilling the promises of “true” connection and love.
My favorite scenes are the rooster scene and the “TV” scene.
I do not like the movie, but it is a good movie.
The ending can be confusing (which is understandable for the lack of dialogue), but if you pay good attention you will see that everything comes full circle in the end.
Spoilers:
Albeit ambiguous, I can only deduce the two neighbors (the single man and domina) wanted to dominate each other but somehow their kinks crossed the threshold of reality which caused the domina’s death. So at the end, the man recreates the domina’s fantasy.
I really loved this movie, so not agreeing w/ KevinF.
I liked each intrigues of the characters (thought some was not great, like the middle-aged Domina and the Mailwomen), but I think it’s still a great movie to watch.
Some scene were surreal, I loved the Rooster scenes,,,,
Sure, the film is silent (I understand that some ppl would found this boring :^p), the end had me a bit confused thought,,,,
But still, still loved it and I recommend !! >:^]
Not one of Svankmajer’s better works. Surprisingly boring.