The Night Porter (1974)

Directed by Liliana Cavani
Written by Liliana Cavani
Starring: Dirk Bogarde, Charlotte Rampling
Music by: Daniele Paris
Language: English

Rating: 5/5

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Liliana Cavani's Night Porter is a controversial, provocative movie entirely based on the so-called Stockholm syndrome, the psychological phenomenon in which hostages express empathy and sympathy toward their captors. In this particular case, the captor is Max, a a former Nazi SS officer (played by Dirk Bogarde), and the victim is Lucia, a concentration camp survivor (played by Charlotte Rampling).

The movie is set years after World War II, in Vienna, where Max works as a night porter, but alternates also flashbacks showing the couple during the times at the concentration camp, where Max used to be Lucia's protector. As Max and Lucia accidentally meet again years after the end of the war, they immediately fall back into their sadomasochistic relationship.

The Night Porter has to be celebrated for the bravery of the director, who dared to portray such a thorny topic resorting to a Nazi Holocaust narrative. It was not easy, in particular considering when the movie was shot and the self-righteous Italian culture (Liliana Cavani is an Italian film director and screenwriter). In addition, there is an aspect that should always be underlined: the Night Porter filmmaker's is a woman. So it is possible to say that Liliana Cavani did to cinema what, twenty years before, Anne Desclos did to literature: showing that the interest for sadomasochistic relationships is not typical of men only.

Love Object (2003)

Directed by Robert Parigi
Written by Robert Parigi
Starring: Desmond Harrington, Melissa Sagemiller, Rip Torn
Music by: Nicholas Pike
Language: English

Rating: 4/5

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As Wikipedia summarizes, Love Object is the story of Kenneth (Desmond Harrington), "an efficient but socially awkward technical writer who develops an obsessive relationship with Nikki, a realistic sex doll he purchases". Unfortunately this summary is incomplete, as it does not mention Lisa, the co-worker Kenneth falls in love with (Kenneth thinks of her when he order his "tailor-made" doll). Love Object is therefore the story of the bizzarre love triangle (yes, I love New Order) between Kenneth, Lisa and Nikki.

Apparently the plot has nothing to do with William Wyler's The Collector - Love Object is not a remake, definitely - but still, there are many common elements between the two movies. Too many to think of some randomness. Love Object actually looks like a tribute to Wyler's movie. 

*** SPOILER ALERT: SKIP IF YOU ARE PLANNING TO WATCH THE MOVIE ***

Let's consider the main characters, for example. Both Frederick and Kenneth are shy, lonely, socially awkward middle class workers around the same age. They both have a boring job (Frederick is a bank clerk, Kenneth writes technical manuals) and stupid colleagues who jerk them around. They both develop an obsessive attention for a girl in particular - Miranda, the art student from The Collector, and Lisa, the intern who loves writing and dancing waltz - and both Frederick and Kenneth come to the conclusion they have to kindap their beloved ones. Even the final is exactly the same: both girls die, Frederick and Kenneth are not prosecuted for their crimes but labeled as victims and plan to start the cycle all over again with a new girl.

*** KEEP READING FROM HERE ***

From a BDSM / kinky perspective, Love Object is pure gold. It contains scenes of submission (Nikki becomes a sort of Mistress to Kenneth), restraints (Lisa got bound and gagged), sexual ecouterism (Kenneth jerks off listening to his landlord having sex) and obviously agalmatophilia (the paraphilia involving sexual attraction to a statue, doll, mannequin), sexual objectification and dollification (Kenneth first creates Nikki in Lisa image; then expects Lisa to become like Nikki). Unmissable.

The Collector (1965)

Directed by William Wyler
Written by Stanley Mann, John Kohn, John Fowles (novel)
Starring: Terence Stamp, Samantha Eggar, Mona Washbourne
Music by: Maurice Jarre
Language: English

Rating: 5/5

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Based on a novel written by John Fowles, The Collector is that kind of movie that should have no place on a blog about BDSM. In fact consent is the key factor of every BDSM-based relationship and in this Wyler's masterpiece there is no trace of it, but still. Its plot and the power dynamics between the two main characters will fascinate everyone who has an interest in BDSM - this is why it is worth a mention.

To put it shortly, The Collector is the story of a middle class white collar who wins a large sum of money, buys an isolated country house and locks a young, pretty art student - Miranda - in a windowless cellar. But it is actually more than that. It is a brilliant psychological thriller that perfectly portrays all the possible phases of a kidnapping-scenario.

Miranda, who initially opposes her kidnapper firmly, tries to get her freedom back begging, trying to find a deal, deceiting her kidnapper and even trying to seduce him. Frederick Clegg, the kidnapper, is on the other hand a monolithic character who always maintains his position, even when he seems to welcome Miranda's requests. He is always calm but manipulative, he does not need to use the force - he never beats or rapes the victim - and his irritating good manners have the incredible effect of reducing the empathy one could feel for Miranda. In the end a gentleman is a patient wolf and Frederick Clegg is certainly a wolf in sheep's clothing.

Coming to a conclusion, yes, The Collector is that kind of movie that should have no place on a blog about BDSM, but it should definitely be in the private collection of everyone who fantasized about kidnapping - no matter if as kidnapper or victim. Classic.