The Punishment (1962) La Punition | Region-Free (Blu-Ray)

Presented in 1080p with English subtitles

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Title: The Punishment (1973)

Alternate Title: La punition

Genre: Drama, Thriller

Plot Synopsis:
Britt, a high-class call girl, faces severe repercussions from her brothel owner after refusing a client’s demands. As punishment, she is confined to a dilapidated hotel room in Lyon, where she must submit to the sadistic desires of various clients. The narrative delves into themes of control, exploitation, and the human spirit’s resilience.

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Cast and Crew:

• Director: Pierre-Alain Jolivet
• Writers: Pierre-Alain Jolivet, Richard Bohringer
• Cast:
  • Karin Schubert as Britt
  • Georges Géret as Manuel
  • Amidou as Raymond
  • Claudie Lange as Françoise
  • Marcel Dalio as Le Libanais

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IMDb Link:
The Punishment (1973)

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Reviews from Letterboxd:

1. Björn – ★★½
   “It’s quite a cruel and dark film, and although I’ve seen more exploitation flicks going a more serious route and made that work, in La punition’s case it didn’t quite add to the overall experience. With this approach I’d at least want some sort of a redemptive conclusion, but this was very anticlimactic in pretty much every way. It’s a muddled film that lacks structure, which shouldn’t exactly be an issue for this type of film, wasn’t it for the fact that it tries to add something substantial in its character dynamics with romance and thriller elements, and it plays all of that very straightfaced, which makes it all fall flat. It’s a misfit, really. It’s neither fun and campy nor serious and engaging.”
2. Chris Underwood – ★★★★
   “Knowing the rough outline of the story. Girl meets boy, boy turns out to be a pimp, things get bad, had me expecting a rather tawdry exploitation flick of dubious quality. Imagine my surprise at the wondrous, decadent and almost psychedelic opening – I thought at first I was watching a trailer for something else. No straightforward narrative, this is a French film of the early seventies, and we do hop back and forth just to complicate things further for the viewer but those visuals are wondrous throughout, the score is most imaginative and effective and Karin Schubert is stunning. I have to also mention that the beautiful starlet is naked for much of the film but lest you get the wrong idea, this is not a sleazy film but a rather beautiful and tragic one.”
3. tomasglorias – ★★★
   “Directed by Pierre-Alain Jolivet, ‘La Punition’ is an unconventional movie that combines elements of psychological drama and the cinematic experimentalism characteristic of the 1970s. The minimalist, claustrophobic narrative and heavy atmosphere makes this, a more sensory than linear experience. The plot is as bizarre as it is simple, focusing simply on a prostitute who is punished by her boss because she didn’t want to submit to a client’s demands, so, she is then punished to obey all (and absolutely all) of her client’s sadistic and sick desires. ‘La Punition’ is notable for its cold aesthetic (which is very similar to ‘Secretary’) where the director employs an approach that is more suggestive than explicit, leaving much to the viewer’s imagination.”

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Meta Description:
“The Punishment” (1973), directed by Pierre-Alain Jolivet, is a French drama-thriller that explores the harrowing ordeal of Britt, a call girl subjected to severe punishments after defying her brothel’s rules, delving into themes of exploitation and resilience.