Behind Convent Walls (1978) User Reviews

BEHIND CONVENT WALLS (Walerian Borowczyk, 1977) **1/2

[Bunuel1976 · 6/10 · 9 February 2007]

This is one of the more notable nunsploitation films (shot in Italy), which was rushed into production after a proposed project starring Monica Vitti fell through. Being the Borowczyk fan that I am (even if about a third of his work that I've watched has proved disappointing to a degree!), I had wanted to purchase the R2 DVD ever since it was released but kept postponing it for a couple of reasons - one, because it's only available in an English-dubbed version (though it's not too bad as these things go) and, two, the somewhat prohibitive price (in fact, it's only while in London recently that I managed to find the most affordable copy, albeit still not cheap at $25!).

As is to be expected from this Polish film-maker, we're treated to an artier kind of erotica (some of the sex surprisingly involving Ligia Branice, Mrs. Borowczyk herself!) - with lush soft-focus cinematography by the renowned Luciano Tovoli. However, despite being a Stendhal adaptation, Borowczyk here pays little regard for the usual necessities of plot and characterization (in fact, apart from Branice and future muse Marina Pierro, the nuns are virtually indistinguishable from one another): this semi-improvised approach does render the whole somewhat inconsequential (especially in comparison to some of his other work), to say nothing of aloof - which eventually detracts from the impact the tragedy at the end ought to have (despite involving murder, a couple of suicides and a determined effort by the higher echelons of the church to hush up the affair altogether)!

Even so, the director's hand is unmistakable throughout, inevitably reaping the occasional reward - not only his customary fetishizing of props (such as the controversial and oft-censored scene in which the face of Christ is carved on a piece of wood, then utilized by one of the nuns as a dildo!) but also his fervent attack on figures of authority, class structure and especially the repressiveness of Catholicism (linking the film with, among others, such earlier Borowczyk fare as BLANCHE [1971], IMMORAL TALES [1974] and THE BEAST [1975]).

Convents are sinful places!

[The_Void · 6/10 · 3 August 2008]

What supposedly goes on 'behind convent walls' is the subject matter of pretty much every nunsploitation film ever made, and this film is director Walerian Borowczyk's take on the theme. Given that he previously directed The Beast; I have to say that I was expecting something a little stranger from the director, and while the film does have some quirks not seen in other nunsploitation efforts; it has to be said that it's pretty much a textbook entry and that is really the most disappointing thing about it. As ever, its sex, Satanism and general sinning that is the order of the day; although the film does not really follow a set narrative. The film is apparently based on a novel by someone called 'Stendhal' and focuses on a convent, where most of the nuns are beautiful and like to do everything except what nuns are supposed to do (despite having seen so many films about nuns, I actually don't know what that is!). Basically, what we get is the leaders of the convent trying to instill proper values in the nuns, while the nuns ignore them.

This genre is best known for its hardcore entries by directors such as Joe D'Amato, but this one is actually surprisingly soft. The director delights in showing the nuns half dressed; we get plenty of shots of naked women wearing the nun's headgear and while it could be considered blasphemous, it's not particularly offensive. The most noteworthy scene of the movie goes against the flow a little bit and sees a nun pleasuring herself with a carving featuring the face of Jesus! Outside of that, however, the film doesn't feature the hardcore atrocities that Joe D'Amato delights in filming. The plot is really unimportant and it soon becomes apparent that the film is only going to be an excuse to show what (or rather, what probably doesn't) go on behind convent walls. The women are all rather beautiful and the cinematography is too which ensures that the film is at least nice to look at. Overall, I don't think this film will do a lot for those wanting hardcore pornography from their nunsploitation; but it's a decent film and provides enough for the average nunsploitation fan.

Artsploitation with real erotic value

[fertilecelluloid · 6/10 · 3 November 2005]

Despite some very ropey, almost Franco-like camera-work and generally lacklustre performances, Walerian Borowczyk's "Behind Convent Walls" (aka "Within a Cloister") is an artsploitation film with real erotic value.

The plot is nonsense, but the convent setting is convincing and the scenes of nuns behaving badly are directed with great erotic detail.

With the exception of the Mother Superior, these sisters have more interest in phallic objects, masturbation, lesbianism and the local lads than the Holy Trinity. It's a good thing because this is a Borowczyk film and Borowczyk, the director of "Immoral Tales" and "The Beast", is at his best when focusing his camera on illicit sexuality.

The film has an art-house patina, measured pacing and a heavy-handed organ score, but it remains an interesting curio for its single-minded subversiveness and cast of carnally-minded Christians.

Euro art trash at its finest.

Walerina Borowczyk - cynical smut peddler or misunderstood maker of art movies? You decide. I'm still thinking about it!

[Infofreak · 2 September 2003]

This is the fourth movie by Walerian Borowczyk that I've seen (after 'Goto, the Island Of Love', 'The Beast', and 'Dr Jekyll and His Women', all of which I highly recommend), and the more I see of his work, the more I like it, but also the less I understand where he is coming from. Jess Franco and Jean Rollin were blurring the boundaries between art and exploitation movies around the same time as Borowczyk, but they are both a little easier to get a handle on. What Borowczyk was aiming for in 'Behind Convent Walls' is difficult to work out, but it's fascinating viewing nevertheless. I suppose "nunsploitation" is an apt description of the movie, but it is quite unlike other examples of that genre I have seen that were made after the success of Ken Russell's 'The Devils' (e.g. 'The Sinful Nuns Of Saint Valentine' or my personal favourite 'Flavia The Heretic'). Borowczyk's approach is very different from those other movies, and 'Behind Convent Walls', despite it's most notorious scene (more on that in a minute), is quite tame compared to the eye-popping quasi-porn of 'The Beast'. This movie is mainly silly and smutty and not all that explicit as you would imagine from the title and Borowczyk's reputation. There are lots of shots of half naked nuns or nuns in their undies cavorting around,etc.etc. and it is even quite innocent for the most part. The most notorious scene in the movie, which has gone down in exploitation movie legend, is often censored from most prints (but fortunately not the version I watched), and involves an amorous nun using a homemade dildo with the face of Jesus stuck on it. It's quite a surprise when it happens, and unlike most of the rest of the movie. In some ways I was disappointed with 'Behind Convent Walls', but in other ways it was better than I expected. If that sounds confused, yes it is, but it's an honest reflection of how I feel about Borowczyk's perplexing work. He's without doubt one of the most interesting and unusual directors of all time, and his movies will make you question your preconceived ideas of what a movie can/should be. Cynical smut peddler or misunderstood maker of art movies? You decide. I'm still thinking about it!

More like NONEsploitation than Nunsploitation

[FrankDamage · 3/10 · 27 September 2012]

While it's essentially a given misconception that many cinephiles drawn to specific and sub genres of horror and exploitation films (especially those made in the early days of the respective genre; ie. the '70s) must frequently trade quality in order to satiate their "sordid desires," I've seen enough films in the nunsploitation category to say with a definite certainty that "this is not true....in MOST cases." However in this particular instance the aforementioned cliché could be considered fact. "Behind Convent Walls" (as it is known in English speaking countries) is one of the biggest waste of film-stock I've ever seen.

The movie is almost entirely devoid of: 1) a plot of any kind, 2) decent acting, 3) an intelligible script, or cohesive a storyline 4) as well as capable directing. Not to mention, the editing seems to have been done by a mindless lummox with his eyelids sewn shut, who was randomly swinging a meat cleaver in order to make many of the cuts.

Now while some might be praying my initial statement bears some relevancy here, I can assure you that not even "the hand of God" could mask the lack of any negotiable "balance" or exchange, as it were. There is a single graphic scene that could be considered a blessing of redemption, but the remainder is little more than a few glimpses of breasts peppered (quite infrequently I might add) throughout the mainstay of this tediously boring abomination.

If self-flagellation is what you're into, then sitting through this damnation might be what you're looking for. Though I wouldn't count on either Jesus, or the Devil giving you any "brownie" points for watching it. They'd probably BOTH condemn you for your (poor, lack of) taste, after such a confession.

Art-house bore chock full of nudity and sleaze

[Leofwine_draca · 2/10 · 23 October 2015]

An offbeat mixture of art-house weirdness and sleazy exploitation, I found this to be a highly unappealing movie. I for one am not a fan of art-house cinema in general - maybe I just don't 'get' it, but I find much of it boring, and the same is true for this movie. Personally I was expecting some sleazy horror film in the vein of KILLER NUN or THE OTHER HELL, but instead I got a lame art movie with nothing going on.

Sure, the direction of Walerian Borowczyk (what a name to go to bed with!) is unconventional and stylish, but this movie just doesn't go anywhere. Instead we have endless scenes of seduction, intrigue and the like and a few spotty deaths, and we're supposed to care? The strict uniform that the nuns wear mean that it's difficult to distinguish between them, not that you would care to either. The sexual side of the film means that there's a lot of nudity (for instance, one nun likes to do nude aerobics!) and sex scenes, which were unappealing to a fan looks for thrills of a different sort like myself. Only the organ music playing on the soundtrack is really distinctive. Otherwise, give this art-house bore a miss.

"Nun" of this impressed me

[Stevieboy666 · 4/10 · 25 January 2021]

Young nuns dance, play musical instruments, walk around their convent naked and indulge in various sexual activities, much to the displeasure of Mother Superior. That's pretty much the plot, boredom had set in about half way through. Lots of female full frontal nudity, including close ups of genitals. Is this a Borowczyk art-house movie or just an excuse for some softcore porn? Probably a bit of both but for me it was unimpressive on both counts. I did watch the cut Redemption VHS but I doubt an extra 24 seconds of footage would change my mind. There are much better "nunsploitation" movies out there.

Behind Convent Walls

[Scarecrow-88 · 7/10 · 14 September 2010]

Walerian Borowczyk's contribution to the nunsploitation genre, shot, mostly hand-held, by the extraordinary cinematographer Luciano Tavoli who expertly uses authentic locations(and, not to mention, his impeccable use of light) exceptionally well.

Debauchery and carnal desires, yearnings of the flesh, a lust which defiles the very soul, in director Walerian Borowczyk's BEHIND CONVENT WALLS young nuns, blossoming into women with burgeoning hormones and sexual appetites appeased by the order, educated by their superiors in the church to remain loyal to their "spouse", Jesus Christ.

Promiscuous, chatty, talking over each other, loud and playful, these are girls buried away into a repressive, reclusive environment, where the older nuns go through their things, nosy busybodies trying in every way possible to eliminate any outside world influence which might "coerce them to sin." Blasphemous, Sacrilegious satire includes one young nun whose obsessive love for Jesus borders on the absurdly sexual as she masturbates herself with a wooden dildo with Christ's drawn face at the end(she uses a mirror so she can see his face!)...not to mention that she prays to him in the nude! This nun, Sister Clara, with her unhealthy devotion to Christ, allows herself to be erotically drawn to Father Confessor's artist nephew, Rodrigo(known for his pious portraits which don't sell as well as other works). Sister Martina loves a fellow named Silva and is coerced by Sister Lucretia in spiking the Mother Superior's tea with an opiate! Clara considers Mother Superior(and her damned black cane)of being the anti-Christ because she interrupted a "session with her Savior". The confessions can be so lurid, as in the case of Clara, that Father Confessor has to wipe his brow constantly of sweat! In regards to the dreaded black cane, it's actually a sword in a case for which the Mother Superior uses to stab beds looking for provocative materials. Sister Veronica cuts her hands while intensely grasping roses creating bloody wounds having her believe she has stigmata! One nun collects flower petals she keeps in her front drawer. One nun is pregnant, her punishment being that she's not allowed to say Hail Marys out loud or keep her window open. One nun gorges herself on grapes. Another loves her violin, fighting Mother Superior with all her might when she attempts to take the musical instrument away as punishment for playing non-religious music(the violin is later used as a "pleasure device"). All this in one convent shows that no matter how hard you try to keep sin from young women hidden away from the world, the craving for pleasure and ecstasy finds it's way to the flesh. Clara, who had dedicated so much to Christ, gives herself over to Rodrigo who introduces her to the joys of oral bliss.

I imagine director Walerian Borowczyk was enjoying himself, showing this convent evolving into essentially a den of hedonism and depravity. It gets serious(well, probably meant as humorous considering Borowczyk's stance towards the Catholic Church) when, because the door to the convent was opened, the Mother Superior winds up dead from the opiate put in her tea to keep her asleep so the nuns could conduct themselves in whatever way they so pleased. By the end, three nuns are dead, one is responsible for the poison which killed them(and for opening the convent door which produced the final result), and a cardinal is covered in the blood of a raving Sister Veronica blaming him for the crucifixion of Christ..this nunsploit is quite a wild ride. I noticed in a documentary of this movie that the masturbation-wooden dildo scene is cut from most prints..purists may want to seek this Cult Epics release out for the official version.

Drag me to ... church

[kosmasp · 4/10 · 3 August 2016]

Let's get the obvious out in the open right away: She'll have nun of that. Never gets old, though if we're talking old nun, she does get old. Also doesn't want the other nuns to have fun. Well she won't become Cyndi Lauper anytime soon then. But the nuns are resourceful and find "wood" in the strangest places ... both literally and metaphorically speaking if you know what I mean.

If you don't let me tell you that this is sleaze at its finest (if that's your cup of tea of course). Still it does drag and it feels very episodic with all the nuns and their different ways to "heaven" (or climax that is). If I make this sound better than the actual experience of you watching this will be, don't blame me. I had to write something and describing penetration scenes or torture (physical or other kind) isn't the way I wanted to go. Suffice to say, this is not for any church goers .. well not the "right" ones

Both an erotic/exploitation movie and an artistic view of cloistered life

[netwallah · 6/10 · 22 September 2006]

This movie isn't sure where it belongs. In part it is a well-realized historical period picture based on a novel by Stendahl. The photography is very fine, as are the settings and costumes.

Then it's also a movie that exists for the many opportunities to show nuns and novices without clothing, often involved in some sort of sexual activity. A somewhat trite them runs through this level, something about the unnatural state of confinement and the irresistible need for pleasure that nuns must feel. So we see kissing and fondling and masturbation with a hand-carved dildo and several tasteful scenes of copulation with men. The corollary theme is that sexual deprivation in women produces either a grimly authoritarian repression—the abbess (Gabriela Giacobbe) who carries a cane with a concealed sword she uses to find contraband in the bedding—or madness, as in the case of the nun who is convinced Jesus has taken her to bed and whose rose-thorn wounds she represents as stigmata. Or in the case of one of the main characters, Sister Clara (Ligia Branice), who begins the story as a truly devout nun, but in the last twenty minutes she seeks out the handsome artist Rodrigo (Howard Ross) and has ecstatic sex in the convent courtyard, crying out phrases that mirror the devotional language she's used earlier as a mystical bride of Christ. Then, inexplicably, she is mad, exposing herself with defiant, mocking, leering words and laughter to the priest, and then she is dead of the same poison that killed the abbess, as is the other nun, Sister Martina (Loredano Martínez), who'd been having sex with the virile male helper Silva (Alessandro Partexano) and who gave the abbess the poison she thought was just opium useful for mellowing her out a little, and opened the door for her lover as well. The cardinal, Clara's uncle, arrives and prays for assistance in ensuring that no word of this business will go beyond the convent walls, and he flashes a wicked grin. The nun earlier shown in late pregnancy smiles a different smile as she nurses her newborn baby; it is typical of the contradictions of this movie that the abbess, so firmly opposed to all forms of carnality, is kind to the pregnant nun.

The third element derives from making the film a vehicle for Ligia Branice, who happened to be married to the director. She has a striking, tapered face, with wide-set eyes and a generous mouth. Somehow she manages to acquire more and more exaggeratedly sexy make-up as the movie progresses. Her range as an actor is limited, however. She does fine as a quiet, devout nun, but as a lover and a madwoman she grimaces and chews the scenery, as they say, looking a little like a slim female impersonator trying to mimic Sophia Loren at fever pitch. She's much better than she is in Blanche, but she's still the weakest part of the film.

Tedious artsploitation

[Groverdox · 4/10 · 21 July 2019]

The filmmaker and animator Walerian Borowczyk has been described as "a genius who happened to be a pornographer". This phrase definitely piques the interest of those jaded smut viewers who are tired of seeing the same thing over and over. But is it accurate?

"Behind Convent Walls" is definitely more arthouse than softcore, despite its near constant parade of naked nuns. It doesn't even try to have anything like a plot, nor characters, things we associate with mainstream films, and even mainstream pornography. Rather its English title is brilliantly descriptive: Borowczyk lifts the lid, or in this case the wall, behind a convent some hundred years before, to show all the seamy behaviour going on there.

Apparently it's also not even that unrealistic. Obviously a porno flick throws any pretence to verisimilitude out the window in favour of sex. But I have heard that in a lot of cases young women were given to a nunnery by poor families not so that they could live a life of religious austerity, but so that they could enjoy privilege they wouldn't otherwise have. One of the nuns is heavily pregnant, another masturbates with a dildo, another attempts to have sex with her violin. The mother superior isn't that bothered.

The problem with the movie, though, is that it's not interesting. You get tired of this debauchery pretty quickly. There's no eroticism, and it's not particularly shocking. Just tedious. Some kind of a story would have helped.

Is Borowczyk a genius? It's hard to tell. The fact that he doesn't go straight to smut, and seems to have other things on his mind, might distinguish him from all the other exploitation filmmakers out there. But whatever this conceit was didn't add up to an interesting movie.

An artistic peak among all "Convent Erotica" movies.

[armando_mariani · 8/10 · 31 May 2005]

I've watched quite a number of so called "Nunsploitation" or "Convent Erotica" movies and at least eight of Walerian Borowczyk's erotic escapades and I think that "Interno di un Convento" aka "Behind the Convent Walls", truly deserves the term "Art-House Movie". In my opinion, it has to be considered one of the few artistic peaks, among the several dozens stinkers (mainly purely exploitative), which crowded European screens, during the '70 and '80s. The director shows us here more then a glimpse of his cinematic genius, crafting a little movie on a "shoestring budged", full of mesmerizing images and sounds. The cinematography (the movie seems almost entirely shot on a hand-held camera and in natural light) is simply gorgeous. Streams of bright sunlight flow towards the viewers from the background windows of beautiful Renaissance settings, creating dream-like visuals, in which the bodies of the female interpreters, quite often involved in steamy erotic games, appear almost floating weightlessly at mid air. By the way, Marina Pierro as "Sister Veronica" and Ligia Branice as "Sister Clara", are unbelievably beautiful even in (or half out) their rough monastic robes. The Mediaeval harpsichord, violin and organ scores, which underline the most climatic sequences, provide the proper musical frame for this dark tale of forbidden love affairs, sacrilegious erotic rituals, psychological and physical abuse and murder. The movie has a few dull moments where it seems that it is going nowhere, but then it gets back on track with a few pleasant surprises. There are two sequences which, personally, I consider among the most outstanding of the whole picture. The first begins with a flock of nuns busy cleaning up and decorating the chapel using straws of red carnations. Suddenly one of them, practicing on her violin, strikes a few musical notes of what seems to be a very lively tune. This attracts the attention of all the other nuns, who start looking at her in great expectation...Encouraged by her sisters, she strikes another series of notes, which immediately originates giggling of approval from the audience... Another nun joins right in playing the organ and they both start an improvised duet playing a very captivating "pagan" tune. Like stricken by a sudden electric discharge, the nuns immediately forget all about their work duties. The whole Sisterhood improvises a party and start dancing and jumping around happy and thoughtlessly. The camera jumps right in the middle of this improvised party, cavorting around with the nuns, by means of circular dancing movements at the rhythm of the music. It's an amazing apotheosis of flying black veils, black gowns, white undergarment and red carnations... You can almost feel the sense of relieve of the poor nuns, who get carried away in a temporary escape from the frustration of their austere and mortifying living routine. The other sequence is the one everybody who has seen the movie, obviously talks about... It's probably the only really explicit and graphic scene of the whole movie, but I think that the way it has been shot and directed, makes this sequence beautiful and not disturbing. Borowczyk unveils here the deepest roots of his erotic fantasies. He shows us a nun deeply (and desperately) in love with Christ. Spiritual love is not sufficient for her; her repressed senses demand to be also physically possessed by him. She reaches her objective, with the help of a home-made wooden dildo, with a Christ-like face painted on one end and a mirror...and a big deal of imagination. WOW! Definitely eroticism at his peak and definitely... not a movie for everyone! I give this one an (enthusiastic) 8 out of 10.

Dull and pointless

[grantss · 2/10 · 21 March 2021]

On the surface the women at the convent are your average nuns. However, what they get up to in their spare time is far from what you'd expect from nuns...

Quite dull, despite the erotic nature of the film. Was probably quite shocking and titillating in the 1970s but is fairly tame now.

This also shows that all the film had to offer was the gratuitous nudity and sex scenes. Take these away and you realise there really is no plot to speak of. It's all quite empty and pointless.

artistic, erotic, tragic

[cread · 20 May 2000]

Borowsky's artistic, distinctively edgy pseudo-art erotic movie will appeal to all familiar with his work. The over-exposed light pours in through the windows and light up the stark, angular corridors, perfectly off-setting the naked female bodies on display. The plot is pretty mundane stuff - a mother superior has trouble keeping her naughty nuns from sins of the flesh (that's pretty much it). Although the weird subplots about stigmata and a nun who seems to believe Jesus slept with her in her sleep will please art-house fans like me. The film is set against a loud organ score (reminiscent of the art-house classic Last Year at Marienbad) and of course it all ends pretty tragically. This is a great little art-house film, although the acting is at times a little hokey (not helped by terrible dubbing) and it isn't exactly the biggest budget in the world. Ironically, given the film's exploitionist title, there isn't much here for softcore porn fans (a little female masterbation and 2 or 3 short (heterosexual) sex scenes) but fans of this kind of european arthouse should be more than happy.

Convent erotica from Walerian Borowczyk

[Falconeer · 8/10 · 13 January 2007]

A stern Mother Superior tries to maintain order in the convent, and to protect the nuns from evil temptation in this beautifully wrought 'nunsploitation' film from cult director Walerian Borowczyk. While the plot here is standard fare, it is the breathtaking imagery that takes center stage, and makes this film so special. One of the most 'fluid' films I have ever seen, the characters and the images are constantly moving, an effect helped to some degree by the hand-held camera technique. White is the predominant color here, as sunlight streams through the windows of the convent, illuminating the naturally beautiful nuns as they go about their days, gathering roses, preparing food, masturbating and copulating (!). All this while the mother superior races around, spying and searching the bed chambers of the nuns, forever looking for evidence of sin. Religious imagery abounds, in the form of bleeding stigmata and a dildo with the face of Jesus etched onto it. Light and comical at times, but turning considerably darker towards the films climax. The cinematographer also worked on Argento's 'Suspiria', which explains this films gorgeous look. It would certainly be a shame and do great injustice to Borowczyk's beautiful film to place it in the same category as the 'nusploit' dreck of Joe D'Amato and some of the others, as 'Interno di un Convento' is on another level entirely. This is my favorite film from Borowczyk next to his "La Marge" with Sylvia Kristel and Joe Dallesandro. And of the 'nunsploit genre, 'Behind Convent Walls' is one of the absolute finest examples, along with "The Nuns of Verona", "Sacrilege", and the dazzling Japanese "Convent of the Holy Beast". I have yet to see Jess Franco's "Love Letters of A Portuguese Nun", but I heard this is quite good as well. For Behind Convent Walls' there is a great new DVD featuring a beautiful widescreen transfer, and including extra information on Borowczyk's work.

"Don't You Have Even An Ounce Of Shame?!"...

[azathothpwiggins · 27 July 2021]

BEHIND CONVENT WALLS tells the disturbing story of what really goes on in these bastions of female sanctimony. As suspected, once they're done with their duties and devotions, off go the clothes! As if dancing and wearing straw hats weren't bad enough, these sisters of sin engage in all manner of carnal activity! Not-at-all surprisingly, they're all young, nubile beauties, ready for action!

What is an ancient, shrewish Reverend Mother to do? Why, scream, condemn, and bring down the law, of course! This method works in the same way that gasoline can be used to extinguish a bonfire! As a result, fleshly fun-time explodes exponentially!

So, the Reverend Mother institutes harsher rules. Nudity skyrockets. You haven't truly lived until you've witnessed a nun, dressed only in her habit, playing a violin!

Ugly, hairy men are introduced to carry on with the naked novitiates. Annnd, if hairy men aren't available, well, it's like the song says, "Sisters are doing it for themselves". You'll never look at Jeezuz in quite the same way again. Guaranteed.

For fans of the nun exploitation sub-genre, this is certainly one of the more blasphemous examples. Religious symbols and iconography have rarely been mingled with sensuality so blatantly. This makes KILLER NUN look like a Sunday school play!...