Kissed (1996) User Reviews

Great idea - bad result...

[pengholm · 6/10 · 7 December 1998]

The story in this movie is, as often quoted, controversial - and its a story one could expect a great movie of. However, this one fails strongly to get deep into the issue, to what *really* drives Sandra (the girl in the movie) to her different sexual experiences, and likewise, how her "boyfriend" *really* feels about it which eventually leads to the tragic ending. It is very shallow and only touches on the edge of the mystery. 78 minutes running time could easily be extended by half an hour in order to incorporate this. A better script and a better director would probably lift the movie up to the unreasonable high average it has reached at IMDB...

I see dead people ...

[Karma-15 · 5/10 · 20 July 2001]

... and Molly Parker is having sex with all of them!

If you're like me, then you saw Parker's mesmerizing performance in Center of the World and searched out more of her work. In "Kissed," she's excellent and almost enough to pull this film up to the level to which it aspires.

Give "Kissed" credit for having the guts to make necrophelia such a dominant theme, but at the same time, that's its downfall, too. Sure, necrophelia is symbolic of something greater (attempting to get closer to God and Heaven), and we're supposed to recognize it as a device. But necrophelia still is a sickness, and I have a hard time accepting that it can be anything other than extremely deviant.

Poetic despite subject matter

[rosscinema · 6/10 · 25 February 2003]

For a film thats about a female necrophiliac its surprising to discover how well made and gentle this film is. Film does a good job of allowing the viewers to really get to know this person and actress Molly Parker seems to be an excellent choice to play the lead. She conveys the very independent spirit and gentle nature of this woman. The one flaw that stands out is.....*SPOILER ALERT*...the reason for Matt's behavior as he tries to figure out why his girlfriend is a necrophiliac. His ultimate act comes as no surprise and seems forced. I do think this part of the script hurts the film and kept this from being more respectable. It certainly is a whole universe better than David Cronenberg's "Crash" which didn't have the gentle way of handling its disturbing subject matter. Its worth a look.

Beautiful, Morbid and Tasteful, if there were only more like it

[DarkFAE · 28 October 2004]

I loved this movie. I get so damn sick of the horror films that portray the funeral service and industry as gruesome, gory and horrifying. I am in the funeral service as well as mortuary school. First of all, I don't believe this movie is about necrophilia beneath the surface. It is about this woman's relationship with death. Gore, blood, guts and other stuff come from fear. There is no respect in that in my opinion. That is for people who are afraid of their own mortality. We are all going to die. It is beautiful that the director and writer were able to explore their relationship with death. Death is intriguing and dark because it is unknown. I think this movie really looked at the main character's relationship with death, herself and her own mortality through her love for the dead. Only, it was presented in a literal fashion. It seemed as though the plot was a great manifestation of the theme, which may be our understanding of life, death and rebirth. Yes, sex is life and death is rebirth. And yes, I find the idea of having sex with the dead literally repulsive, working with the dead on a daily basis. I don't believe that was the message of the movie. One thing I learned in the funeral service is that it is life that we deal with day to day, not death. It is helping the living deal with loss. That is love. If only there were more cerebral, psychological and spiritual movies that touch this topic but unfortunately we are left with gore!! Anyone know of any other movies like this?

Parker is great

[ellkew · 6/10 · 13 July 2008]

This had an odd film to it that reminded me of Harold and Maude in tone. It does not really fit in any category which is always a good thing in my book. That said it didn't work on a complete level. I had problems with the boyfriend and I found it hard to believe the way he responded to her sleeping with dead people from the start. I expected him to be a little more horrified. I also didn't believe his outcome but I suppose it was always going to happen. Molly Parker was simply great and it was such a difficult role to pull off but she does it admirably. I really believed her and this world she ventured into. It manages to make a taboo subject seem quite fascinating which in itself is groundbreaking. I think it does stand true that if the sexes were switched then audiences would indeed have trouble swallowing the story but this way round it is more acceptable. Well that's the double standard thing again. Thought provoking and sensual. I take away from this Parker's performance more than anything, without her I think the film would be consigned to the annals of history.

Powerful, passionate and relevant: exactly what a movie should be

[Hopper-2 · 9/10 · 2 February 2002]

There is no more natural preoccupation than death. Everyone is aware that they are going to die but no one knows precisely what death is. We all come to terms with our mortality in our own way. Most of us try to think about death as little as possible, choosing denial. Some turn to religion for comforting beliefs about death, others embrace a "death culture", as Goths do. A very small number of people embrace death to the extent that cadavers become sexually attractive to them.

Kissed is a beautiful story about a young woman named Sandra who explores death through necrophilia. When Matt, a fellow student she becomes romantically involved with, becomes infatuated with her he desperately tries to understand her and to incorporate himself into her necrophilic lifestyle.

They both, each in their own way, use the powerful nature of love and lust to explore their feelings about death.

The acting is both professional and believable and the audience can relate to the complex characters even though none of us is ever likely to personally experience such a bizarre situation. Even when Matt's need to be loved by Sandra makes him strange and frightening, the story only feels more familiar when we realize how much we have changed ourselves for lovers. Isn't life about finding someone to love before the time is up?

The sex and nudity are artistic, not pornographic. I went away from this movie feeling like I had witnessed something important and special. It may be disturbing at times, but Kissed is never revolting. I would not have believed that a movie about this subject matter could be so beautifully and sensitively made. If you ever find yourself anxious about death or plan to die someday, I highly recommend this passionate exploration of our most primal fear.

beautiful spiritual necrophilia

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 24 August 2015]

Sandra Larson was always fascinated with dead things. She would rub small dead animals on herself. She shocks her one and only friend Carol when she does it in front of her. Carol stops seeing her leaving her even more of an outcast. As a young woman, she (Molly Parker) apprentices for funeral home owner Mr. Wallis. Fellow student Matt (Peter Outerbridge) falls for her and they get into a relationship. However, her love of the dead becomes necrophilia and he struggles to understand her obsession.

It's a beautiful, almost spiritual romantic take on ... necrophilia. I don't know what to do with this. It's definitely not grotesque which makes me question it even more afterward. Obviously, no actual dead bodies are used. So the gross factor isn't in the experience of watching the movie. It's in the dissecting of the movie after watching it. The younger Sandra is pretty interesting with her only friend. The older Sandra's romance with Matt is perplexing. The necrophilia is done with sexuality like a normal sex scene which ends in a bright light as she perceives the soul of the dead. Molly Parker is beautiful and compelling. Other than the controversy, she's all there is in the movie.

A rough subject matter with a rough execution.

[ScoobyD · 4/10 · 22 January 2005]

I commend the filmmakers for attempting to put on screen such a difficult subject matter as necrophilia with integrity and complexity. To its credit, the movie creates a pretty accurate depiction of one of the forms of necrophilia: the gentle curiosity and obsession with freshly dead corpses. This is relieving, because the other two forms aren't quite as viewer friendly.

However, there is a reason why more films aren't made about necrophiliac protagonists. They are very hard to empathize with. This film makes no real attempt at allowing us to connect to with Sandra, and as a result it is not so much a journey we share with her but instead one that we simply observe. Like watching a movie through scratched glass. Not to mention the altogether contrived relationship that emerges in the later half of the film.

So if you're looking for an accurate depiction of necrophilia, go for it. If you're looking for some compelling drama or something to watch on a date, you may find yourself needing a stiff drink.

Amazing, Graceful and Sad

[talltale-1 · 9/10 · 14 September 2005]

Film lovers: Please don't pay too much attention to the Marco Devilboy review of this unusual film. I can understand someone not enjoying KISSED because it deals with a supremely unappetizing subject. But then it quietly, delicately opens up that subject (and the characters involved) and wraps the viewer in an embrace that becomes both irresistible and horrifying. The movie works. When I first saw it, it introduced me to a young actress I have since followed and never seen give a bad performance: Molly Parker. Peter Outerbridge is wonderful, too. Recalling this film now, several years after first watching it, such a rush of thoughts and feelings come back to me that I will probably have to see it once again. If you are willing to go somewhere you never imagined you would find yourself--and then deal with what you discover there--KISSED is not to missed.

Disturbing tale of a girl in love

[dbborroughs · 7/10 · 23 April 2005]

The very matter of fact tale of a girl who likes dead things. Its simply told and done in a manner that is mostly un-sensational. And for that reason this film is very disturbing since it raises many questions about life death and love. Its well made and well acted by everyone involved. I really can't say anything bad about it except that perhaps the end of the film is a bit too telegraphed. I wish that they had gone in some other direction instead. But thats nit picking and isn't really fair to a film thats bold enough to go off into unique territory/

Certainly this isn't a movie for every taste but if your up to a challenging and very off beat story I recommend this film.

Amateurish nonsense

[=G= · 4/10 · 11 July 2004]

"Kissed" takes on the daunting issue of necrophilia as it focuses on Sandra (Parker), a necrophiliac who has sex with the dead people in the funeral home where she's employed. If whack job Sandra isn't enough on our plate, the neophytes behind this film serve up an even more whacked out head case in a med student love interest who has similar aberrant psychic proclivities. In an obvious effort to make the disgusting, illegal, and immoral practice of necrophilia (which is never really shown) palatable, the film goes off into a sort of transcendental lalaland where it's kinda/sorta okay to have sex with dead people as long as you respect them in the morning. The result is a bunch of hokum which is difficult to swallow and a cowardly, illusory attempt to illuminate a taboo subject. Combine that huge deficit with the film's obvious indieness and you have a movie which is probably not worth your while. (C-)

Seductive, enthralling, surprising

[serge_marelli · 9/10 · 24 April 2004]

I remember seeing this movie whenit was released in the theatres in Canada. We went to see the movie knowing nothing about it. I was a surprise as to the subject and I remember many people were shocked and repelled just by the subject. I was actually thrilled by the way the subject was approached. It wasn't vulgar, obscene or bawdy; on the contrary it was sensitive, almost romantic. One emphasizes with the main character, a girl who is attracted by dead persons. I felt seduced, almost hypnotised by many scenes.

All in all a very special and an excellent movie, but one which may not be seen superficially.

Nec...romantic

[sol- · 6/10 · 9 July 2017]

Realising that she is a necrophiliac at an early age, a teenager takes a job at a local mortuary and satisfies herself with the corpses, but things get complicated when a young man (who is alive) romances her in this unusual Canadian drama. While the way she pleasures herself with the cadavers feels very mild (especially compared to something like 'Nekromantik'), there much to like in how sympathetic a perspective the film manages to offer on a person with unusual deep desires, with some philosophical voice-over narration at the start of the film helping in particular to get under her skin. The way the narration keeps surfacing every now and again during the remainder of the film is at times a little jarring, but again it really helps one get inside the girl's mindset and Molly Parker is fantastic in the role. Peter Outerbridge is less impressive as her needy boyfriend. He has an unforgettable final scene that truly captures his devotion to her and extreme desire to understand her, however, at times he only seems to exist in the narrative as an outlet (i.e. someone to whom Parker can confess everything that she does). More scenes dedicated to Parker's childhood may have helped us understand her more too, but clocking in at a very economical 78 minutes as it though, the film certainly never outstays its welcome - which is quite important here given the social taboo subject matter.

NO WAY!

[type_o · 1/10 · 5 July 2004]

WHOA this twisted little movie is utterly repugnant (and I'm an open-minded individual, more than I'd admit in this forum anyway!) but this movie crossed the line as it glorifies necrophilia!!! What's next: a feel-good movie about child-molestation? Or rape, or incest??? HELLO - SHE'S HAVING SEX WITH CORPSES!!! This is worse than some crappy slasher movie because it's a horror movie in disguise: wrapped in a pretty package but with a weak plot & thin character development (why is she the way she is other than she's always been that way? And she meets some random guy & he's into it too? YEAH RIGHT!!!). I'm surprised that anyone would want to have anything to do with this project unless they wanted to commit career-suicide! SICK & TWISTED, but now you must see for yourself, RIGHT? WORST MOVIE EVER!!!

Some Extra Information

[prometheus1816 · 23 May 2003]

Someone asked in another comment about why Matt, played by Peter Outerbridge, would give his life to Sandra, Molly Parker. It is simple. After reading the short story "We So Seldom Look On Love" written by Canadian author Barbara Gowdy ("The White Bone"), I came to understand the movie a little better. Matt is infatuated with Sandra. To be with her is complicated. The simplicity of love itself is not an issue here. He knows he cannot have her true love because that only goes to her "special" lovers. To truly feel, she must indulge herself in her passion. Matt is powerless and cannot give Sandra what she wants, until the end. He knows that only then can she love him completely. When Matt hangs himself, he crosses over and can be loved by Sandra the way he wants to be loved by her. As she performs her loving touch on him as one of her many lovers, Matt has become hers in mind, body and soul. He will be inside of her forever, the way he wanted to be.

Not as terrible or as brilliant as the extremes profess

[Mojochi · 7/10 · 26 August 2012]

This is a purposefully simple and obvious film, but good. Could it have been more complex or developed? Sure. Did it need to be? I think not. The goals were achieved. The mood was executed appropriately, and the performances were given well enough that additional development, while perhaps useful, was not necessary to the objective.

Do we need to know why the little girl is attracted to dead things? Not really, unless you're doing a psyche profile on her. For dramatic purposes, it is simply enough to note that she has a life long relationship to it. In fact, in this case there is even a romanticism & perhaps myth centering around her obsession, such that overly defining how it came about would defeat its allure.

That allure is what the film is embracing, the allure of necrophilia being more than just a sexual fetish, involving perhaps all four of the principal characters, the girl, her boyfriend, her mentor, & even the custodian, all of whom have varied, & uniquely unnatural fascinations with the subject.

The story is direct, & it drives straight to the point without delay, & its characters all have a purpose & design, which conclude fittingly, even including the girl's undertaker mentor, who gets a glimpse into her truth at the end & leaves speechless, knowing all too well what is really happening, just as his custodian knows too well the truth of him.

Anyway, onto the question everybody needs answered. Is this arousing? Well, in any well adjusted sense, of course the notion of making love to the dead is not supposed to be sexually arousing, but the film is, or at least alluring, if not in a fully sexual way. Truth be told, there is something arousing about this film, even if it's only arousing to the subject of necrophilia in a voyeuristic way.

In short, it's not arousing such that it makes you want to go hump a corpse, but it does make you want to watch her do it. As such, the film is a success at pushing the artistic envelop. To understand the level of difficulty in achieving something like this, one need only reflect on how impossible it would be to make an equally enticing story about any other abominable fetish, like fecophilia. Sounds pretty tough doesn't it?

A great deal of the success in making this story alluring was in how it was presented & by whom, & I mean specifically the well played performance given by the celestially beautiful Molly Parker, whose every square inch of freckled majesty I worship, so much so that I too would hang myself, sooner than look away from her glorious visage, or turn away from hearing the hushed tones of her sweet & transcendent voice

I would feel myself bask in her radiance, even if it were a movie wherein she only sat at a bus stop & read from the phone book. I'll watch anything that woman is in, & in this case, I felt I spent my time wisely.

Stunning

[misanthropyalacarte · 10/10 · 2 December 2004]

This film is quite frankly the only one that has ever brought tears to my eyes. This compelling and profound stir of taboo makes quick work of my knees and I've grown quite fond of it. The acting in this movie was shockingly surreal. Their ability to guide the undertones in effect are rather impressive and my attempts at criticism can only accumulate around the sound editing in which some transitional music and whatnot seemed lesser than par. Nothing in this piece has been overworked or emphasized to exhaustion. I am more than impressed by the simplicity that guides an endless river of emotion in which it captures the one thing.. the one word so overused, abused and neglected; love.

Unpleasant and intriguing viewing

[The_Void · 7/10 · 4 October 2004]

Kissed is the story of a right weirdo. This weirdo is a necrophilia, or, in more simple terms; a person that likes to have sex with dead people. As you might expect, this film is not for everyone, which would explain the way that it flew straight under the proverbial radar. The fact that the subject material is so outlandish makes this movie hard to connect with for us normal people. Despite having a go at explaining to us why the lady at the centre of the film likes to engage in said nasty activity, exactly why is never really explained and we don't really ever get inside in her head. However, perhaps that is one of the points that the film has to make; not just about necrophilia, but about sexual preferences in general. For example, I prefer brunettes to blonde's; but if someone asked me exactly why, I'd struggle to come up with an answer.

The movie draws it's creepiness and it's element of disturbance from the fact that it doesn't condemn it's subject material. In fact, the central character describes sex with a corpse as being nirvana, and it is therefore safe to say that this film not only doesn't condemn necrophilia, but it almost encourages it. There is a love story within this movie, and as underdone as it is; it does appear to have a purpose, and that purpose is to be the effect of what the girl's obsession has on a 'normal' person. It shows this effect in two ways; the first is jealousy. This comes off as being really weird...the guy in the film is jealous of dead people; but strangely, in context, it almost seems plausible. The second effect is the effect of what she's saying. What the girl describes it as is so appealing to this young man that he wants to try it himself, and that further backs up my point that this movie is encouraging it's subject material.

The acting in the movie ranges from good to bad. Molly Parker is the good side of the equation, with her portrayal of the central character; Sandra Larson. She not only makes the role believable, but she looks the part too. She's very weird looking, but also quite sexy, in a sexy-ugly kind of way. Peter Outerbridge delivers the bad side of the film's acting. He isn't terrible, and in fairness; he isn't given a lot to chew on, character or screen time wise so it's not really fair to call him bad. I guess it might just seem that way because his part of the movie is it's weakest part; this movie is at it's intriguing best while it is showing Sandra on her own, or delving into her obsession, as opposed to her being with him. Despite it being massively flawed, Kissed is worth watching. It's very daring and strange, and that alone should warrant it a watch. A word of warning to people without strong stomachs though; although this movie doesn't actually show you the act, it's not exactly pleasant viewing!

What amazes me is that there are people that love and praise this film...I think I'm going to an alarm system for my house!

[planktonrules · 2/10 · 1 August 2010]

This story is about a lonely and twisted lady who has a fascination with dead people--so much so that she gets a job in a mortuary. However, she is not just fascinated but stimulated by the dead and begins to have her way with them. When she meets a seemingly nice guy who cares about her, she cannot give of herself to him...as he's alive. So, in a bizarre twist, he makes himself more attractive to her in a very sick but supposedly romantic finale.

The acting is decent and the film is technically well done...but very, very unsettling and grotesque. Years ago, I saw this film and was hesitant to ever review it--after all, I'd hate my friends to know I've seen this! Plus, I tried very, very hard to erase the film from my memory because I regretted seeing such a sick and thoroughly nasty film--with almost nothing to recommend it. After all, the film glorifies and romanticizes necrophilia--yes, necrophilia (that's doing the nasty with dead folks for you less informed readers). If Lynne Stopkewich and Angus Fraser had made a movie glorifying pedophiles or serial rapists would people have praised it?! Probably not...or at least they wouldn't have done so publicly...after all, these are nasty and illegal. So, why, then, praise necrophilia?! It's illegal (in most but not all places) and really, really gross...yet to some, it's romantic or compelling?! Why not, then, make films about urophilics (people who like to tinkle on others for gratification) or copraphilics (people who like to defecate on others for gratification)?! By the way, if you notice I am using euphemisms and talking around things, IMDb won't allow certain key words in its reviews.

The fact that people actually LIKED this film disturbs me more than the fact that the film was made in the first place.

Much more than a necrophiliac girl

[rqwxyz · 9/10 · 11 April 2007]

Maybe the greatest achievement of the film is that it was able to deal with an subject such as necrophilia without falling into tastelessness. It's easy getting horrified at the idea of people being sexually attracted for corpses, but the relationship of mankind with death (That primigenial and fascinating fear) can go that far and, if you think of it, it goes way far beyond . If you are not willing to get into any reflexions about how the dead are treated, you may fell uneasy about the film. The contrast between Sandra and the other people manipulating bodies (the teachers, the embalmer) is rather eloquent.

But what I personally liked the best about it is how it figures relationships, elucidating the insane need of one not having the other have its own and private corner, the need of forcing the other to share it, and the woe that comes from not being able to stand it. In this line, necrophilia becomes just an excuse.

Good, but occasionally fascinating

[Tito-8 · 7/10 · 5 September 1999]

While certainly not for all tastes, this should prove to be a worthwhile film for people who can handle the subject matter. Personally, I found much of the movie to be a learning experience, for I had little idea of the standard practices for preparing a corpse for a funeral. These scenes easily overshadowed those that kept the focus on relationships, whether they were with the living or otherwise. That is not to say that the relationships were dull, because they were good too, but it was the educational aspect of the movie that kept me the most interested. If the idea behind this film does not offend you, then I think that you should give this movie a look.

Rather Kiss My Sister

[Marcos Devilboy · 3/10 · 21 December 2003]

This is quite possibly the most pretentious film ever made. The narrative isn't much to pucker up to, it's basically about a young woman who likes to have sex with dead guys (reverse that premise and obviously you wouldn't get the funding). In what has to be as unbelievable a relationship as you'll find on screen, she meets a loser guy at a coffee shop and guess what - eventually he has to kill himself in order to get her to have sex with him. I think. Some Canadian critics said good things about this unwatchable flick, which only goes to show you how politically motivated and pretentious some Canadian critics can be; oh, it also says what lousy reviewers they are. As far as I can discover though, virtually nobody in the movie going public has actually sidled up next to KISSED and watched it, an enormous group of people you are hopefully part of. Stick with 'em.

Beautiful film about death and necrophilia.

[HumanoidOfFlesh · 9/10 · 19 February 2002]

Movies about necrophilia are incredibly rare,mainly because this subject matter is too offensive for many filmmakers.So kudos should go to Lynne Stopkevich for creating this brave film(I'm dying to see her new feature "Suspicious River")."Kissed" isn't just another exploitation film-the depiction of necrophilia in it is really subtle.It's still more disturbing than many gross-out shockers,because it's so well-made.The acting is excellent and the direction is well-handled.So if you like this movie check out such necro-horrors like "Aftermath"(1993),"Buio Omega"(1979)and "Neromantik" series(1987,1992).The music(especially closing song)is amazing too!

A Disgusting Subject Artfully Done

[DC5guy · 6/10 · 5 January 2002]

I don't know what drew me to watch this film but was surprised at how compelling it was. Sensual without being crude with excellent direction and acting, especially by Molly Parker and Peter Outerbridge. Only criticism is that too much time, in my opinion, was given to *artsy* cinematography: leaves of trees, flowers, ponds, etc. In short, I found myself saying, "Can we just get on with it!" The footage would have been better spent developing the characters of Parker and Outerbridge. Six out of ten (6/10) stars.

"I Shtup Dead People!"

[hokeybutt · 5/10 · 13 February 2005]

KISSED (2+ outta 5 stars) So-so "controversial" Canadian drama... the kind of movie that people "oooh" and "aaah" over because it deals with such a "taboo" topic, in this case necrophilia. But just so the audience doesn't lose their sympathy and become too disgusted, the pervert is question is played by a sweet, adorable young girl (Molly Parker). Obsessed with death all her life, she becomes a mortician and then an embalmer... insuring that she gets to spend lots and lots of time alone with the objects of her desire. She meets up with a real live boy, too... and attempts a relationship... but he has his own problems, too... which are compounded when she tells him what she does with corpses... and he becomes more titillated than shocked. Well, you can probably guess how this is all going to end (i.e. not well). The movie is very short... and there are good performances by the two main characters... so it's relatively easy to watch... it just doesn't leave much of an impression once it's all over.