Customer Reviews
Lust Story - By: Radiant Rose, 06 Jan 2006 
I feel I should like this film more than I do. It contains James Spader, which is a good start. Admittedly, I don't particularly like his hairstyle in this, but it isn't awful. "Storyville" contains many of the elements contained in his best films. It even begins with the letter S, as do his best films ("The Stickup", "Stargate", "Supernova" & the 3 I mention elsewhere in this review). In addition:
* It contains a strong-willed brunette heroine (Joanne Whallley-Kilmer). Or maybe two strong-willed brunettes. I am not sure what to make of Lee (Charlotte Lewis). On the one hand, she turns out to be a victim of male exploitation. On the other, she is no push-over. (Literallly. She pushes other people over!) It was very interesting to compare this Lee with the character Lee that Spader's character encounters in the film "Secretary".
* It has sex, lies & videotape, like "Bad Influence", "Critical Care", "Speaking of Sex" & another film whose name temporarily escapes me (joke).
* The ending is nicely understated, also like "sex, lies & videotape".
* There is ambiguity. By the end, we think Cray (Spader) may be an honest & decent guy (considering he is a lawyer/politician with a penchant for, at the least, unusual sexual foreplay). Then again, perhaps he is more vengeful & sinister.
Then again, maybe it's a fault of the screenplay that we are left unsure as to how many characters have a motive to commit the violent act just before the final scene.
The plot does, however, twist interestingly. The film seems to convey a flavour of New Orleans (not having been there, I cannot comment on whether it does so accurately). In retrospect, it is interesting, sad & sinister that Cray's mother (Piper Laurie) is a former weather girl whose finest hour (career-wise) came when she was on air for 5 solid hours during a terrible storm.
The film could certainly have done with more humour. "Limp with me" was about the only line that made me laugh (you have to see it in context to find it funny).
I am a great believer in watching the end credits. I find it interesting that Spader's personal assistant performed some of the stunts. I wonder if he got up thinking his day would be about fetching coffee & then was asked if he fancied doing something more interesting. I also liked the credit "extra hats by". How does anyone decide which hats are standard & which count as "extra"?
The thing I hated about "Storyville" was the duck being shot. We see what is probably a real bird fallling in the sky. Yes, it could have been stock footage, filmed years before "Storyville" was made. However, I do not want my enjoyment spoilt by scenes of real violence.
Some would counter by asking why I am not complaining about violence against humans. Cray, for example, is physicallly attacked on 4 separate occasions! The obvious point is that actors & stunt doubles (even stuntmen who are normallly PAs!) have a choice as to whether to perform painful or dangerous acts.
I think this film is of interest to Spader's fans, & for other people, watching it would be a reasonable way to spend some time.
PS This review refers a second hand British video of the film.
