Last World Cinema Film You've Watched

Viva Erotica (Tung-Shing Yee and Chi-Leung Law, 1996)

In Hong Kong there is a rating called Cat III and while many a movie that people would refer to as mainstream get that rating, it’s most frequently associated with exploitation films and soft-core porn. Viva Erotic is neither of those things, though it is playing with this reputation. The film is about a director who has had two flops. He’s been out of work for a year and is pretty much living off his girlfriend. A producer he’s worked with in the past contacts him about making a new film which he discovers is a Cat III exploitation film. He tries to balance pulling off this type of film, while still holding onto his artistic integrity. The film is a very funny comedy, and manages to be a movie that did indeed achieve that dreaded Cat III rating, yet feel more heartfelt and less sleazy than any other of them I’ve seen. Surprisingly charming all around. 8/10