Crimes Of Passion (1984)

A fashion designer (Kathleen Turner) leads a double life. By night she is a prostitute who's attracted the unwanted atttention of two men: a sexually frustrated private detective (John Laughlin) hired by her employer (Norman Burton) and a psychopathic priest (Anthony Perkins) who wants to "save" her. Directed by Ken Russell (WOMEN IN LOVE). Cinema's notorious enfant terrible is at it again! This may be Russell's most insane movie and considering his filmography, that's saying a lot. It's a trainwreck of a movie but you can't take your eyes off it. I don't think I've ever seen a sleazier movie and Russell seems to be getting a kick by shoving our faces in the outrageousness of it all. The dialogue is nutty. Example: "You wear your anguish like a breakaway chastity belt". Huh? Who talks like that? I'd call the movie pretentious if we were supposed to take it seriously but I'm not so sure that Russell isn't having us on. In his most over the top performance, Perkins psychotic "priest" makes Norman Bates look like a choir boy. Turner is actually quite good (she won the L.A. film critics best actress award for her work here) though I sometimes wondered if she was in on the joke. As the private eye, Laughlin is a hunk alright but he's terrible and as bland as unsalted butter. The film was cut to avoid an X rating but I watched the unrated version. With Bruce Davison, Annie Potts, Louise Sorel, Gerald S. O'Laughlin and the legendary acting coach, Peggy Feury.