Bon appetit? This sometimes hilarious black comedy has gained quite a cult following over the years, and it remains writer-director-star Bartel's best effort yet. Set in Los Angeles, the story follows a straightlaced couple, Mary and Paul Bland (Bartel and the galvanizingly odd Woronov),
who dream of someday opening their own gourmet restaurant. Since Mary is a nurse and Paul has just been fired from his job at a liquor store, realizing their dream soon seems unlikely. Fate knocks, however, when a drunken reveler stumbles into their apartment and begins mauling Mary. Paul kills
the intruder and discovers a large wad of cash on the dead man. Inspired, the couple place an ad in a swingers' newspaper to lure victims into their home, where they will be killed for their money (something the ultra-conservative couple feels they deserve anyway).
With Bartel and Woronov giving wonderfully funny deadpan performances, EATING RAOUL is a terrifically droll satire on both horror movies and American middle-class values. Despite the subject matter, our hero and heroine emerge as genuinely sympathetic characters, which ultimately makes one wonder
where the film's true sympathies lie. Working independently, Bartel scraped together financing from family and friends and shot the film in piecemeal fashion when he could afford it. The resulting film, despite its lulls, is probably the better for it. Beltran, in the title role, brings along some
much-needed energy, so enjoy his performance... while it lasts. leave a comment