THE BEAST (La Bête)
(Cult Epics 1975)

By Barry Meyer

Once upon a time in the 18th century a mythical hairy beast is said to roam the dark woods of an aristocratic estate. One fair day, it is said, this legendary giant (and that's meant in a wink-wink kinda way), with an insatiable lust, sets upon the lady of the house, the beautiful young Romilda (Sirpa Lane in her notorious debut), corrupting her after she wanders innocently into his dwellings. Two centuries later, Lucy Broadhurst (Lisbeth Hummel), an American heiress betrothed to an impoverished male descendant of the once noble family, arrives at the old crumbling estate.  After hearing the story of the beast in the woods, Lucy is beset by harrowing, erotic dreams, which lead her to uncover the dark secret of the fabled beast.

The Beast (aka La Bête) is a notorious cult movie that is so wicked, so perverse, that you almost feel embarrassed for having seen it. Walerian Borowczyk's nefarious reworking of the oft told tale of Beauty and the Beast had been banned for a quarter century, probably due to its morals-shattering glimpses of rape, boy-happy priests, copious fake ejaculate, masturbation with a rose, a wig, feet, and even a bed post, horse sex, interracial sex, death by sex, and most heinous of all – bestiality!  Well, implied bestiality, actually – which is made very apparent once you see that the "beast" is a guy in a costume store wolf-outfit.  Borowczyk's The Beast is vulgar, audacious, witty, provocative and even funny.  It's an absurd sex farce, almost akin to Benny Hill's naughtier segments; a gothic horror tale pitting a nubile young woman against an unseen dark force; and an allegorical fairy tale with ample symbolic imagery – all of this all at once!  To be more succinct, you've gotta see it to believe it.

For Borowczyk enthusiasts who've only ever seen the censored versions of this erotic masterpiece, Cult Epics has released it's definitive presentation of The Beast on 3 discs, including a brand new Widescreen (16x9) transfer with optional French and English dialogue, two hours of Behind The Scenes footage and interviews, stills and lobbycard galleries, and the rare, rediscovered "Complete Version" with close to an 30 extra minutes of sumptuous storylines.