Review of Bilitis

It's hard to know what to say about a movie called "Bilitis". It was filmed by a photographer who is famous for his soft-focus pictures of adolescent girls who are usually naked, and that's basically what the movie gives us, except he uses a film camera to capture them this time.

The movie starts promisingly with copious nudity and suggestions of lesbianism, but when its plot starts to come to the fore it gets in the way and ruins our fun. I don't even know what the movie was supposed to be about. I got that the titular Bilitis is a schoolgirl in a boarding school where the girls skinny dip and slip into each other's beds. Bilitis has an aunt, who is romantically involved with some guy, and she may also pursue a romance with a local boy, but I don't remember seeing that, or him.

Another problem is that the actresses (and actors) aren't really that great looking. Patti D'Arbanville, who plays Bilitis, is really nothing special to look at, and nor are any of the other people on screen. The actors don't really make an impression with their looks, and it is sometimes hard to tell them apart.

This, however, might just be down to the "soft-focus" photography, which would probably give you a migraine if you looked at it for too long.